Here is a true indication that Thermomix worship is not fly by night.

Having a partner who enjoys good food but is disinterested in cooking can be a bind as the chore of cooking becomes one sided.

When I accidentally discovered the Thermomix I knew instinctively that it was something quite extraordinary. Having a partner who would not understand how great a discovery I had made because frankly, he really could not be bothered, meant I enjoyed the excitement alone. So how could I get it without involving him?

The opportunity presented by Vorwerk, who make Thermomix, to earn the TM5 by demonstrating it was almost a no brainer; if I could see it was so amazing then what did I have to lose by trying to show 4 others the same? If it worked, no need to even discuss matters with my husband.

The worst that could have happened was that I would have had the use of my TM5 for 90 days and then had to pay for it in full if no one was interested. Or, if one, two or three people had bought it after I demonstrated it to them, I would have got it for 25%, 50% or 75% less. It was a win-win situation.

As it happens (and by no stretch of the imagination am I a salesperson), I did not have to sell it, it sold itself and I earned my Thermomix well before the 90 day challenge! 

I could have walked away after that but met some incredibly creative individuals with the same passion for Thermomix and decided to stay on as an advisor to learn techniques, create recipes and stay in touch with cooking which could only boost my other passion of making recipe books.

But I digress. I got the TM5 in May 2015. It has pride of place on my specially constructed hob cover  as I rarely use the stove and it is used four times a day. And what has any of this to do with my opening paragraphs?

Astoundingly and I really mean astoundingly, the disinterested party (in cooking that is)  in this marriage, eight months since the TM5 joined our family, now bakes bread twice a week! Not as a chore, mind you, as a pleasurable experience that appears to be growing… Why? Because the TM5 weighs everything, kneads it and with temperature control enabling the yeast to be activated at the optimum temperature of 37-40C, the dough is perfect and it takes 3 minutes, no mess! Fast, fool proof fun! And self wash of the bowl means even less effort.

Who’d have thought it? Maybe he is trying to woo me back from my love affair with the TM5…. so we are now three in this marriage!

FOOLPROOF WHOLEMEAL BREAD

INGREDIENTS

315 g water

7 g dried yeast

1 tsp coconut nectar or other sugar

500g  Strong Wholemeal Bread Flour (or a combination of white and wholemeal bread flours for a lighter loaf) -I use  Waitrose own brand

1 tsp salt

20g olive oil.

METHOD

Put the water in the TM bowl. Add yeast and sugar. For 2 minutes at 40°C,  speed 2, bring the water up to 40°C. If the water is cold to start with, it could take a little longer than 2 minutes so adjust accordingly.

Into the TM bowl, onto the liquid, first weigh in the flour and then the oil. Add salt last (never put salt directly on yeast or you will kill it!).

For 20 secs on speed 2, with measuring cup on, blend liquid and flour gently to avoid flour flying up to and messing up the lid.

On dough function, knead for 3  1/2 mins. Meanwhile lightly grease  a loaf tin.  Remove dough from bowl, form into a sausage and place in tin and cover with a damp tea towel or lightly greased cling film. Leave to rise in a warm (but bear in mind yeast is killed at 50°C), draft free place for an hour. Bake at 220°C for about 35 mins till the bottom is hollow sounding when tapped. Remove from tin to cool.