My bread-making skills are still very basic, and although I keep meaning to practice more, it is such a stop-start and lengthy process that I never get round to it. Nevertheless, when I bought a loaf tin for my cherry cake, I decided I should probably try and make a loaf of bread - it would be rude not to do so!

I delved into my copy of Paul Hollywood’s How to Bake and got kneading. I tried one batch of dough that I left for an hour and it didn’t rise at all. I don’t know what I did to offend it but there was absolutely no movement. I tried another batch and this was better, but it still took about three hours to get to double the size, whereas most recipes suggest an hour. I’m wondering whether it is the cool water I’m using. Paul Hollywood may say that you don’t need to use luke-warm water and that’s an old wives tale, but I’m thinking maybe not.

Anyway, eventually I got a rise and I baked the dough and got a loaf! It was slightly overdone on one side at the top, but otherwise, it came out looking very good.

And it was delicious!

I’m going to have to try again to see if I can fathom what is making my dough rise so slowly, it’s just a matter of convincing myself that I have the time to do it.