22 March 2024

Square toast bread and other treasures

I've been writing about change recently, mostly because I've undergone significant change in the last two years but also because that’s what we all do - we change. Change is healthy, it shows we’re evolving and not standing still. However, my change topic today is not about personal change, I’m changing the shape of my bread, it will be square, and the recipe is changing to suit the shape. I have many posts here about baking bread and yes, I've been through all the changes you're currently going through - sourdough, artisan bread, sandwich loaves, ancient grains, rye, milled oats and the rest. But now I'm focusing on square toast bread and, of course, scones. I will bake scones using the recipe now engraved on my brain that was taught to be by my mum when I was about 10 years old. She used to tell me I had "a light hand" and that was what was needed to make good scones. Who knew!

Almost all the bread I eat now is in the form of toast, generally one slice with my breakfast. It bugged me that my tall loaves had to be put through the toaster twice so the complete slice was toasted from top to bottom. Then I came across Japanese square bread made in a loaf tin with a lid. Now that I think back on it, I'm amazed that I didn't think of this sooner and looked for the right tin to bake it in. But I'm there now so that's all that matters.






I bought my loaf tin at Amazon au I've been using it for a couple of months now and I'm very happy with it. I don't grease the interior of the pan nor do I use parchment paper, The dough goes in, bakes and it comes out as a perfect square - there’s no sticking to the loaf tin and no fiddling with it.

The first problem I came up against was my normal milk bread recipe, even when I adjusted the amounts in the first loaf I baked, it was too big. I was getting a square loaf, but there was too much dough in the tin and because the lid stopped the dough from rising, the bread was dense. I kept working on it and I’m pretty happy with my recipe now. It makes slightly more dough than I need but I always take a small portion off to make pizza.  I looked at the Japanese recipes traditionally used with this loaf tin but they used a fermented starter that had to stay in the fridge overnight and I didn’t want that added hassle. 

I've been baking bread for over 20 years now and most of that time I baked every day. The reason I didn't give up on it was I simplified the process so it didn't take a lot of time. People were shocked when I said I was using a bread machine to knead the dough - I still use one now to do the same thing - but back then most of the people who baked bread used the traditional methods which I thought took too long. I worked from sunup to sundown in my home, cooking from scratch, preserving, gardening, keeping chickens, harvesting, composting, making simple cleaners, recycling, mending, sewing and knitting, and saving 20 minutes, or 2 ½ hours a week, made a big difference to me. I needed a way of making good bread that was just another task, not a time sponge. Now, of course, bread machines are commonplace and although I usually don't buy everything new that comes along - I have no airfryer, pressure cooker/Instapot, Thermomix or coffee machine, my bread machine will probably be buried with me. 😀

My next step is to source quality bread flour online so I don't have to rely on the white bread flour available at the local supermarket. I'm thinking I'll probably go for the Wholegrain Milling Co.'s Stoneground flour from Gunnedah - they have a selection of white, wholemeal and rye. If you have a favourite flour, please let me know about it. This is my current recipe:

500g bread flour
2 teaspoons dried yeast
300g warm water
2 tablespoons milk powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
20g melted butter



 

I bought too many citrus last week so I've been drying a few lemon and orange slices. I also discovered 20 red and green chillies growing in the back yard so made up a few jars of sweet chilli sauce. I bottled it yesterday so that will sit in the fridge for a few weeks to mellow and I'll have some delicious quick sauce for pasta and for adding to soups and stews. I had steak, onions, mushrooms, broccoli and carrots for lunch yesterday so today I'm making miso and pumpkin soup. I'll make enough to store for later in the month too. The sweet chilli sauce recipe will be in the PDF/ePub cookbook.



And there have been a few repairs to do this week too. I've had to learn about repairing all manner of things since Hanno died but it's been good for me to do it. Sarndra helped me replace a venetian blind in my office that refused to open or be adjusted in any way and this morning I learnt how to unstick a press-in bathroom plug. I also had to fiddle with the back door lock to free it up and reapply a skirting board that fell off. What next? LOL

Hello to Judith Waller in Victoria. Thanks for your letter Judith, I appreciate you thinking of me. xx

I hope things are going well in your home. Thanks for your visit today I hope you're enjoying this time of year. Stay safe and well. xx

ADDITIONAL READING:

Great vintage bake-off: why lamingtons survive while fruitcakes fell from favour

Play outside and sing together: what living in Denmark taught me about raising ‘Viking’ children

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44 comments

  1. Thank you for all your posts, ideas and inspiration, Rhonda! I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog and I check in regularly to see what's new in your world. I'm particularly interested in news about your garden and any gardening tips you can share. I'm looking forward to your cook book too! Greetings from warm, sunny Perth :)

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    1. I'm not gardening now because I can't bend over without getting dizzy. The only plants I kept are my roses and they're all in pots. I'll write about them when I've set them up how I want them. Oh, I also have some parsley, chives and chillies.

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    2. and Rhonda has many blog posts over the years that are packed with gardening tips, Weronika...have a look through those for tips and ideas xx

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  2. I really look forward to a new post in your blog. Thank you Rhonda

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  3. Always a good day when I see a new post from you Rhonda. I also really like what you write about learning new things.

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  4. I so look forward to your blogs. Today's was a lovely read. We have many bread flour outlets in Perth but my go to is Risen Flour. They mill their flour from WA grains in store. Enjoy your weekend

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  5. Always look forward to your blogs . We have a bread machine which is my husband's baby . He makes the bread as he hates store bought bread. I make artisan sourdough bread which l find joy in sharing with family and friends. We buy our flour from Risen Flour based in Perth, my home town . They mill their own flour from local grains in WA.

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  6. Rhonda, you've inspired me to make some bread. I don't know if you have access to the King Arthur Baking Co. but they have everything you can think of for baking. The grocery stores here in the U.S. sell their flours and other mixes, but their online store has many other items, as well. I get so excited to see your posts. I always know I'm going to learn something. Have a wonderful weekend!

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    1. We don't have King Arthur here, Debbie. I hope you make some bread.

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  7. That bread has a beautiful crumb. I'm anxious to try the recipe. I also love the ease of a bread machine, particularly since adding buns and bagels to my repertoire.
    You have such beautiful fresh fruit and vegetables; that's bound to contribute to your good health.
    Best wishes from Canada.

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  8. Hi Rhonda

    I've followed you for a number of years. It's very grounding reading your posts. I'm at a different stage of my life (on maternity leave with my 16 month old boy) but your posts have been so helpful, particularly when it comes to saving money. I'm also shopping at Aldi again, and your post about bread has given me the incentive to try making my own gluten free bread as it is so ridiculously expensive to buy the good brands of gluten free bread. I look forward to your cookbook!

    I hope you and Gracie have a lovely weekend 😊 Lorna

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    1. Congratulations on becoming a mum, Lorna. Making gluten-free bread would be a great skill to develop. From the reading I've done, I believe it needs a variety of flours and eggs. I'm sure you'll find some good ideas on YouTube.

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  9. What beautiful work we are allowed to embrace in our homes! Living in the moment, making do, creating real food. Life’s simple pleasures are the best! You highlight that so well on your blog. It’s a bright spot on the ordinary. Your word smithing articulates this so well. Thank you, Rhonda.

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  10. Hi Rhonda, long time reader here. I absolutely love your blog and your book, Down to Earth. I'm a mom, in my 30s, and just wanted to let you know how much I learn from you. Thank you for continuing to write. I look forward to every post and the gems they contain. I too strive to live a simple life, working in my home, raising and schooling my kids. Have a blessed weekend and I look forward to the next post.

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  11. Your bread recipe sounds wonderful. I need to convert it to US measurements and will have to give it a whirl. I hope you give us your scone recipe too! :)

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    1. The scone recipe is also in the cookbook, Kathy.

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  12. I too dislike having to "flip and reslot" larger slices. Didn't know about the Japanese lidded square loaf pan ... it's on my "to buy" list for April. Thank you

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  13. Hi Rhonda
    Bernie here just forgot my goggle sign on password 😪. Beautiful loaf and a wonderful solution to the double toast problem. I have had to adjust to a change recently and it made me look ahead and recognise the possibilities in my future (eye surgery and 3 weeks being unable to drive and balance issues due to a bubble moving in my eye that made me seasick😪 makes for introspection.) I need to be ready and proactive for the changes this stage of life requires and I now appreciate my home more. I have found my mind is more peaceful after the quiet time I have spent at home. Isn't it wonderful to find something in the garden, I just found a ripe dragonfruit almost like Christmas. Cheers

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    1. Bernie, good luck with your eye surgery. I hope your vision is vastly improved after the surgery. I had cataracts removed and two new lenes inserted. I still need glasses for reading and computer work, but the rest of the time I don't wear glasses. Good luck! xx

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  14. Good morning Rhonda :-)
    I also use the Wholegrain Milling Co.'s Stoneground flour, plus other flours of theirs. I buy mine through Amazon as the postage is free, and that saves me quite a lot as postage to Townsville from anywhere is ghastly, especially when ordering multiple 5kg bags of flour.
    Interesting about the square Japanese loaf! I follow some wonderful Korean and Japanese homemakers on YouTube and notice they all use square white bread. For now though, I'll stay with my bread tin because I love the shape, and I also like baking free form loaves sometimes. Life is a series of seasons, so things may change one day. Bless you heaps!
    Jennifer

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    1. Thanks for the tip about Amazon, Jenny. I checked and it will be much cheaper for me too. My DIL is Korean so when she came into our lives I started following Korean and Japanese YouTubers to see how they cooked and stored food. I've learnt a lot from them.

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  15. Thank you for another wonderful post, Rhonda. When I pop in here and find a new entry from you it makes my day. I am very tempted to get the loaf tin as I also love a square slice for toasting! Your bread looks amazing!! Carolyn x

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  16. I use a longer loaf pan to get a "regular size" piece of bread but have one of these marked as well. For the US crowd...they're a pullman pan.

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  17. Good morning Rhonda.
    My husband brought me a cast iron bread pan ( it came with a lid but I use it without) and I've asked him for another this birthday.
    Like yours no greasing or baking paper and the list falls out.
    I make a no knead bread. 100% wholemeal. I replaced the golden syrup with malt extract and prefer that. It takes me about 5ir so minutes to mix it and then the rising time that I do on the table with the pan covered with a plastic bag. I did notice it would get a hole in the middle of the loaf once baked so now I bang the pan on the bench when I put the bread in it and no more hole.
    Great post Rhonda. Thank you
    Karen NZ

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  18. Hello Rhonda, thank you so much for your post. I have been making square (ish) loaves in my “Simply No Knead” tins for years now, but they are not really square - fatter at the top than the bottom of the slices. I am going to try your suggestion with the Japanese tin. Thank you so much. I found a great tip for freezing avocados the other day. They are simply cut and put into freezer bags and frozen, and retain their green colour. Ideal for avo on square toast in the morning 😃

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  19. I would like to subscribe to your posts but can’t seem to find the subscribe button ! Can you help me please

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    1. Blogger removed the subscribe feature last year. Many of my readers now subscribe via feedly.com

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  20. Hi Rhonda, Everything looks and sounds delicious! How exciting to find those chili peppers! I miss making bread. I started making sweet potato tortillas instead; they are easy, and they don't make my body ache. It's interesting to hear how your bread making has evolved. The Meyer Lemon and Blood Orange harvests here in California have been amazing. We got a lot of rain, so it made our climate more like yours...

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  21. Oh yes I''ve seen those lidded baking pans in catalogs with bread making tools. I knew that they were called Pullman loaves and that they had something to do with the Pullman railroads. So I googled it and found this.

    European breadmakers began using square lidded pans in the early 19th century to minimize crust. Railway service pioneer George Pullman chose the loaf for use on his Pullman railcars for efficiency reasons.[2] Three Pullman loaves occupied the same space as two standard round-topped loaves, thus maximizing the use of space in the small Pullman kitchen

    Victoria

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  22. Your bread looks fab Rhonda , I don't have all the latest gadgets either, I don't have the room in my kitchen for them - or my brain !

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  23. What a lovely Pullman loaf! I need to get a pan like that----love bread and baking it! Fabulous looking sandwich too, Rhonda.

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    1. Hi Hopflower. The Japanese call this a SHOKUPAN.

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  24. I LOVE your square bread Rhonda! It looks so professional and the sharpness of the edges are very pleasing to the eye! 🤣

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  25. Thanks for the heads up on the square loaf tin Rhonda. I have ordered one and look forward to making a square loaf. Blessings Gail.

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  26. I have always been a bit scared to make bread, perhaps I've been a bit brainwashed that I 'can't' do it. Thank you for the encouragement. I love your blog and your writing. Love, Bridget

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    1. Hello Bridget. It is the things you're scared of, those things you think you might not be able to do, that you SHOULD do. They are opportunities and are what will help you improve and grow. Expect your first few loaves to need extra work. Work out how you can improve them by changing the type of flour or increasing the salt or whatever but in the end, you'll have another valuable, traditional skill that will serve you well for years to come. xx

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  27. Thank you for the bread recipe!!
    Happy weekend!
    hugs
    Donna

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  28. I have just mixed up your bread recipe by hand and it is rising now. A Japanese youtuber I watch makes a bagel dough by hand and she doesn't fuss at all, so I don't anymore. Bagels turn out great btw (Wanlife on Youtube). I just throw all the ingredients together, stir it and knead it right in the bowl. I think it will turn out great, but if it doesn't well, I have learned something new. Thanks for the recipe! Dee/NY

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  29. Hello! I'm Maria, a portuguese woman and I always read your blog and I love it. I love your life stile and Australia for me it's a dream. I have only a great problem with your country: many many spiders and others dangerous animals ! But today I only want to know if you had problems with the storm and the rain. I hope that you and your lovely home are safe and well! My english is not very good but I hope you understand why I'm worried.

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    1. Hello Maria and welcome to my blog. The good thing about our "dangerous" animals is that when you grow up here it teaches you not to be afraid. It did for me anyway. :- ) Australia is the 6th largest country in the world so there are weather events that happens that we never know about. We've had some rain here, but nothing out of the ordinary, thank goodness. And yes, I'm safe and well. Thanks for your comment. xx

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  30. What a great solution to your toasting problem.

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  31. Just a followup note-the bread I made using your recipe came out great. My other bread recipes haven't been as successful or were too much effort. This one will be my go-to and I won't have to purchase chemical-laden storebought bread anymore! Thanks. Dee/NY

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    1. I'm pleased you like the new recipe, Dee. Thanks for letting me know. I like the new recipe too. I've made it many times now and it produces a delicious, easy loaf every time.

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