Earning our crust

Fifty years ago there was an invention which transformed bread making in Britain and Ireland, and even further afield - the Chorleywood bread process. It went on to alter how we perceive bread, from a laborious food staple with a hard crust that went stale quickly to a springy loaf with a soft crust that lasted much longer and was cheap to buy. Before the war every household made their own bread which required kneading and proving if yeast was being used, neither if it was a soda loaf.

In 1961 scientists at the British Baking Industries Research Association at Chorleywood devised a new mechanical process for bread making which put an end to the daily kneading of home made bread. They found that by adding more yeast, fat and water and using high speed mixers they could cut the kneading and proving time to just five minutes. This new loaf could be produced at a much cheaper cost, was softer than the traditional bread loaf and had a shelf life double that of its predecessor. The slice pan was born.

Traditional baker and author of Bread Matters, Andrew Whitley, has highlighted the sorry state of modern commercial baking, revealing that there is little regard for quality wheat and its nutritional value, and showing that commercial loaves are now saturated with additives and production is so fast that flavour and digestibility don't stand a chance http://www.breadmatters.com/bookindex.htm. Now the mystery of my bloated stomach after eating sliced pan sandwiches is resolved!

I believe in earning my crust. With a bit of work every second day or so there is always a loaf of homemade bread in the bread bin, that is better for me, tastes better and doesn't bloat my stomach like sliced pan does.

When I say "work", it's not even that much work. The loaf I make most often is a plain soda loaf that can be whipped together in 5 minutes flat. My sister gave me the recipe over a year ago and I'd say I've made at least 150 loaves since!

White Soda Loaf
Ingredients:
1lb plain flour
1 tsp bread soda
1 pinch salt
500g carton of natural yogurt

Preheat oven to  250°C
Sieve the flour, bread soda and salt together into a bowl. Empty in the natural yogurt and mix thoroughly with your hand (best to keep your hand in a stiff claw shape for this). When the dough has come together shape roughly on a lightly floured surface, place on a floured baking tray, flaten slightly and cut a cross shape in the top with a knife.
Bake for 15minutes at 250°C turning down to 200°C for a further 30minutes. Leave to cool on a wire rack.