Bake what the stuff holds! Britta the baking girl in interview

Britta is a passionate baker who runs her own blog, Backmädchen 1967, where she shares a variety of baking recipes from cakes and breads to desserts and pastries. With a focus on simplicity and using easily accessible ingredients, Britta’s blog is the go-to resource for anyone looking to create delicious baked goods.

Success in baking: Britta is advisor number 1

In this interview, Britta shares her tips and tricks for successful baking with yeast and offers valuable advice for beginners. You’ll also get valuable insights into her absolute favorite recipes and baking tools that she wouldn’t want to be without. Be curious!

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From A-Z: Apple to lemon cake

FIV: Maybe you can introduce yourself briefly in your own words, so that our readers can get an impression of you. Who are you and what makes you special?

Britta: Hello, I’m Britta, 55 years old and come from the beautiful NRW. I am happily married, mother of a daughter and a son, who are now grown up and go their own ways. On my blog Backmaedchen 1967 everything revolves around baking.

You can find there starting from (A) like apple pie to (Z) like lemon pie, bread and rolls, simple cakes/pies and desserts, sweet and savory, cookies and co., pastries from different countries and food trends.

It is important to me that the recipes are simple and uncomplicated and contain ingredients that one has as good as always at home or these are easy to get. A small specialty are the recipes with Lievito Madre, in these a part of the already little used yeast in my yeast dough recipes is reduced again and replaced with it.

This is how it all began: In grandma’s kitchen

FIV: Tell me – when did your love for baking develop and how did you get into it, what fascinates you about it?

Britta: The foundation was laid in my childhood, I grew up in a multi-generational household and spent a lot of time with my grandma in the kitchen. My grandma was passionate about baking herself. I was often allowed to help her and we baked together, that was always a highlight for me.

For me, baking is super relaxing and a nice change from the often so stressful everyday life.

FIV: You even create your own recipes and modify recipes according to your individual ideas. Are there certain basics that you need to know in order for such experiments to succeed, or would you say that you just go for it?

Britta: Of course you need some experience, but that comes with the frequency of baking and then you can also “just do it”. I always say, try makes wise and some creativity is also part of it.

Yeast dough: When divas become dough

FIV: I am particularly interested in baking with yeast. For many, it’s always a surprise whether the dough has risen. What are the most important tips you would give to a beginner?

Britta: Yeast doughs are always little divas, it is important in any case that the liquid such as water or milk in which you dissolve the yeast is not too hot, because then the yeast cultures die and the dough no longer rises. The liquid should have a temperature between 30 °C and 35 °C.

The yeast should also not be overlaid, regardless of whether you use fresh yeast or dry yeast here. If you do not have a food processor, you can knead yeast dough well by hand, but here you need perseverance, with a food processor it is much easier.

Knead what the stuff holds

A yeast dough should be kneaded out well in any case, that can take 10 minutes. Here it is not too little knead, otherwise the dough gets no structure and is not fluffy, but also not too much knead what destroys the structure again, because then the dough runs wide and remains flat.

The finished dough should rise well covered in a warm place (about 32 ° C) until it is well doubled, you should also watch out for too long baking at high temperature, because it makes the yeast pastry dry in the end.

A good quality of ingredients is very important to me, I mainly use organic flours for my baked goods or I grind the flour myself with my grain mill. For sugar, I use varieties such as cane sugar, white sugar, vanilla sugar and powdered sugar.

Attention. The most common mistakes

FIV: Now nothing stands in the way of the perfect yeast dough. In terms of experience, what would you say are the most common mistakes when handling yeast?

Britta: These are the mistakes that I think are often made:

  • The liquid in which the yeast is dissolved is too hot.
  • The yeast is too old
  • The dough was not kneaded long enough.
  • The dough has not rested long enough.

FIV: Wow, that’s a lot of things to keep in mind. Which type of yeast would you recommend and how do you store it best to ensure maximum shelf life?

Britta: I mainly use fresh yeast, I’m not a big fan of dry yeast, I store the fresh yeast in the fridge.

Crisp Buns: The perfect recipe

FIV: Now let’s get away from yeast. Who doesn’t love it – a fresh loaf of bread or even warm, crunchy rolls for breakfast! Can you tell us the ingredients for the perfect bread and maybe even an insider tip?

Britta: The French baguette is one of the most popular recipes on the blog, you don’t need many ingredients and still get a delicious bread that you can eat with savory and sweet toppings.

  • 500 g baguette flour T65 alternatively flour type 550
  • 290 g Water cold
  • 100 g Wheat sourdough
  • 10 g Salt
  • 5 g Fresh yeast

The right tools & favorite pastries

FIV: Are there certain tools or kitchen machines that you would no longer want to do without?

Britta: My food processor the Ankarsrum, I wouldn’t want to miss it anymore, because it takes over the kneading of my bread and roll doughs and the stirring of my cake doughs.

FIV: Finally, I’d like to know: Which pastry is currently your absolute favorite and could you tell us if you have a preference for sweet or savory?

Britta: Phew…now it’s difficult for me, actually I have several favorite pastries that are, for example, my crispy Sunday rolls with sourdough that are super delicious and really made very quickly or the Fougasse a delicious side bread that is also very popular among my friends.

For sweet pastries, it would be my cinnamon buns with cream cheese frosting or the apple cheesecake with crumble. Those are definitely the pastries that are high on the list here right now. I would say my preference is the same for both, I love sweet but also hearty.

Here again the recipes at a glance:

FIV: Thank you for your valuable tips and exciting insights into your work!

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