Tuesday 1 December 2015

A great idea

I don't know about you but this time of the year, especially when the heating is not on too much, I find my airing cupboard not as hot as I need it to be, for proving bread.

I had read on-line somewhere about using a mini electric blanket, the small variety that sits behind your back, although I was a tad worried about it getting wet. DB came up with a much better idea, using the base of an electric propogater!

Once the bread was nearly ready to prove, I brought it into the kitchen and switched it on. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a lid, so once the bread was on, it was covered with cling film, then a tea towel to help retain its heat. It worked a treat:
30 minutes later, lt was almost ready to go in the oven:
As we were watching tennis, I forgot to photograph it before slicing and freezing. We shall be using this method from now on methinks!

The loaf on the left was another gluten free loaf, came out like a brick, even the birds wouldn't eat it!

19 comments:

  1. What a fantastic idea, we don't have an airing cupboard here.

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  2. I may have to get one of the little heaters, so now I know it has other uses.

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    1. Get one with a lid as it will save using cling film. I think I shall use a tea towel next time.

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  3. What a fantastic idea. We have a combi boiler so no airing cupboard at all. I do miss having one. Shame about your GF loaf. X

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    1. Our airing cupboard is almost completely filled with the emersion tank!

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  4. What a natty idea. I shall have to steal that :)

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    1. Good, that's what I like about blog land.

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  5. I have a different shaped airing cupboard in this new house- but there is a nifty little shelf which is just right for drying herbs!

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    1. They don't seem to make them large enough for airing clothes.

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  6. What a brilliant idea :-)

    Unfortunately I don't have an airing cupboard or an electric propagator, but I do have an Aga so I just sit my proving bread at the side of that, it works a treat.

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    1. Lucky you, I would have loved an aga having been brought up with one. It does THE best toast in the world!

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  7. Great idea. I use the radiators when they're on. I was going to experiment with the slow cooker on low but I could only make a round cob style loaf. But nothing ventured nothing gained as they say.

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    1. Should work fine in a slow cooker I think. Nought wrong with a round loaf unless you have an electric slicer and they don't fit, hence the propogator!

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  8. Well now, isn't that smart? I usually warm up the oven, and with the light inside, its does a nice job ....except you have to remove it to preheat the oven. Sometimes that's risky if the room is drafty or someone bumps the pan. Seems I have one of those mats out in the shed.

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    1. I remember making Chelsea buns in school and did just that but accidentally put it onto the high cooking heat for the dough rather than a far lower proving heat. Needless to say, I never did it again!

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  9. Great idea with the propagator! I'm yet to try the airing cupboard technique too!

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