The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Can't bake, How do you handle it.

alabubba's picture
alabubba

Can't bake, How do you handle it.

I moved, about a week and a half ago. Add a week and a half for packing and That means it has been about 3 weeks since I have baked anything! Almost as long since I was able to cook anything (I don't count microwaving a TV dinner as cooking)

I feel like a junkie needing a fix. I go to the supermarket bakery and am seriously considering buying one of their slash and bake breads.

I get on TFL and drool all over my keyboard but that just makes me want it more.

I am hoping to be able to bake something this weekend but until then, How do you handle long periods when you can not bake!

I have visions of being found face down in a dark alley, white powder residue around my nose. Cop 1 says. "Cocaine overdose?

Cop 2 "No, its King Arthur Bread Flour"

davidg618's picture
davidg618

David G

pelosofamily's picture
pelosofamily

My life revolves around the oven!!! Is it a fatal addiction or can we grow old doing this!!!!

Albert

Janknitz's picture
Janknitz

I know just how you feel when passover comes and flours and leavening are forbidden for a whole week (you are not even supposed to OWN flour or leavening that week).  I spend lots of time plotting out my first bake after the holiday.

This year I'm going to try out a gluten free tapioca-based roll recipe from King Arthur's web-site (this kind of cheating is permitted for reasons beyond my comprehension, while at the same time some people won't eat peanuts during Passover becasue they sort of look like a grain.  Go figure!).  This recipe is more like a pate a choux but might scratch the itch.

How about getting some ready made bread dough like Bridgeford (freezer section in supermarkets) or pizza dough (Trader Joe's sells this) to play with in the meantime.  It takes little time and no special equipment, but you get to play with dough. 

 

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Man! It's just plain tough.

I usually go into a baking frenzy the next opportunity. (I'm not sure my wife can tell the difference. To her, I'm always in a baking frenzy.).

As for Passover, that's different. There is a vast array of traditional passover baked goods - most all of the desert variety - that have no flour and no leavening  (organic or chemical). So, "Let them eat cake!" (Honey cake. Tortes made with nut meal. Macaroons (almond or coconut). Etc.)

David

proth5's picture
proth5

3 weeks? - Passover?

Rookies.

I'm five weeks in with an undetermined number of weeks left to go.  I don't even have an oven (still looking for one).

But I do have a starter starting.  And there's always things to learn.

If I can't bake, I can dream... And I do.  I dream about baking

KansasGirlStuckInMaryland's picture
KansasGirlStuck...

Do you have an electric skillet?  Or a stovetop and skillet?  Make English Muffins.  Not baking, but it is dough with which you get to play and something to eat that is much better that what you can buy in the stores.

proth5's picture
proth5

living in a hotel room.  I have a hot pot and a microwave.

I miss the Diamant, too...

>>Sigh<<

neoncoyote's picture
neoncoyote

I agree that I was seriously jonesing to bake. My in-laws, who live in the apartment below us, were on vacation a few weeks ago, and at my first opportunity I installed my stone and steam pan in their oven only to realize that I had forgotten the difference between sufficiently proofed and overproofed. I've been baking unintentional flatbreads ever since.

On a happy note, my own oven is now finally operational, and I've identified overproofing as the likely cause of my flatbreads which, incidentally, elicited nothing but raves from my family!? Whoever commented in another thread earlier this week that her misses tended to produce far more applause than her hits spoke for me, too...seems like my loves that have been close to perfection never get the love I think they deserve, except from me and my camera.

There isn't anything that substitues for having one's own working oven. Reading baking books didn't help for me -- that made it worse. The enforced baking break was easier to handle if I just didn't think about it!

 

alabubba's picture
alabubba

I am happy to report that I was able to bake this last weekend, I would post pics but the subject was consumed even before reaching room temp.

I made a batch of Jasons Ciabatta.

I have baguettes and Pizza dough rising in the fridge now.

My new oven is a tad old, but nothing I cant deal with and I have enough cabinets installed that I can put my things in order.

I absolutely HATE moving. And now that this enormous disruption in my life is over I can get back to it.