Crusty sweet treat

By Kath Gannaway
CHRISTMAS is an ideal time to try the magnificent breads of Glenburn’s Wild Crust Bakery.
Sourdough bread baker Lyn Cunningham’s bakery is one of Murrindindi Shire’s unique businesses.
Lyn bakes her breads in a unique Alan Scott-designed oven, known as a retained heat wood-fired oven.
Mr Scott passed away in Oatlands Tasmania, age 72 in January this year.
“He was ‘the guru of bread baking and oven design’ and he consulted all around the world and co-authored the reference book The Bread Builders on oven construction and bread baking,” Lyn said.
“The loaves are baked directly on the hearth after the fire is raked out and the oven cleaned,” she explained.
The oven is fired with kiln-dried timber off cuts from a local sawmill which would otherwise be waste.
“The advantage of an Alan Scott designed brick oven is that it retains its heat for days if properly managed and it is a pity to see this go unused,” Lyn said.
She uses all-organic flour and natural ingredients made to traditional artisan recipes to bake ‘real breads’ and offers seven different types of sourdough loaves. She is also working on a prototype baked fruit cake.
Baking twice a week enables her to make her unique sourdough bread loaves available at a number of Yarra Valley outlets, including markets, selected supermarkets and specialty food stores.
Her breads are also available at a number of Melbourne metropolitan gourmet food outlets as well as being served to customers at a number of high profile city restaurants.
“In addition to the local retailers, who I deliver to twice a week, I also provide my bread most weeks at farmers markets including Mont de Lancey at Wandin, Healesville Organic Farmers’ market and at the new Kinglake Produce and Artisan Market.”
“My customers tell me it is a delight to have the opportunity to have real bread to enjoy” Lyn said.