The Bread Topic (2014 –2015)

[Anna N]

Anna,

 

Is the cheese cubed and added to the dough? If yes, during the end of kneading or maybe during shaping?

 

Thanks,

Cindy

The Gruyere and the Jarlsberg were cubed but the Parmesan was grated. They were added at the end of the kneading cycle and given a bit of help by me on the bench afterwards.

[Anna N]

While the large cheese loaf shown above went north I pined for just a taste. Checking the cheese drawer this morning it was apparent that I had some little nubs of various cheeses that needed using up. And so it came about that the devil made me do it. I baked two small loaves for myself.

I had two small slices. It doesn't need any help. No butter or anything else to detract from its flavour.

I used cheddar, smoked Gouda, a little Gruyere, some Parmesan and an unidentified nub of another cheese. It's just another brilliant way to use up cheese that would otherwise dry out and end up in the bin.

[Norm Matthews]

I made some sourdough bread for dinner last night.

 

[kayb]

Besides the French bread posted in the Dinner thread, I've recently made this brioche:

 

 

I keep thinking I ought to like brioche, but I just really don't. It crumbles too easily.

 

This is my standard white bread, which is a soft and fluffy one, great for toast but not so much for sandwiches:

 

 

My favorite for sandwiches is pan Cubano, here:

 

 

Need to make some of that this week, as I am making Cuban sandwiches for a lunch gathering next week.

 

 

[ElsieD]

Kayb, I'd like to try making the Cubano rolls. We had Cuban sandwiches at the Columbia Restauranr in Tampa a couple of years ago and loved them so much we have been making them ever since as per the recipe on their web site. It would be nice to have a roll better suited to the sandwich. Besides which, I love making bread and trying new bread recipes.

[kayb]

ElsieD, the recipe I use is here. I usually use vegetable shortening instead of lard, because I don't normally have lard on hand. And my loaves/rolls must be bigger than theirs, as I only get four from the recipe. One roll/loaf makes two sandwiches.

 

I LOVED Columbia the one time I went there. Did you watch the flamenco dancers?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

My baguette tonight came out with bubbles.  I admit I've been preoccupied with mai tai experiments this evening, so no pictures.

 

Bubbles are not a problem that I often have.  M.R. of course excepted.  However Calvel says (Taste of Bread, Plate 11) "Bubbles on the crust, a result of retarding raw loves at refrigerator temperatures [guilty], are well received in North America.  In France bubbles are considered a defect."

 

Did I do bad?

[rotuts]

" Taste of Bread "

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Taste-Bread-translation-pr%C3%A9server/dp/1475768117

 

one serious bread book.  lots of grafts  etc

 

my library has this.  Just remember, their French !

Edited February 20, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[CatPoet]

 

A normal   scolded wheat loaf,  I think you call them rue breads.   How ever due to my little daughter  I couldnt knead it as much as  it needed  so it doesnt look perfect but it is tasty.

[Ann_T]

Anna, your cheese loaves have my mouth watering.   I would love a slice toasted.

 

[bethesdabakers]

My baguette tonight came out with bubbles.  I admit I've been preoccupied with mai tai experiments this evening, so no pictures.

 

Bubbles are not a problem that I often have.  M.R. of course excepted.  However Calvel says (Taste of Bread, Plate 11) "Bubbles on the crust, a result of retarding raw loves at refrigerator temperatures [guilty], are well received in North America.  In France bubbles are considered a defect."

 

Did I do bad?

You know about the Maillard Reaction. Well I think what you got was the Maitai Reaction. Prof Calvel don't approve but all the keen types who were posting on forums when I was learning were striving to get a blistered crust. I did some work for a traditional Britsh craft baker last year and he too had been taught that blistering was a "fault" (didn't actually worry about the overall standard of the produce on the other hand).

The important thing is to make the bread the way you want it. So you must have done good.

 

Cheers!

 

Mick

[Norm Matthews]

I made another two loaves of sourdough bread this morning.

 

 

[ElsieD]

Kayb, thanks for the link. I shall give these a go. We were at the Columbia just the one time for lunch and there were no dancers of any description. At night maybe?

[ElsieD]

I made the Cubano rolls today, as shown. I had trouble shaping them and I think one of the reasons is because the instructions say to do a stretch and fold 30 minutes into the first rising. The dough is made with 4 cups (482grams) of flour, 1/4 cup butter and 1 1/4 cups water. I am used to the stretch and fold method as I do it with bread I have made using recipes from The Baker's Apprentice. However, this dough has a much lower hydration than what I am used to and in this instance, the stretch and fold turned my nice smooth ball of dough into a lumpy one that made shaping tricky. Or, perhaps more accurately, tricky for me. Any comments?

[kayb]

I ignored the stretch and fold instructions the first time because I simply overlooked them, and I treated the dough as I would any other yeast dough. They worked fine for me, so that's what I've done ever since. 

 

I was at Columbia for dinner. As I recall, there's a separate dining room with a raised dance floor, off the main dining room, and that's where the performances take place. We were seated in the other dining room, but we went in and stood by the wall to watch for a bit before we left. 

 

I ordered their cookbook from Amazon, and have thoroughly enjoyed it.

[ElsieD]

I ignored the stretch and fold instructions the first time because I simply overlooked them, and I treated the dough as I would any other yeast dough. They worked fine for me, so that's what I've done ever since. 

 

I was at Columbia for dinner. As I recall, there's a separate dining room with a raised dance floor, off the main dining room, and that's where the performances take place. We were seated in the other dining room, but we went in and stood by the wall to watch for a bit before we left. 

 

I ordered their cookbook from Amazon, and have thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks, kayb. If I make it again I will skip that step as well unless someone chimes in with a reason why it should be done. We haven't had any yet. Once the buns cooled, I wrapped them and froze them.

[Shelby]

Elsie, I think those buns look perfect!  I hope you show us the finished sandwiches if you get a chance

 

 

I made a loaf of white bread for my mother-in-law and some sandwich buns for us.

 

 

My loaf looks funny, but it will taste good so that's what counts....right?  right?  

 

 

[Anna N]

Anna, your cheese loaves have my mouth watering.   I would love a slice toasted.

 

Ann,

I would happily swap every loaf I have ever made for just one of your sourdough loaves!

Today I made a dozen small rolls instead of loaves of bread. This is the famous Moomie's recipe (Googleable).

[paulpegg]

I needed a quick bread the other day so I made a focaccia. It takes all of 4 hours to make this simple bread and it is best eaten on the day. There is no kneading at all. you make a very sloppy dough with 600 grams bread flour, 200 grams AP or cake flour (or boiled potatoes), 16 gm yeast, 10 gm each salt and sugar. Mix all the dry stuff and then add up to 800 gm water. I start at 600 and work up until I have a really shaggy mess. Let it rise on a bowl for 2-1/2 hours, pour it out into an oiled sheet pan and spread it evenly. Generously brush it with EVOO and lay on any thing you want on top, in this example i used sliced onions. Punch it down with your spread fingers to create dimples, sprinkle all over with course sea salt and let it rise for another 45 minutes. Bake in a 400F oven for 30-45 minutes. let cool on a rack until the urge to eat it takes over your senses.  

 

 

 

[kayb]

My standard, go-to white bread. It works for sandwiches, toast, whatever you wish, and you can also use the same dough to make dinner rolls or sweet rolls. Comes from a recipe handed down through a church cookbook. If anyone wants it, it's here.

 

Was planning to make pimiento cheese to go on it, but I haven't gotten that done yet.

 

 

 

[ElsieD]

I needed a quick bread the other day so I made a focaccia. It takes all of 4 hours to make this simple bread and it is best eaten on the day. There is no kneading at all. you make a very sloppy dough with 600 grams bread flour, 200 grams AP or cake flour (or boiled potatoes), 16 gm yeast, 10 gm each salt and sugar. Mix all the dry stuff and then add up to 800 gm water. I start at 600 and work up until I have a really shaggy mess. Let it rise on a bowl for 2-1/2 hours, pour it out into an oiled sheet pan and spread it evenly. Generously brush it with EVOO and lay on any thing you want on top, in this example i used sliced onions. Punch it down with your spread fingers to create dimples, sprinkle all over with course sea salt and let it rise for another 45 minutes. Bake in a 400F oven for 30-45 minutes. let cool on a rack until the urge to eat it takes over your senses.  

 

foccacia-risen-4web.jpg

 

foccacia-2-4web.jpg

 

foccacia-cut-4web.jpg

Looks terrific. I assume you mix this in a stand mixer?

[paulpegg]

Looks terrific. I assume you mix this in a stand mixer?

No, I always mix by hand. Wash your hands well. Put all the dry in a bowl, mix it up and add the water. Turn the mix into the water until it is thoroughly wet, adding more water if it looks like it will be too stiff or a bit more flour if it is too wet and you want it to be stiffer. A shaggy mess is just that. It sticks to your fingers and does not ball up. You pour it out onto the sheet pan and just push it to the edges to fill the pan. it is all very quick and fun to make.

[Dave W]

I thought I was gonna bake something else for once but then 24 hours later I had a levain bread from FWSY yet again...

No regrets!

[Ann_T]

Dave, no reason to make something else when you find something that you really love.   Great looking loaf.  Beautiful crust and crumb.  

 

I only had time to bake once on my days off this week so I baked eight smaller size baguettes.  Same day dough. Hand Mixed early morning, and baked mid afternoon.

 

 

The perfect size for breakfast for two or three.

 

[ElsieD]

No, I always mix by hand. Wash your hands well. Put all the dry in a bowl, mix it up and add the water. Turn the mix into the water until it is thoroughly wet, adding more water if it looks like it will be too stiff or a bit more flour if it is too wet and you want it to be stiffer. A shaggy mess is just that. It sticks to your fingers and

not ball up. You pour it out onto the sheet pan and just push it to the edges to fill the pan. it is all very quick and fun to make.

I think I'll try this. Is that a half sheet pan you used?