The Bread Topic (2009 – 2014)

[Ann_T]

Anna, that loaf looks great too. Do you have a preference?

My intention was to do the overnight white, but I realized after the fact that I had added the regular amount of yeast - 4g, instead of the lesser amount of .8g. So I ended up baking bread in the middle of the night. I set my alarm and got up at 12:00AM to shape the loaves.

.......

This last wins my vote in terms of taste but not in terms of ease and convenience. Can't imagine baking in the middle of the night! I would have tossed the dough in the fridge and hoped for the best.

I had to work today and wouldn't have been able to get around to it again until Monday. And I have plans for Monday. The overnight version would have been perfect had I got the yeast right. I'm usually up by 5:00 AM anyway and I don't leave for work until around 9:30 so I would have had lots of time to bake in the morning. Hope to try a couple of other Forkish recipes on my days off. This bread does freeze well.

[rotuts]

AnnaN

so you are doing the 'chamber semi-steam' cook?

i dont know what to call this, but ive seen it as the 'chamber' ie the pot w lid you are using

claims the steam and adds to the crust.

[Anna N]

AnnaN

so you are doing the 'chamber semi-steam' cook?

i dont know what to call this, but ive seen it as the 'chamber' ie the pot w lid you are using

claims the steam and adds to the crust.

Yes. Ken developed all the bread recipes in this book to be cooked in a pre-heated, covered, cast iron Dutch oven.

Edited to fix typo.

Edited January 26, 2014 by Anna N (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Forkish White Bread with 80% Biga. I'll take it to work tomorrow and hopefully remember to take a picture of the crumb.

[janeer]

My copy has shipped. Thanks for enticing me into yet another bread book!

[Kerry Beal]

The crumb. Good thing I snapped this picture just after the internist sliced the loaf right down the middle (who slices a loaf of bread that way?) - not that it matters, it's 9:30 and it is all gone!

[Anna N]

IMG_1034.jpg

The crumb. Good thing I snapped this picture just after the internist sliced the loaf right down the middle (who slices a loaf of bread that way?) - not that it matters, it's 9:30 and it is all gone!

Looks pretty darn amazing! I need a hospital or workplace where I can funnel all my calories.

[Ann_T]

IMG_1034.jpg

The crumb. Good thing I snapped this picture just after the internist sliced the loaf right down the middle (who slices a loaf of bread that way?) - not that it matters, it's 9:30 and it is all gone!

At least he cut it down the middle. Moe has been known to cut both ends off. It would be really annoying if it wasn't for the fact that a loaf doesn't last long around here either.

[lesliec]

He's not a surgeon, then?

[Kerry Beal]

He's not a surgeon, then?

Thank god no!

[lesliec]

He's not a surgeon, then?

Thank god no!

He might be fine at orthopaedics. That's a lovely bit of bread, though.

[gfweb]

AnnaN:

 

was this loaf 'Breville'd'

 

thanks

No. It's not feasible to put a large Dutch oven in the Breville. As you see with my current replacement lid doohickey it won't even fit!

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If you use silicone lid instead of the usual lid a small Le crueset oven will fit in the BSO. Braise with it all the time.

[rotuts]

""" small Le crueset oven """

which one is this?

[Kerry Beal]

With my leftover bits of dough that I had trimmed to allow my Forkish breads to fit their banneton - I made a couple of pizza's this am.

Made with overnight white dough.

Made with the 80% biga dough.

Both are darker than they appear in the pictures.

[Steve Irby]

Thanks to all for the informative posts. Of course it's the great photos that are the hook and between Ann, Anna and Kerry lots of incentive to adopt new methods . I didn't realize what a high hydration dough was until reading this post and via link to portions of the Forkish book on google. I made bread today that I've made many times over the years that includes a biga and is about 80% hydration. I incorporated some new techniques such as autolyse of the water and flour and the bread turned out to the the best ever. It had great height and crumb. And for Kerry, that photo is from the side of the loaf!

[Kerry Beal]

And for Kerry, that photo is from the side of the loaf!

P1020519(1).JPG

P1020521(1).JPG

As it should be! Nice looking loaf.

[Ann_T]

Kerry, Yum. lovely pizza. Perfect crust.

Steve, great looking bread.

I have a 12 cup batch of my regular (82% hydration) dough on its first rise. I already used the Autolyse technique. The only thing I am doing different is using Ken Forkish's folding method. Half the dough will go into the fridge to be used tomorrow. Some might be destined for a pizza.

[Ann_T]

Yesterday's bread.

And a pizza for dinner.

[DianaM]

Kerry and Anna N, what brand of all purpose white are you using for your loaves?

I have been using Five Roses, but their unbleached AP is pretty strong, and I always have to add more water than the formula calls for. I am waiting for my copy of the Forkish book, and was wondering if I will need to tweak his formulas as well.

Also, has anyone had any experience using wholegrain spelt flour in place of whole wheat in breads? I have a strong aversion for the flavour of whole wheat, but I love spelt pasta, and I bought some spelt flour to try. Any pointers will be appreciated.

[Ann_T]

Diana, I'd also be interested in knowing which flours fellow Canadian's are using. I only use Rogers. It doesn't seem to matter whether I use their all-purpose unbleached or their bread flour. I get good results with both. Identical. I do add more water.

For the bread I made yesterday, I weighed out the flour by cup, and a cup of Roger's All Purpose unbleached flour was between 160g and 165 g. When I looked at a couple of conversion charts, one cup of flour equaled 125g to 127 g.

Edited January 30, 2014 by Ann_T (log)

[Anna N]

Since No-Frills had flour on sale for $1/2kg (or about 50 c per lb) that's what I use. It's unbleached A/P flour and Kerry worked out that each loaf costs only slightly more than 25c. Hard to beat! The label says that each 30g flour contains 3 g protein. Not sure if that translates to 10% gluten but I am guessing it's darn close. It is almost certainly manufactured to the same specs as national brands but packaged for Loblaws (parent company of NoFrills). (I must often pay $5-6 or more for the same amount of name brand flour.)

[Ann_T]

Anna, I think Rogers unbleached all purpose and their white bread flour are the same, about 13%. 4g of protein per 30g.

Costco sells Rogers at a much better price than the regular grocery stores. 10K (22 pounds) in the grocery store varies between stores, but it is usually $11.99 to $13.99 and Costco sells the same size for $6.99. So about 31Cents a pound.

I think that your deal with no frills flour works out to an even better deal. If you are paying $1.00 for 2 K that would be a dollar for 4.4 pounds so less than 25 cents a pound.

~Ann

[Anna N]

Anna, I think Rogers unbleached all purpose and their white bread flour are the same, about 13%. 4g of protein per 30g.

Costco sells Rogers at a much better price than the regular grocery stores. 10K (22 pounds) in the grocery store varies between stores, but it is usually $11.99 to $13.99 and Costco sells the same size for $6.99. So about 31Cents a pound.

I think that your deal with no frills flour works out to an even better deal. If you are paying $1.00 for 2 K that would be a dollar for 4.4 pounds so less than 25 cents a pound.

~Ann

There is no way I could handle a 22 lb bag of flour! That's my issue with Costco. I am dependent on others to lug my groceries into the house so things like bulk purchases take on a whole new meaning. This flour sale was a godsend and between my daughter and Kerry Beal who purchased it for me I can make a lot of bread.

[DianaM]

I do add more water.

Thanks, Ann. I guess this was the gist of my question. I wanted to know whether people who use Canadian AP flour (as opposed to King Arthur or other US brands) routinely adjust bread recipes (given in weight) by adding extra water.

Anna, thanks for the information. An artisan 1-lb boule would cost at least $3-4 at the grocery store - assuming it was still fresh enough for me to want to buy it. That being the case, if loaf I can make costs less, that's even better.

[gfweb]

""" small Le crueset oven """

which one is this?

I don't know the size exactly. It fits without the lid easily in the BSO. I'll guess and say 4 quart...maybe 3.