boulak

Ted, I'm glad that you tried the dough and that you like it, however, I am not clear on what you are saying. The method of preparation below the recipe says to add all dry ingredients. I have not made this permutation of brioche without european style butter, so I can't speak to that. I have not had a problem of over developing the dough, but when I have those concerns with enriched dough, I mix for three to four minutes on second speed before incorporating the butter just as in the Pastry's Best article. Then, half of the butter is incorporated on first speed; when the butter is incorporated and the bowl is grease free, I mix for four minutes on second speed again. Back to first speed for the remainder of the butter until it is incorporated and the bowl is once again grease free; back on second speed for four minutes. Typically, a windowpane test at this point will indicate sufficient development. Does that address your comment or am I missing something?

It's a classic example of Maillard browning. The proteins and sugars contained in milk will brown at temperatures as low room temperature over a period of time. The product is safe as long as the integrity of the can has not been compromised. You might notice a bit of caramel flavor depending on how advanced the browning is. It's not so much a matter of how old it is as compared to how it was stored.

My name is Mitch and I am a baking ass. I wake up in the morning and I want to bake. I think about baking all day. I bake at work even if people are watching. So far my employer has been supportive of my obseesion. I come home from work and I bake, I look through baking books and magazines. I call friends that bake and we talk about baking. I even visit many websites about baking. I have downloaded tons of images. I have spent more than my budget on baking. The photos from my honeymoon are of baked goods. My affliction interferes with relationships and responsibilities; even finances. I have waited so long to find others with the same affliction. Oh, wait a minute...............wrong thread...........it says baking dumb asses. Well, I guess that confirms it; I am a dumb ass. But I do love to bake It's the process that gives me the rush of adrenaline. Speaking of which, would you rather bake or eat baked goods? Would you rather bake all day with your back to the wall with something on the scale, something on the mixer, something on the bench, something in the proofer, something in the oven, flour everywhere....................or would you rather walk into a bakery and eat to your little heart's content. Give me the heat, the ingredients, and the equipment and get outta the way. I will not get hungry, I will not get tired, and I will not stop. Bake, bake, bake, that is how you learn and how you continue to learn. Pray for me and BAKE ON.

I'm uncertain where to begin after reading the thread, so I'll start with flour. Flour is the constant in bread formulations. All other ingredients are based on the amount of flour. Water is a variable. It enables the baker to control the consistency/hydration of the dough as well as the temperature. The flour in a particular recipe (which is based on a formula) may require more or less water due to circumstances such as milling, protein content (proteins absorb twice their weight in liquids; starches absorb half their weight), origin of the wheat, etc. Even the age of the flour may have an impact. The salt and yeast are formulated to be in balance with the flour content as well. When a baker adds more or less flour, the formula is compromised and the results will be less predictable and certainly inconsistent. It is for this reason that a scale (preferably with metric capbility) is essential. It is accurate and allows for the use of baker's percentage. Other random comments: A stone is critical, but not necessary for pan breads. It's thermal mass helps maintain oven temperature and assists with a more dramatic oven spring. Steam is only beneficial within the moments immediately prior to placing bread in the oven and immediately after depositing it on the stone. Excess steam penalizes the product as much as the proper amount benefits it. Steam condenses on the surface of the loaf keeping it supple, ensuring full oven spring which will result in a lighter loaf with a more dynamic crumb. It enables the starches to coagulate on the surface resulting in a shiny crust and the crust will be thinner as its formation is delayed. Scarification, scoring, slashing, whichever term you prefer also aids in full, predictable expansion as well as preventing wild breaks -- not to mention that it is beautiful when done properly. Typically, the wetter the dough, less kneading is required. The percentage of yeast is usually lower in this type of product allowing for a longer ferrmtation punctuated by one or more stretch and folds which will further strengthen the dough and expel excess gas. A wetter dough is underdeveloped at the completion of mixing by design. All further manipulations of the dough (fermentation, dividing, preshaping, and shaping) will contribute to dough strength and tenacity. If the dough is mixed to full development in the mixing stage, it will be over developed before it is baked. Do not use active dry yeast if you are baking with commercial yeast. Invest is an instant active yeast such as the one made by Lesaffre (red label for bread; gold for sweeter doughs). It is a consistent product with consistent results. There are many ways to make bread, and bread that is not world class can and should be enjoyed. (Not to mention that most of the pleasure is in the process). A lot of "tricks" make bread making seem easier, but the farther one strays from fundamentals, the less likely one is to grow as a baker. That said, it is not every bread maker's dream to grow, but in one's search for answers, seek out the science and not the mythology/lore that is so prevelant. What works for one baker may or may not work for another due to all of the intangibles, but the science has been proven. There is just so much going on in this thread that I really did not know where to begin or what to discuss; please forgive the ramble. Edited for typos.

Wendy, I think that David is committed to providing a first rate journal for PCs and bakers. I haven't seen the issue yet. Press date for the next issue is end of Dec., so there should be another issue shortly thereafter. I won't have internet access for another week, but it was cool catching up on everything today. Gottagoeatsomebread..........................

That's really cool Tepee. I'm always impressed and inspired by your efforts and results. I'm in Paris for the day using a Euro keyboard in a cyber cafe, so I'll keep this very short. I wish you continued success and pleasure working with decorative doughs.

I have never seen savory chouquettes -- In France, all of the chouquettes I have seen are profiterole sized pastries coated with sugar prior to baking and typically sold by weight. The sugar caramelizes and forms a nice crunchy exterior. I have seen them with granulated sugar, sucre grain, and a combination of the two. I prefer to make them with sucre grain and then sprinkle with turbinado; gotta be different you know.

It's the protein glutathione, not an enzyme, that denigrates gluten. DMS is heated for 30 minutes at 190 degrees as is high heat NFDM before the drying process. Milk is typically scalded at 180 degrees. Heat kills this particular protein. That said, my perception is that most bakers use powdered milk(s) for convenience, accuracy, non-spoilage, and storage space as addressed above. There are some recipes using milk and dried milks together in order to increase richness and perhaps avoid any further protein weakening. The gluten is not completely destroyed by glutathione, it is only weakened.

I've never heard of this before. Would you mind explaining what osmotolerant yeast is, and where one can buy it? .....and how does it compensate for the amount of sugar/honey used? P.S. Those are incredible looking breads!!!!!!!!!!! ← When the level of sugar(s) in a yeasted dough exceeds 5% of the weight of the flour, fermentation can become sluggish. When the sugar content surpasses 10% - 12% of the weight of the flour, fermentation is markedly slowed due to osmotic pressure, which, simply put, is the competition of the sugar and yeast for moisture. Technically speaking, osmosis is defined as "the tendency of a solvent to pass through the wall of a living cell, into a solution of igher concentration, so as the equalize concentrations on both sides of the membrane." Yeast cells are living cells with a thin membrane. When the moisture is diverted to the sugar( a hygroscopic ingredient), the resulting condition is known as osmotic pressure.The moisture normally permits food (sugars) to penetrate the cell walls of the yeast. Previously, bakers would increase the amount of yeast in a formulation and/or use a sponge to compensate for the osmotic pressure on the yeast cells. Now, it is more common in the industry to see osmotolerant yeast in use. This sensitivity to sugars varies from strain to strain of yeast. The yeast with most tolearance of a high sugar content is known as osmotolerant due to the fact that it is tolerant of osmotic pressure. If the preceding paragraph appears a bit pedantic and exceeds the socially acceptable use of the word osmotolerant in a paragraph, I apologize, but I wanted to provide some background. SAF (LeSaffre) sells a product known as "gold label." It is vacuum packed, osmotolerant, instant active yeast. Unopened, it is guaranteed fresh for one year. Open and stored wrapped in the refrigerator it remains viable for weeks (I believe their recommendation is 7 to 10 days). Many food distributors and especially bakery distributors carry the product or have access to it. LeSaffre has a history of being gracious with samples to bakers. A segment of the industry has shifted away from fresh yeast to instant active (osmotolerant and regular "red label") due to the shelf life of the product and the resulting consistency in baked goods.

Yes, that is Challah on the table. The starfish, a five braid, and a six braid are visible. I prefer Challah with a sweeter profile, so I use osmotolerant yeast to compennsate for the amount of sugar/honey used. Other than that, the dough is quite standard. I double egg wash; once before the proof, and again just prior to the bake.

I hope that you will take the time to click on the links of some photos of a table that I did with Ciril Hitz at the 2005 World Pastry Forum. The rooster, platter, and wine bottle were part of Ciril's class. The rooster is made of dead dough; the wine bottle and platter are made from the same live decorating dough mentioned upthread. The rest of the pieces were demonstrated by me during an evening session, and are made from the dough described in my previous post. I think that the two styles merge and complement each other very well edited to add: I have tried many times to post photos and this is the closest I have gotten -- it's really a huge step for me. Before any grumpy 'bears' go off on me about whether or not I have read the instructions, let me say that I have and it's still difficult. If the photos prove interesting to the membership, I will work diligently to post photos next time, and not links.

You can make pieces from bread dough that is suitable for service. Doughs with more hydration are more difficult to shape and therefore are less likely to maintain crisp definition. Try shaping deorative breads using a dough hydrated at 60%. 90% bread flour, 10% whole wheat flour, 2% salt, and 2% yeast. Desired dough temperature is 75 to 78 degrees Farenheit. Bulk fermentation of 1 hour. Bake with steam, and bake to color. Shaping is only limited by your imagination.

More importanly. what is the hydration?

Tepee, First, let me say that I clicked on your site and enjoyed it very much. Your desserts are most intruiging to my Western sensibilities. I also appreciate your use of whole grains. To glaze the artistic pieces, we use a food grade spray shellac after the pieces have been baked and cooled. A basic dead rye dough to start playing with is 3 Kg of medium rye flour and 2 Kg of simple syrup (cool). Mix with a dough hook until incorporated. Keep covered or wrap tighly when not in use. A basic live dough is 2 Kg. low protein bread flour, 100g medium rye flour, 1.3 Kg water, 40g fresh yeast, and 30g salt. You can play with that and begin to exchange flours and grains within that framework. Depending on the flour available to you, you might need to add a small percentage of shortening to gain extensibility and to make the dough a little more pliable; the amount of shortening used is quite small. Also remember, with different flours in different parts of the world, water is variable. Mix on low speed with a hook to incorporate. Mix for about 4 minutes on second speed. Primary fermentation of one hour. Divide, preshape, rest dough, shape, and proof covered for approximately one hour (we put the larger pieces inside a large plastic bag and moisten with a spray bottle. Bake at 450 degrees F with light steam in the beginning. Vent at the end of the bake. For more strength, you could preferment up to 25% of the flour. If you look at the wine bottle piece, you will notice that it is generously dusted with medium rye. The amount of dusting varies from project to project and whether the object is to highlight or accent. Us a very fine sieve. An economical way to find out what Ciril is doing and explore this medium is to buy the home maker's DVD. It is about $40 US and is available at his website www.breadhitz.com It contains all of the recipes, but fewer of the projects. The more advanced projects are in the full professional set. There were some posts on the WPF thread last summer from individuals who purchased the full set and were quite excited with the content. Another good source for information on decorative pieces is the wonderful book by Jeffry Hamelman: Bread: A Bakers Book of Recipes and Techniques, published by Wiley. I hope this is helpful and is enough information to get you going. Your website suggests to me that you will do a great job.

A discussion of decorative breads is a great idea. This discipline has evolved radically and exponentially in the past five to six years. The fact that the Coupe du Monde de Boulangerie and the National Bread and Pastry Championship include bread centerpieces cannot be overlooked. There are several sub sets to consider: traditional breads that have unique shapes, celebration breads (with or without religious connotations), decorative breads, and artistic breads. The first three are made with yeasted (live) doughs and are often eaten in addition to being displayed. There are some versions that have almost become almost a cliche such as the cornucopia, wreath, etc. However, when these are executed with taste and good judgement, they remain classical. Artistic breads are made with dead doughs (no yeast) and are used for decoration only, typically as centerpieces. I have the pleasure of working daily with Ciril Hitz, whom I consider to be the world leader in this particular discipline. The wine bottle bread upthread was his demo for a class project at Johnson & Wales. The dough is a live dough with bread flour, whole wheat flour, rye flour, and buckwheat flour as well as water, salt, yeast, etc. This dough has many applications, left only to the baker's imagination. This project is part of the course requirements for the advanced bread class. In addition, they will fabricate other decorative pieces and then design and complete an original artistic bread centerpiece. The good news is that the information needed to understand this medium is available on DVD. The website for the information on the DVDs is www.breadhitz.com Ciril's schedule includes teaching a class at King Arthur Flour in VT in December, The Institute of Culinary Education in NYC in March, and a demo at COPIA in California in March. He is also scheduled to present at the World Pastry Forum in Phoenix again next July. There is also the possibility of a class next spring at the Notter School in Orlando. To answer the questions about the wine bottle. The bottle of unopened wine is place into the piece after baking. We use an empty wine bottle of the same size wrapped in baking parchment and baked into place. When the bread is barely warm, we remove the empty one and replace it with the unopened bottle. It is critical to let the dough cool on a rack and allow for full circulation when displayed. Otherwise, mold and other deterioration will occur. With the proper environment and care, the pieces can last for a month or more. This dough differs from others in that we use a dough conditioner to enable the shaping of the pieces immediately after mixing to facilitate shaping. In a dough without conditioners, there is a buildup of carbon dioxide that can make shaping difficult and compromise the clarity and definition of the final product. If anyone is interested, I would attempt (with help, Chris) to post photos of the different disciplines. If you have any other questions on bread or the program at the school, it would be my pleasure to address them.

Wow! What a great spread on the school. Thanks Chris for the extremely kind words. It was great having you and your family visit us in the lab today. Your photos really capture a sense of what the day was like. The students, such as the ones you met today (Dan, Kate, Laura, Kristi, Benjamin, Ricky, and Christine), really keep me motivated and inspired. My colleagues (especially Ciril Hitz and Richard Miscovich in the bread department) and the administration keep the fires burning and make the program successful. When all the baking and tasting was done, I definitely went home a happy baker. If only I could figure out how to post the photos of the other decorative breads................. I'm glad that you were able to include the museum in your tour. It is an incredible source of cultural and historical information. To answer your implied question, yes, that is steam that is injected into the oven chamber just before the bread is loaded and immediately afterward. Each deck has it's own control. If anyone is interested, I could post more about the dynamics of that. The loader enables us to place the loaves all at once precisely where we want them on the oven floor for an efficient bake, opening the door only once which prevents excessive heat and moisture loss. The individual decks are each fitted with a vent for evacuating the moisture at the appropriate point during the bake. In one of the photos of the oven, you will notice the glass doors propped half way open. Many breads complete the baking cycle in this manner to further evacuate moisture and ensure a crisp crust without excessive browning. The loader may also be used to remove the bread from the oven by reversing the position of the belt and running it in under the loaves and then pulling everything out in one motion. Typically, in the lab, we remove the loaves using a baker's peel such as the one Ricky is holding in the photo. The oven is a rather small version of the same type ofoven used in artisanal bread production and enables the student to get a sense of what baking in the industry is really like. I have really enjoyed reading your blog. Your style is engaging and entertaining, and I have learned more about Providence in the past couple of days than I have in the past two years and am eager to try some of your recommendations. Bebe is adorable and when it comes to her preference in bread, she is most assuredly a person of character, judgement, and taste.

You can purchase the Panibois products at www.chefsboutique.com They are re-usable, but they are also a tool for upscale marketing for higher end products. It is common to see multi-grain, whole grain, and signature products marketed in this manner.

You can purchase the Panibois wooden forms and paper liners by linking to the Demarle USA website.

Doronin, I would suggest trying a recipe for Pain de Mie. The milk, butter, egg, and sugar as well as techinique will provide the characteristics you describe. Develop the dough before the addition of the butter as you would for brioche.

I can't recall the name of the organization, but there is a guild with a web site for artisan bakers in Australia and NZ. If you google, you can probably get their contact information. They should be able to put the information you desire into the proper context.

In the US, bread flour ranges from 11 to 12% protein. High gluten flour is typically 13 to 14% protein. Some bread flours have protein levels as low as 10%, but this is rare.The flour I am currently using has 11.5% protein and performs well. Remember, it is the quality of protein available as well as the quantity. All purpose flours tend to vary in protein content in different regions of the country. The range is around 10 to 11.5% protein. It is more common to find it in homes, hotels, and perhaps restaurants rather than in bakeries. Pastry flour contains 9 to 10% protein, with cake flour registering even less.

Yeah, the food is really quite mediocre, and once you get past the main dishes, the level of quality seems to decline even more. Sides, salads, bread, etc. are poor. I also feel that the price point is a bit high for the food received. One bright note is that the servers and cooks all seem to be trained in HACCP. I noticed the servers using tongs to pick up lemon wedges, etc. and commented on it to our server. She said that they study and observe national and state health regulations. A cook I met confirmed this. My only experiences with Legal are with the Warwick location, but it doesn't augur well for trying other locations. Now, Iggy's Clamshack....................fried, cheap, and honest about it.

There are classes for every level of experience, from beginner to professional. If you are unsure of your level or which level will be taught, give them a call.

I attended the "master class" last year with James McGuire and Jeffrey Hamelman and really enjoyed it. James has great experience and knowledge of the subject matter and he is generous in sharing it. In addition, he is the number one bakery raconteur. Richard Miscovich and Ciril Hitz are colleagues and friends of mine. They are great bakers and great teachers, and know how to have fun with the subject. Go if you can.

doronin -- You are on the right track. An autolyse (autolysis, however you wish to say it) definitely does not contain yeast. It is flour and water only. It was developed by Professor Raymond Calvel in the '70s to reduce oxidation of dough by decreasing the overall mixing time. This result is a dough without excessive strength, and therefore, improved extensibility. To discuss your bread in particular, it would be helpful if you posted your formula as jackal10 has suggested. From your description of your bread, my first guess is that it is under -hydrated, but without seeing the formula, it is only a guess. Whole wheat flour does contain particles of bran which affect the absorption of water. My experience is that the absorption also fluctuates with the fineness of the flour as well. If the bran particles are ground finer, they might possibly have a smaller detrimental effect on the gluten. Protein content is imprortant, but more important is the quality of the protein. The prevailing school of though among bakers with whom I interact is that the bran particles cut through the gluten strands (not actually the gas cells) resulting in reduced volume. I would highly recommend the addition of diastatic malt to your formulation. It provides more sugars for fermentaion. Especially in a dough with a long fermentation, it allows for more residual sugars during the baking process. That will not only improve flavor, but also improve the crust color (and thereby crust flavor). Experiment by adding smaller amounts and increasing the proportion gradually. I typically add .5% to 1% diastatic malt calculated on the flour in the final dough with the brand of flour I am using. I do not include it in the preferment. Have you tried searching for diastatic malt online? It should be readily available. I agree with jackal10 in that when more levain is included in the recipe, it will result in a smaller volume of the loaf. Are you using a stiff levain or a wet levain? When using a stiff levain, I actually prefer levain in the ratio of 50% to the flour in the final recipe if baking direct (not retarding). If I am retarding the dough, I use less. When baking with a wet levain, I use 30% to 40% of levain in proportion to the flour in the final dough. In the matter of temperature, I have found that I prefer the flavors and aromas of the bread when I maintain the dough temperture around 25 degrees Celsius. I prefer a more balanced flavor profile than flavor profile than flavors that are extremely mild or extremely sour. Bacteria and lactic acid thrive in temperatures higher, whic can result in runaway fermentation. Colder temperatures promote the production of acetic acid (sourness) and impede fermentation activity. Notice the acid blisters on a the crust of refrigerated (not retarded - which would be at a higher temperature than a refrigerator provides). This is from a build-up of acidity. doronin, I hope that this has not confused you. As you can see from this and other threads, there are various schools of thought on the subject. It is not who is right or who is wrong, but what works for each individual. No yeasts or bacteria were harmed in the production of this post.