Author: BakeryBits

Yeast should make your dough rise, not raise your blood pressure. One of the most common questions home bakers ask is: “My recipe says fresh yeast, but I’ve got dried yeast, can I still use it?” Or: “The packet says instant yeast, but the recipe tells me to dissolve it in warm sugar water first, what should I do?” The good news is that most baking yeasts can be swapped, provided ... Read more

One of the questions we are asked most often about home flour mills is also one of the most sensible: can I mill this? Once you have a domestic stone mill on the worktop, it is tempting to look at every jar in the cupboard as a possible flour. Wheat, rye and spelt are obvious. But what about dried maize? Chickpeas? Buckwheat? Linseed? Coffee beans? The good news is that home milling gives you ... Read more

Cozonac -  Soft Fluffy Romanian Sweet Bread   Cozonac is a beloved Romanian holiday bread, traditionally baked for celebrations and shared with family and friends. This Cozonac recipe has come from Andreea (@alint.dulce.rasfat), here is a message from Andreea:   'I was genuinely delighted to hear that so many of your customers were curious about it and I love the idea of ... Read more

Sophie’s Fresh Pasta - Light and Zesty Ever tried making your own pasta? Light, zesty, nutty… this one’s a showstopper! It’s easier than you think, especially with this gorgeous sunshine yellow Ankarsrum, the result is utterly irresistible. Silky lasagnette (mini lasagna), tender and light, tossed in a bright, nutty pistachio & lemon pesto, with a sprinkle of ... Read more

An A–Z guide to bread baking and flour terms Bread baking and flour milling come with a surprising number of technical terms. What is hydration in bread? What does W value measure? Is strong flour the same as bread flour? How does 00 flour differ from plain flour? This BakeryBits baking glossary explains common and specialist terms used in artisan bread baking, sourdough fermentation and ... Read more

Simple White Yeasted Loaf Recipe There’s something special about a simple homemade loaf. This one bakes up soft and light, perfect for everyday sandwiches, golden toast or just a warm slice with butter and jam straight from the oven. With just a few basic ingredients, it’s a lovely recipe to have on hand whenever you fancy fresh bread at home. P.S. Once you’ve perfected this ... Read more

Poffertjes (Dutch for mini pancakes) are little flying-saucer-shaped snacks very popular in the Netherlands and gaining popularity elsewhere, such as Germany. They're made using a special Poffertjes pan and commonly sold from stands at events like Christmas markets, carnivals, on the street for passing shoppers or for a tasty breakfast at home. Served in a paper bag, on a skewer or simply on a ... Read more

We got ourselves a bit confused by these questions when adding the new Molino Bongermino range of Italian flours so we thought that we need to get our own house in order before confidently talking about them. Semolina or Semola or even Semolato - Here is our guide to demystify these flours which we hope you will find useful.   Some basics – Semolina or Semola and what is it for? Let's ... Read more

Torsten's Sourdough Pumpkin Croissants using a Dough Sheeter Great customers don't grow on trees but this one actually grows them. Torsten Junker of family-run "Junker's Nursery" not at all far from us in Wellington grows the kind of trees literally fit for a king. He's also an accomplished home baker and has been trying out one of our Japan Kneader Dough Sheeters to make, Sourdough Pumpkin ... Read more

A crisp home-baked baguette, with all the character, complex flavour and crunch that you might otherwise have to travel to France to find, is a dream for many bakers. The particular characteristics that French millers give to their premium darker bread flours through the wheat varieties they mill gives the loaves made from it, such as baguettes, a deep rich colour, a delicate beige crumb, and an ... Read more