Bunny bread

One of my aims for February is to try baking my own GF bread.  I've tried various recipes in the past but have never managed something that really resembles normal bread.  And I've not used my thermomix for bread as I'd planned when I bought it about 6 months ago.  One reason was the rising - I always had trouble finding a 'warm, draught-free place' to rise my bread.  But a while back I read a tip - to fill the insulated thermoserver with hot water and place your rising bread on top of the lid - and now rising bread is easy.

Today I made this bread, using rice, buckwheat flour and tapioca starch. It's nice and fluffy inside thanks to 3 eggwhites.  There's a nice amount of buckwheaty taste (although perhaps too much for Laura's liking) The crust is crunchy, but next time I'll cook it in a longer tin so it won't rise so much and will cook more quickly and evenly.  This loaf came out with a topknot, and the first slice looked just like a bunny.  It was delicious with a filling of chicken, mayo and shallots ... I felt like I was eating a normal lunch for once.

As well as doing the usual Saturday morning washing, Emily and I went out for morning tea to our local favourite coffee shop.  A melting moment and an almond friand were enjoyed amongst vintage goodies, while listening to 1940s classics and chatting.  A special treat earned by much saxophone practice.  We also stopped at a church market where I bought a Pyrex pie dish and two videos for $2.50.  Steve took Laura to iceskating lessons - a 4-hour outing which takes a big chunk out of Saturdays, and now he's helping his dad with some things.  So it's good to record these little things that happen on the weekend, so when I look back I don't feel that our Saturdays were wasted doing nothing, while one or more members of the family were busy elsewhere.

Hope you are having a good weekend, whatever you are doing!