In the Bread Bin - Woman cannot live by bread alone

'He inside' so loved the last sourdough loaf I made, that another 'Virtuous White Sourdough Loaf' was called for again.  Instead of one shaped in my basket, I tried more or less the same mixture in a long loaf tin.

By mid day Saturday I was considering what we were to have for dinner, and felt that after more or less being puddingless since Christmas, not counting fruit, or the lovely desserts we had when away, one was due.

Perhaps receiving my regular email which contained Vanessa Kimbell's  Sourdough Date & Walnut Bread and Butter Pudding recipe enticed me.  I decided to make a smaller one based on two eggs, and having no vanilla powder, used the Ndali Vanilla Extract, which I had just recently got along with the rest of my Bakery Bits order.  One of my favourite flavourings has to be vanilla, ever since a child it has been so.  I have pods, buy pods when away on holiday, 'beg' friends who travel to vanilla growing areas to bring me back some pods...well you get the idea!  I think that from now on, if I am going to buy Vanilla Extract, then this one has to be the one, to add to my 'stash' of pods!

Think tasty bread and butter pudding, think sticky toffee pudding and you are somewhere near imagining how delicious this one is.  Sliced into a moderate portion, topped with a little clotted cream  and for me a nice portion of blueberries on the side...we did not live on bread alone...but on Date and Walnut Bread and Butter Pudding.  The larger size with three eggs would have given eight very generous sized portions, but this size is sufficient for eight moderate portions...of elegant sufficiency, as my Aunty Prue would have said.  I can imagine all sorts of variations..if you can suggest some, I look forward to hearing from you.  Even if you had just a couple of slices of bread, it wouldn't have to be sourdough, and just one egg, and a little milk...then you could make a nice little pudding for two or three people.  However, would it be as good as this one?

I seem to be on the roll with sourdough at the moment.  I was inspired by this weekend's Bakery Bits News Letter which contained a link to a sourdough Focaccia.  I had none of the specialist flour mentioned or mushrooms..Instead I blended up some flour from Khorasan, Italian 00, white and rye bread flours, but followed all the proportions and techniques mapped out by Vanessa Kimble. It seemed strange not to have to knead the bread, leaving it do its own work overnight.  This morning I simple assembled a few things to add to the top of the dough:

I had red onion, roasted pumpkin which came out of the freezer, rosemary from the garden, pumpkin seeds soaked in water to stop them for scorching, and some fennel seeds, and of course lovely olive oil.

For lunch we had the baked focaccia, with a large bowl of home made soup, some fresh goat's cheese, and olives, then set out for our long circular walk in the lovely Spring Sunshine.  With several sizeable chunks frozen ready to come out for future suppers or lunches.


 If you would like to join in this meme "In the Bread Bin" whether regularly or occasionally, we can share our joy of baking, lessons we have learnt etc.   Do share your yeasted bakes by leaving comments, or by adding links to your blog, and from your blog to mine.  Please be considerate, polite, and  respect people and author's work.  I hope that we can all pick up little tips and share our enjoyment of baking.