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Recipes from my Lincolnshire kitchen

Belleau Kitchen – 1 Year Old Today

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well well well, can you believe it…?  A whole year… and i’ve got to say it’s been one of the best years of my life… I am so happy to have started blogging, it’s been such a brilliant experience… I’ve done so much and met so many wonderful people… i’ve been on TV… i’ve been to the best supperclubs… i’ve tried out for The Great British Bake-Off... I started a sourdough… I started my own bloggers challenge… all this and I still haven’t managed gold at the Aby Village Show!
and I get to share this exciting passion with all of you… and it really is a passion… for what else would you stay up till 1am catching up and writing new posts, designing meals and reading recipes… and I am truly humbled by all the lovely people who bother to follow my ramblings and attempts at world domination… it has been a brilliant time!
I have a few little posts planned over the next few days but in honour of celebrating my year of blogging I give you my first ever post… it’s pretty basic but is there better place to start than with a loaf of bread…?
My First Loaf














Friday 2nd April 2010 and it’s Good Friday.
A perfect long weekend to bake.
So as an intro to my kitchen I decided to bake a plaited loaf, something i’ve never done before… sure i’ve got a breadmaker and it makes amazing bread, but to truly christen the blog and the start of this new venture I thought i’d go for something i’ve never done!
I bought the flour from our local windmill, it’s organic and ground on site, not 4 miles from my kitchen!


Here’s the recipe and photo’s of the result:
Preparation: 35 minutes, plus rising. Cooking: 34-40 minutes
Makes 1 loaf
15g butter
290ml milk
15g fresh yeast
1 teaspoon caster sugar
450g strong white flour
1 medium egg beaten
milk to glaze

– melt the butter in the milk in a small pan. Cool until tepid. Cream the yeast and sugar together in a small bowl

– sift the flour into a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and make a well in the centre. Mix together the butter, milk, egg and yeast and pour into the well. Quickly mix together to form a soft but not too sticky dough.

– turn on to a lightly floured worktop and knead for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Put into a clean, very lightly oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel. Leave in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled in size.

– Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan oven) gas mark 6. Divide the dough into three pieces. Knead, then roll each piece into a sausage shape about 10cm long

– Put two pieces parallel to each other and the third across, threading it under the left hand piece and over the right-hand. Starting from the middle, plait one end, then turn over and plait the other end. Tuck in the ends and put on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and leave to rise for 15 minutes.

– Brush with milk and bake for 25 minutes until the loaf is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Cool on a wire rack.

If you can’t get hold of fresh yeast use 2 teaspoons of fast action dried yeast and stir into the flour before adding liquid.

oh and i’s just like to wish Kavey from Kavey Eats a very happy 2nd Blog Birthday today… be fabulous darling!

eat and of course, enjoy!

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Comments

  4. From Beyond My Kitchen Window says

    Well Happy Blog Birthday Dom. What a wonderful job you have done with your blog. You never fail to make me smile. I love your sense of humor and your food is top shelf also. Looking forward to this next year!

  5. Anonymous says

    Happy Blogging 1st Birthday Dom
    The random recipe dishes all look amazing – lots of talented people
    Have a blogging good day
    LoL Mummyx

  8. From the Kitchen says

    A very happy blogging birthday to you, Dom! That's one lovely loaf–and a first, at that. I raise my coffee cup (it's 7 a.m.) to another delicious year!

    Best,
    Bonnie

  20. Kavey says

    Thanks lovely, and for your comment on my blog post this morning!
    Happy Birthday to us!
    Here's to the next year, for both of us!

  22. Aveen says

    Happy birthday Dom! It's only recently I discovered your blog but I'll definitely still be reading when it's your second birthday 🙂

  26. Jenn says

    Happy blogiversary, Dom!! Isn't it great to look back on the year and see how far we have come?? 🙂 Can't wait to see what this year brings!

  27. Dom at Belleau Kitchen says

    again, thank you all so much for the kind blog birthday wishes… it has been the most excellent year and I've enjoyed every moment of it… much cake and booze was consumed over the weekend… which was rather fabulous!!!

  28. Michael Toa says

    Happy 1 year anniversary Dom! Here's to many more to come. Cheers! It's passed 12 o'clock now and it's definitely legal to drink. 🙂