Autumn is here in full swing and what could get better than the bread-baking smell in your kitchen? Well, yeah a brownie maybe?! Hmmm, maybe, for me baking bread stands high and clear at no 1 in the chart and this spelt bread recipe makes no exception.

A winner every time. It is not only the baking but it is making it, the kneading, the proofing, the whole process of the bread making it’s just so satisfying. It definitely gives me total inner satisfaction, joy, and happiness.

Black pepper and olive oil homemade bread

Baking bread is awesome

The smell of baking bread it’s the best. I am very sure it has to do with my childhood experience (oh, here we go again) of grannies or my mum making it, we were jumping up and down with joy.

Childhood is such a lovely time, especially when brings back many good and truly nice memories. It’s unique.

There is one more thing that gives me these nice vibes it’s the smell of coffee sneaking in the morning all the way up in my bedroom. Oh, how I enjoy that!

We humans are super complicated entities, yet so simple when it comes to certain things and what could really make us happy.

Most times, the things that make us happy are very simple things indeed, precious and enjoyable, feeding us with positive energy, joy, and good spirits.

The secret is to simply discover these, know exactly what they are, appreciate them, and keep on feeding our life with these pleasurable moments, whatever they are.

They are worth highlighting and bringing them alive as often as possible.

The smell of baked bread makes us kinder

I was reading a while back that the aroma of freshly-baked bread has not only got the power to make our mouth water but according to a study carried out by some Daily Mail researchers at the University of Southern Brittany in France, can also make us a kinder person. I will have to agree here. I’m sure I’m the nicest person when I bake bread. I am definitely in the best of moods ;-). I love baking bread quite often (hence my lovely nature lol).

Variations and Substitutions

I have not baked a white loaf in a very long time and I am talking here about a good couple of decades. Perhaps the idea of making or baking healthier bread appeals to me greatly, I tend to choose to use healthier flour, a plethora of seeds, flakes, and so on.

I am using this recipe to make buns, paninis, and all different types and shapes of bread.

I normally cut it all into slices as soon as it cools, I freeze it and have a slice or two whenever I need for a beautiful breakfast.

Question time...?

When was the last time you made bread from scratch? Do you like baking bread?

If you haven’t ever tried please don’t be put off thinking it’s a lot of work or anything like that, that’s not true. Here is the evidence! And.... boy, the outcome it’s amazing, the taste indescribable, never to be compared with any supermarket-bought bread.

How to serve homemade bread?

Here is a super simple idea of a delicious topping to have a slice or two of this beautiful homemade beauty with.

Chopped lamb liver and lamb hearts if you like lamb as much as we do. But of course, the possibilities are endless and whether you eat meat or not a slice of bread can be topped with almost anything you like.
What about (my top fave) topping a slice with some Greek yogurt, pesto sauce, and sautéed cherry tomatoes? Wow, this is the king of breakfasts for me. I’m hooked on it!

Sauteed cherry tomatoes on homemade bread

But, the sky is the limit on what you could top a slice of toast with. Don’t you agree?! Oh, look at this. I’m drooling already despite just having it.

Homemade bread cherry tomatoes and yogurt

* Serving number depends, but this recipe makes approximately two 2lb loaves of bread or 3 smaller ones. It can be baked in loaf tins (I used 2x 2lb glass 28cm cake molds) but cast iron skillets, cake tins, or simply freely on a tray could also make some beautiful little buns.

I will leave this to your imagination entirely.

The baking time will be determined by bread shape and size but do not worry. Always apply the skewer test and you’ll be absolutely and perfectly fine.

Practice is the mother of learning like I always say so the more bread you will bake, the better it will become. It’s as simple as that.

Tips

* If you don’t have fresh yeast then you can replace this with two sachets (14 g) of fast-action yeast.

* Fresh yeast is perishable so if not used within 2-3 days it’s best to freeze it.

I usually buy it (it comes in a pack of 4 x 30g cubes) and I freeze whatever I don’t need, for next time. It never lasts for too long in my freezer, but I assume it could go for a good 2-3 months.

Whenever I use frozen yeast, I take it out of the freezer and place it in warm water straight away.

Let's get some kneading done.

Black pepper and olive oil homemade bread on a wooden chopping board.

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