Instant Pot Leek and Potato Soup

A delicious bowl of comforting home made soup with a thick slab of bread and butter takes some beating. Leek and potato soup is quick and simple to make and any that isn't eaten can be frozen in a strong freezer bag.

I made mine in the Instant Pot (electric pressure cooker) and once the soup had cooled down I whizzed it in the blender.  I purchased the pressure cooker just before last Christmas and as with all gadgets it's a bit of a learning curve, but so far so good!

Tear and Share Milk Bread

I love a 'bit of nostalgia', and milk bread baked in a cylindrical ribbed tin brings back memories of my childhood and hopefully my other reader remembers this wonderful soft and tasty loaf of bread too! I can't recall anything as fancy as sharing bread though.

I made this last week to go with our dinner but unfortunately it never made it to the table because I was too late making it. The chia seeds decorating the top of the bread were an impulse purchase from Aldi, I'm unsure they brought anything to the party but they can go into my next seeded loaf of bread!

As usual I made mine in the Thermomix, simply because it has to work for me, but it will work just as well using a stand mixer with the dough attachment.

I've included conventional instructions below.......

Thermomix Instructions in Italics

You will need: 7"/18cm round springform tin base lined and greased

250g strong white bread flour
1 tsp easy blend yeast
1/2 tsp salt
15g butter
150ml warm milk or 150g of cold milk (if using a Thermomix)

Method:
Put the flour into the bowl of the mixer and using the appropriate attachment rub in the butter.

Add the yeast and salt to the bowl, it's always best to place them on opposite sides of the bowl.

Fit the dough hook and pour in 150ml of warm milk, knead for 5 minutes until the dough is elastic.

Pour 150g milk into the jug, add the yeast and set to 1 minute/37ºC/Speed 2, then to ensure the yeast is mixed in thoroughly I tend to set for another 1 minute/37ºC/Speed 2 reverse.
Now add the flour, salt and butter. Set to 2 minutes/Knead Function.

Remove the dough and place into a greased bowl, cover with cling wrap and prove for an hour or so until doubled in size.

Prove the dough in the TM jug, leave until double in size about 1 hour.

Remove the dough from the bowl, return to the stand mixing bowl and using the dough hook knead for a minute to knock out the air.

Remove the dough from the TM jug and knock out the air.

Cut the dough into 10 even size pieces and shape into balls. Place 7 of the balls evenly around the sides of the springform tin, now place the remaining three balls in the middle. Cover with greased clingfilm and leave to prove until double in size, approximately 30-45 minutes. Brush with milk and sprinkle over sesame and chia seeds.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200ºC. Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool.

You may also like:
Tear and Share Granary Bread Rolls (with a step by step guide)
Seeded Bread Rolls