Karl... I mean Farl

Saturday, my lovely sister Molly and I decided it was time for a trip to the bookstore. So we went. We browsed and browsed and browsed some more. Keep in mind, some Christmas wishes were made. Whether they were for us or not, I will let you use your imagination.

My purchase of the day was 100 Great Breads by Paul Hollywood. Delectable looking, yes, I know. Anyway, as I meandered around the rest of the store with this book in tow, I kept hugging it and drooling over it and thinking how fat and happy I could make everyone that I know. It's my new hobby.

I decided before I got out of the store which bread recipe I was going to attempt that night. After a lot of internal struggling, I finally settled on Farl. You heard me. Farl. (Although I did forget what it was called and told my roommate that I made Karl and she should try some. That's probably why she hasn't had any yet...) Farl is an old English loaf. They knew how to eat.

Now Breezi, this part is for you. In true (almost true) blogger fashion, I documented most of my bread making experience!

Recipe:

• scant 4 cups white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 oz/ 30 g yeast - turns out, that is 10 teaspoons of yeast...
• scant 2/3 cup stick butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups water

makes one large loaf

(seriously, how could I resist this book?)

(This is the page the recipe is on. I am apparently looming over the page casting quite the shadow)

Step 1: Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix for 4 minutes. (I read in the book that you don't actually have to dissolve yeast in warm water first. The slower bread rises the more flavor it has! You can even let it rise in the refrigerator!)

Step 2: Tip out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth and pliable. (I didn't really do this for 5 minutes... Actually I may have forgotten to do that part altogether. I know I let it rise though!) Let the dough stand in the bowl to rise for 1 hour. (It literally doubles in size!)

Step 3: Line a baking sheet. (I just greased one. It worked great.) Tip the dough out onto your floured counter and shape into a ball then flatten into a circle about 2 inches thick. Put on the baking sheet and let rise for 1 hour. (Again, it got considerably chubbier.)

Step 4: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit/220 degrees Celsius. In case you were wondering. Cover the top of the dough with flour and, starting with the middle, make vertical slashes down the dough all the way round. Bake in the over for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. (It's that easy!)

My cutting vertical slashes weren't as pretty as the pictures but I am determined to make pretty gashes in bread before I am through with all of these recipes! And, I intend to make each and every bread recipe.

So, this bread is pretty good. It was delicious right out of the oven with a little spray butter, because that's how I roll, and a glob of jelly!

And that's Farl. Yum.