It’s a well-known fact in my home that I’m not a huge fan of traditional bakbrood.
I dislike it for the same reason I don’t like scones, I just can’t stand the taste.
But even I can’t resist the smell that comes from freshly baked bread that has just been taken out of the oven.
After cutting a slice, it’s topped with nothing else, but a thin layer of butter that melts into the warm bread. Yum!
That’s still not enough to make me have any, but I’ve seen that look of pure satisfaction on the faces of friends and family when they bite into that brood.
Lucky for me not all homemade breads are the same and there are many varieties that the uitsoekerige types like myself can enjoy.
My personal favourite is anything that’s topped or filled with cheese or jam.
I especially love homemade bread that I can pair with my cup of soup, my personal favourite being toasted cheese with tomato soup.
Another favourite and super easy to make is a flatbread naan.
Add a slap of garlic butter and my favourite curry dish, and I’m happy.
Local foodie Farzana Kumandan helped me out with some of her own easy bread recipes this week, which I can’t wait to try out.
Farzana says her kitchen motto is, “easy peasy, fuss-free and flop proof” cooking and most importantly, you make do with what you have.
Spoken like a true chef.
For more of her recipes, go to Farzana’s Instagram page @sprinklesandspicect.
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A post shared by Sprinkles and Spice(@sprinklesandspicect) on Mar 25, 2020 at 3:58am PDT
Recipes
Easy Peasy Bread
By Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
1 egg
½ cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup water
500g packet self-raising flour
1 level teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
Method
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk and water.
Add the self-raising flour, salt and baking powder.
Mix together with a spoon until all ingredients are well combined, smooth and lump-free.
Transfer to 2 greased loaf pans (greased with butter and sprinkled with some flour) or 3 foil mini loaf containers.
Bake on 180 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Once removed, brush with some melted butter.
Easy Peasy Flat Bread
By Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
2 ½ cup Self raising flour
1 ½ cups double cream yoghurt
1 small egg
1 level tsp salt
Butter for brushing
Method
Combine all ingredients together and roll out on a floured surface.
If the dough is sticky, add more flour.
Fry in a hot dry pan, on both sides until golden brown.
Once fried, brush with melted butter.
Easy Peasy Flat Bread
Easy Peasy Raisin Loaf
By Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Wet Ingredients
1 egg
1 cup water
1 cup milk
Pinch of yellow food colouring
Dry Ingredients
500g self-raising flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
250 g raisins & some boiling water
Method
Soak the raisins in boiling water until it swells.
Once swollen, drain the excess water.
Once drained, toss raisins in your dry ingredients and mix with a spoon (this coats the raisins and ensures that the raisins don't sink to the bottom)
Whisk all the wet ingredients and add to the dry ingredients, mixing with a spoon.
Transfer to 2 greased loaf pans (greased with butter and sprinkled with some flour) and bake on 180 degrees for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Once removed from oven brush with either some sugar water or some Apricot Jam.
Easy Peasy Raisin Loaf
Homemade brown bread
Flora Cooking from the heart
Ingredients
6½ cups (6 x 250 ml + 125 ml) brown bread flour
¼ cup (60 ml) crushed wheat (optional)
1 x 10 g sachet instant yeast
½ tsp (2,5 ml) salt
1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
3 tbsp (45 ml) sunflower oil
about 700 ml lukewarm water
¼ cup (60 ml) oats
Method
1. Mix flour, wheat, yeast, salt and sugar together in a mixing bowl.
2. Stir in the oil and 2 cups of the water. Stir well.
3. If necessary, add more water to form a dough that you can knead. It shouldn’t be too sticky, or too dry.
4. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes or until a smooth soft dough forms. If you press the dough lightly with your finger it should spring back.
5. Place in a clean bowl and cover with cling wrap. Allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
6. Knock down the dough with your knuckles. Knead gently.
7. Lightly grease a 2 litre bread tin. Shape dough into a loaf and place in tin.
8. Cover with a clean tea towel and allow to rise for 20-30 minutes or until doubled in size.
9. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200 °C. Brush bread with a little milk and sprinkle oats on top.
10. Bake for 45 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped. Turn out onto a cooling rack.
Homemade Brown bread
Buttermilk and cheese bread
Flora cooking from the Heart
Ingredients
3 cups (750 ml) cake flour
¼ cup (60 ml) bran
1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
2 cups (500 ml) buttermilk
2 tbsp (30 ml) water
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp (15 ml) dried mixed herbs or chopped fresh parsley
½ tsp (2,5 ml) salt
½ cup (125 ml) grated cheddar cheese
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 °C and lightly grease a 1,5 litre bread tin.
2. Mix all ingredients together, but keep half the cheese aside.
3. Spoon mixture into bread tin. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
4. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a cooling rack.
Tips
1. Savoury muffins: Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper cups. Spoon mixture into cups and bake for 15-20 minutes. These make a delicious lunch box snack.
2. Add any herbs or seasonings of your choice, like chopped onion. Sprinkle with paprika or cayenne pepper and bake as above.
3. Pot bread: Grease a cast-iron pot and bake bread over medium coals.
4. This makes delicious toast the next day.