Out on a limb, homemade bread

Bored and lonely, yesterday it was colder than usual here, sort of rainy (frozen drizzle really) and... did I mention that I was bored?

Having recently chatted in the Hive (may have been here in Foodies) with someone about their bread, I decided to give it a try, but first, I had no loaf pans.
So I went and bought 2, bread flour, buttermilk (didn't really use that) and 2 kinds of yeast

Using the recipe I luckily found on the bag of flour, I began.
I did use the measuring cup... mostly, and followed the recipe... mostly.
Never having made bread this way, I knew not how tacky it should be before putting it out on the floured surface to knead.
It was a mess, and I MADE a mess having to continue adding sifted flour with my gooey hands

I used my granite counter top (on the island behind me when taking this photo) and I kneaded, and I sifted, and I used a squeegee I have in the kitchen to scrape from outside in, flouring the countertop over and over
Finally, I reached the point where it was NOT like this any longer

After it rose in the bowl, I halved it putting it into the pans to rise again, then into the oven

After I opened for this photo, I scoured both down the center (on impulse)

The end result was great, but the crust on top especially was VERY crunchy.

Tastes good though, and this morning, Homemade bread slathered in butter, drizzled with honey for breakfast with coffee!

"Homemade bread"

^{out on a limb
by}
Jerry E Smith
©01/13/2023
All images taken with my cellphone
Yesterday and this morning