baggins

😢

Am trying to make a dark rye loaf like you'd find on a stall or in a shop. Not the really dense 'pumpernickel' style but round or oblong tin shaped.

Have tried various percentages of strong dark rye, muscovado sugar and black treacle but the loaf is still not that dark. I did try some cocoa in one loaf but that just gave an odd colour.

Am using a Panasonic bread machine and in over 5 years it's only ever produced a couple of duff loaves - which were down to me (forgetting yeast, mixer blade or water) and often use it for the dough function and then finish in oven. Am not averse to resorting to full manual though if needed.

Any ideas?

TIA

My daughter is studying Creative Writing and English Literature at Birmingham (UK) University. She's put together some pieces on Substack. Most of them are over my head, but this one hits right in the feels. Apart from a couple of technical inaccuracies, it's spot on. Hope you like it ;-)

Won't be doing any laundry just yet then.

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And now I know.

This was my wife’s new throw/ blanket thing. Daisy never used to get on the sofa. But now if the throw isn’t there, she’ll sit and look until one of us cracks.

She loves these throws. And as long as I keep my ankles crossed and legs still, she'll stay.

Must admit I choked up a bit as our last two would never do this.

The best of both worlds.

Lunch will be one of these filled with homemade hummus and salad.