Fueled with enthusiasm?!

I used just about all my heat beads yesterday, baking hot cross buns on the Cobb Cookers. I was a bit miffed that the remaining three beads were too few for further cooking!

Louie had left us instructions for using the outside fuel stove.  I hadn't felt all that brave - even though I've used a fuel stove in the past.  I was keen for more hot cross buns though, so had Nick fit the flue in place and light the fire.  He has also cut some gidgee for me to use as firewood.

As impressed as I'd been with my Cobb Cooker buns, the batches cooked in the fuel stove were even better!


I made a batch of spiced dough in the breadmaker, then kneaded in two cups of sultanas.  The unglazed and glazed result is at the left of this pic. That batch has been sampled and declared very good. They are definitely not dry or burnt on the bottom and I am very pleased with them. Nick suggested they may be a bit doughy but I'm sure they are no worse than any we have bought.

I also tried a no-knead recipe, intended for use in a camp oven.  (I used generic brand plain flour and 2 tablespoons of no-name quick oats, which seems to have worked well).  The dough and the risen buns are the photos on the right of the collage.

If we hadn't had the bread-maker variety first (cooked on the Cobb or in the fuel stove), we may have been perfectly satisfied with the no-knead buns.  As it was, we far preferred the (machine) kneaded batch(es).  I gave some away and they were reviewed very highly too! I'm still waiting to see how they look when cooked - and do a taste-test!