The Loaf

My Gram always said baking bread was an art. I’ve made a few ghastly attempts at this art form and let’s just say the results were noteworthy. One thing is for sure the loaves didn’t come up to Grams standards.

Yesterday I came across a bread making machine someone had gifted me then went online to find the perfect recipe.

I perused the recipe and got out the ingredients. Not having any bread maker yeast, and no oil I had to make some adjustments along the way.  Reasoning these could be easily replaced with dry active yeast and butter I put everything in the bread maker as instructed found the white bread setting  punched the start button.

The machine started and ran through its cycles.  Soon the delicious aroma of freshly baking bread filled the kitchen.

I peered anxiously through the little window on top of the machine and saw the dough rising nicely.

My mouth watering, I could hardly wait to slather butter on hot bread. Imagine my surprise when I took the loaf out of the machine and saw it slowly collapse in the center. 

Maybe I tinkered with the ingredients too much I thought.  The bread was edible, in fact, it was delicious.  If you ignored the funny soggy little spot in the middle of each slice it was almost perfect.

Gram was right; baking bread is an art! I sighed happily, with a bit of practice I might master this art form with the help of my trusty new friend the bread maker...