Melanie Bälkner-Zielke

10/03/2025

24/08/2024

We could not offer and prepare what we do without the immense help, support and dedication that Des brings into the weekly baking. Thanks Des ❤️ you are a gem 💎

18/11/2023

Saturdays are my crafting days. I have a huge number of ideas in mind and all are just waiting to be baked. This week, I wanted a simple loaf with 50% whole wheat, still soft like a sandwich loaf but much healthier. I added fresh milled oats, milk and very mild sour dough. It’s a perfect bread for picky eater. Very lovely- a great everyday bread.

16/11/2023

We got a lot of requests for English Muffins lately and even though I’m not very familiar with I took the request and tried to execute the best possible results. I have tried a number of recipes but most of them contained a lot of yeast, which usually results in very poor flavour. If I make them, I want to make them as tasty as possible and as healthy as possible. I ended up with 2 starter, one sour dough base and one with a tiny bit of yeast. Another benefit of having a small home bakery is that we always have some bread left and I have a nice and aromatic collection of toasted breadcrumbs that I use for various recipes. For English Muffins, Adding brioche crumbs to the dough felt best. I am super happy with the results- so good!! The kids tried first and all approved them as well :)

04/11/2023

It’s Saturday but I have been experimenting and developing new recipes today and want to share a new bread with you. As a huge fan of biodiversity, especially on all the crops worldwide I am always looking for alternative grains that can be used in our daily baking. Wheat is for sure a wonderful grain and I do not want to miss out on pizza and for sure not on its gluten to help in the creation of beautiful bread loaves. But I also see more and more people who develop sensitivities towards baked goods and I believe that it is time to change old baking habits and open the doors to old and almost forgotten grains that can add so much value to our daily nutrition. One of my favourite grains are millets. They are packed with protein, antioxidants, fiber and minerals. This is known for hundreds of years but due to economic reasons and the general striving for more and more profit on farms- most Crops got replaced by wheat as it was easier and more profitable. You hardly ever find breads in bakeries that contain millet- I want to change that 🙂. Todays new addition to our menu (if ou approve the taste) contains pearl millets. The grains are nuts and slightly sweet and really tasty. Fluffy and moist, soft and light. I am really happy with the result. ❤️.

09/09/2023

Friday’s are my personal

28/08/2023

Over the past year I have been frequently asked if we could please start introducing gluten free breads as it is very difficult to buy anything fresh or tasty near. I have been very reluctant as I do not enjoy gluten free baking- I love stretchy dough- and I did not want to leave my comfort zone. But the demand seems to be increasing and I want to make sure that everyone who loves bread should be able to enjoy some. I am also striving to experiment more with local, and sustainable grains. So here we are- our very first 100% gluten free whole grain bread. Unlike expected- the breads are not falling crumbly apart- easy to slice, mild flavour. We used a mix out of many ingredients- fresh milled rice,split peas,quinoa and millet, also corn starch,almond flour, chia,flax,labneh and Physikum husk. I really like it- it tastes like a nice, slightly nutty regular bread. We got lovely and encouraging feedback as well. absolutely worth a try if you are gluten intolerant.

24/08/2023

Quinoa has gained popularity as a health food all over the world lately. Not everyone knows that people have been cultivating it in South America since ancient times though.
Here in Saudi it caused new excitement as it is relatively easy-to-grow, nutritious, and gluten free but most importantly- it can grow in harsh conditions to a point that makes me believe it may become the grain of the future. The main challenge is that not many know how to use the grains. Our quinoa breads are baked with freshly milled grains in combination with whole wheat and fine chapati flour which is a whole wheat flour blend that is extra fine. They contain ground apples, flax seeds and oats. It’s a healthy bread for those who suffer from gluten sensitivities.

21/08/2023

Todays rye breads are a piece of art in my eyes. Desiree became such a talented baker and it makes me so happy to see that my hard, demanding and always challenging training helped her to become almost better than me. She is the backbone of this home bakery and a treasure to have around. Practice and patience definitely paid back. So proud of you Dessy 🥰❤️🤗

19/08/2023

I was asked to baker super fluffy and soft bread similar to the Japanese milk breads. They turned out amazingly well- fluffy like a cloud ☁️

02/12/2022

One of my favourite breads
Apple multigrain with flax, sunflower seeds and oats.
The apples keep the dough moist and bring some slight sweetness into every bite.

This yummy 🤤 bread is full of fiber and a super healthy choice for your diet.

70% whole wheat
No yeast