Simple Slow Cooker Bread

Last night, I attempted something that I had been eager to try for awhile...

So, as my devoted readers know, things rarely work out perfectly for me. Not whinging, (whining, for those not fluent in British), just being honest. My own fault usually. This is no acception.

Now, please don't automatically think "She messed up, no reason to read this blog", but I promise that this mess up in no way ruined my creation- just made it really funny. And a bit odd looking. But still fine. Read on, please.

So here we go!

Ingredients

-1 pkg yeast (7g)
-750g flour
-1oz butter
-450ml water (boiled, but still warm)
-2 tsp salt (I think I used less than this, I'm not a big salt person)

-Olive oil (to coat the inside of the cooker)

Cook time:
1.5 hours - 2 hours, on low (depending on how much dough you put in the cooker. Mine was closer to 3 hours, because I put too much in.. well, you'll see that soon enough).

 First, mix the salt, flour, yeast and butter in a big bowl.

I had no big bowl (ok, I know that's weird, but hey, I'm leasing). Found another large container, albiet rectangular. Lined it with foil to make it easier (no corners).

So far, so good.

 Next, stir in water.

 Put dough onto floured surface, and knead.

This is where my foil became a bit of an issue (not THE issue mentioned above, that is coming later. Keep reading). Eventually abandoned the foil idea, kneaded on the flour covered counter. MUCH easier. Keep the flour handy, you are going to need to re-coat your hands and the counter after a bit of kneading.

 Set dough aside to rise. The idea is that it is in a warm place, and that the size should double. Could be anywhere from 45 mins to an hour and a half.

Coat the inside of the slow cooker so the bread doesn't stick. I used Olive Oil, but butter or vegetable shortening should work just as well. I even poured some around the edges, on the top.

 Put dough in cooker. HERE is my mistake. I forgot that my cooker is a small one (2 quarts, fine for cooking for two people). See how full the cooker is, even with the dough not fully risen?

Annnnnnd this is what it looked like after a bit of cooking. WAYYYYY too much dough.

 That's right, apparently my dough was trying to jump out and attack. Monster bread. Fitting for the Halloween season. Needless to say, I was giggling up a storm.

Lifted up the lid, poked it down, and left it to cook some more.

Online forums say it should take about 1.5 hours to cook. After 2.5, here is what mine looked like. Weirrrd.

 Now, I was starting to get concerned, didn't want a burnt slow cooker full of sludge, so I scraped off the top layer of uncooked dough.

Underneath? Cooked bread! Yummm!

Ok. I know it doesn't look pretty. Still has some doughy bits. Odd shape. But the taste?

Great!
I promise. Trust me please. Don't judge a loaf by its.. picture..

The stuff I scraped off the top? Microwave time!

3 minutes later, I had some very odd looking, but still tasty, microwave bread.

Looks like something off a bad B movie, huh?

So, in a nutshell:
Bread gets bigger, make sure you have a vessel that can control it all. Unlike me. If you are unsure, freeze half the dough for attempt #2. Yay hindsight.

My bread is yummy, and tastes like, well, bread. Simple, fast, delicious. Do it.