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The Bread Topic (2016–)

DianaM

By DianaM
in Pastry & Baking

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Dave R

Dave R

Posted
Posted

@ElsieD sounds like we use similar methods. I use my ZO for batches that use 20 ounces or less of flour, then bake in the oven. For larger batches I use an old Bosch Universal. With that I only mix about three minutes and then use stretch and fold to develop the gluten.

 

I live in a more rural area and there are no bakeries near by. The local store doesn't offer much either, but they do have a pretty good selection of Bob's Red Mill products, so we're lucky in that respect.

 

Dave

ElsieD

ElsieD

Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, Dave R said:

@ElsieD sounds like we use similar methods. I use my ZO for batches that use 20 ounces or less of flour, then bake in the oven. For larger batches I use an old Bosch Universal. With that I only mix about three minutes and then use stretch and fold to develop the gluten.

 

I live in a more rural area and there are no bakeries near by. The local store doesn't offer much either, but they do have a pretty good selection of Bob's Red Mill products, so we're lucky in that respect.

 

Dave

 

I have a Zo also.  Love that machine.

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JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Dave R said:

@JoNorvelleWalkeryour comment makes me wonder about baking schedules for the home bakers here. Do most of you also buy commercially made breads? Just curious. 

 

 

I allow myself to buy Martin's Potato Rolls for making smashburgers, and English muffins maybe once or twice a year.  Likewise hotdog buns occasionally.  Other than that if I want bread I bake it myself.  This has been my resolution for about thirty years.

 

Oh, and I tried some store bought naan the other week but I doubt I will be repeating the purchase.

 

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Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
15 minutes ago, Ann_T said:

Amazing colour on your crust.  

 

This time the loaves really were red.  It was as if I had added malt to the flour.  Something must be off.  I did cut the yeast in half from usual.  But the bread tastes fine.

 

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Ann_T

Ann_T

Posted
Posted
Started a dough last night and left it out on the counter for a long slow fermentation.
Shaped a large boule this morning and baked it on the stone covered with what I thought was a tall enough roasting pan.
This lid worked great for baguettes, but unfortunately not so great for a large boule.
 
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Wasn't quite high enough.
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I was expecting a nice ear but it hit the top of the lid and flattened out.
Just went looking for another roasting pan and found one in the back of a cupboard that is 1 1/2 Inches taller. Will try it next bake.
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Dave R

Dave R

Posted
Posted

That's a great looking loaf to me. One any bakery would be happy to have produced. 

 

Dave

 

 

 

 

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Dave R

Dave R

Posted
Posted

Wanted to make something different for breakfast. I'm more of a whole grain person but my wife likes sweets, so I gave Babka Muffins a try and put her to work braiding. This is a version of ChainBaker's Chocolate Babka Muffins modified slightly for altitude and oven. These are really tasty. I don't think I've had that much butter in a year!

 

Dave

 

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PatrickT

PatrickT

Posted
Posted

@Dave R Those pictures should be on the cover of a magazine! 😍 Well done, Dave. Love ChainBaker BTW. Just discovered him not long ago. 

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Dave R

Dave R

Posted
Posted

@PatrickTthank you so much! I don't normally bake sweets like this but I could see starting.

 

Any recommendations on recipes by ChainBaker too try?

 

Dave

PatrickT

PatrickT

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Dave R said:

Any recommendations on recipes by ChainBaker too try?

 

@Dave R Haven't tried anything yet from ChainBaker (it's on the list!), but I would LOVE your thoughts on how to improve Maurizio's Walnut Cranberry Sourdough over at The Perfect Loaf. I made it last week and it turned out beautifully, but I really felt it was missing something. Maybe, like your wife, I was longing for more sweetness to it - perhaps a tablespoon of honey or agave? If you're game to give it a try, I'd really love your assessment.

 

 

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liuzhou

liuzhou

Posted
Posted

Last night, I remotely walked a Chinese friend through making her first loaf - a soda bread. She has just come out of a two-month lockdown in Shanghai and finally got hold of what she needed - except high gluten flour.

She did pretty well, I think for a first effort, although she said it tastes a bit floury. She has high gluten flour on order and has sworn not to give up.

 

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The image shows where she tore it open to test the interior.

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...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot"
Mark Twain
 

The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

PatrickT

PatrickT

Posted
Posted

@liuzhou It certainly looks good! Your friend must be so grateful for the freedom to be able to venture out and get what she needs to do this. My heart has just been breaking for them. 😢

Dave R

Dave R

Posted
Posted

@PatrickT you certainly produced a great looking loaf! Going by the pictures, I think yours looks better than the one on The Perfect Loaf. Keep up the good work!

 

Like the recipe you linked said, the combination of cranberry and walnut has been around a very long time. I made my first naturally leavened dough in 1971 (Tibetan Barley Bread from "The Tassajara Bread Book") and we were using that combination back then. The problem is that even craisins can't overcome the inherent tartness of cranberries. People that like the sour end of the spectrum don't mind it, but as you know, it's still there, even with added sweetener.

 

Before you add any additional sweetener, which may alter the rise and also your baking schedule, consider substituting chopped figs or even dates (for extra sweetness). That combination is also traditionally very popular.

 

Just as a disclaimer, I ended my 40 year sourdough journey a little over 10 years ago when I retired. I found that commercial yeast along with the careful use of yeasted pre-ferments could produce the quality, long lasting loaf that I wanted while allowing me a more flexible schedule outside the home.

 

Dave

 

 

PatrickT

PatrickT

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, Dave R said:

you certainly produced a great looking loaf! Going by the pictures, I think yours looks better than the one on The Perfect Loaf. Keep up the good work!

 

@Dave R That is quite a compliment! Thank you very much, Dave. Means the world coming from someone with your depth of experience. 🙂

 

Your suggestions are all amazing - thank you! After reading your comments about adding honey, I did a few Google searches about adding honey to bread dough (and sweeteners in general). Really fascinating... had no idea. I'm going to think about that a bit more. I'm actually trying to replicate a cranberry walnut bread we had with some friends at a restaurant that is long since closed. I vaguely remember the dough being a bit softer (would adding a bit of oil help that?) and a bit sweeter. I can't remember if it was actually a sourdough or not, so that would be something else I could experiment with.

 

To that end, I wanted to try a non-sourdough recipe this weekend - and I've been really wanting to try baking a good rye loaf. I tried this Homemade Rye Bread recipe and was pleased with my results. The crumb is soft, tight and uniform, the crust is super crunchy, and the flavor is excellent. I used a dark rye for the rye flour and am definitely glad that I did. I clearly prefer a stronger rye flavor and this definitely hit the mark for me.

 

Not quite sure why it bloomed in such an odd manner. If I wanted to make this in a traditional loaf pan, would this recipe allow that? If so, I might try that next time.

 

As always, I really appreciate your feedback, Dave! Thank you so much.

 

 

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Dave R

Dave R

Posted
Posted

@PatrickT thanks for the kind words! Basically I'm just an old baker with a good memory.

 

And speaking of memory and your cran/walnut memory of the restaurant bread, I was wondering if they were serving you a quick bread rather than a yeasted loaf. The reason I mention that is that several years back sone of the "fine dining" places near here were serving that type of bread. That might account for the softer crumb you remember. If that's the case, adding sweetener to a quick bread doesn't present a problem. Oil would definitely soften the crumb of a yeasted loaf. Not too much to start. 1.5 to 2% of the recipe would be a good starting point. Too much will coat the gluten strands an would have to be added after you had the gluten more fully developed. More like adding butter to a brioche dough. 

 

On to your rye bread. I think that crumb looks perfect for a good rye. One I'd certainly be happy with. I think the problem you had was with the final shaping. This is something that practice will solve. The key thing to remember is that you want surface tension on the loaf so it holds it's shape. You are basically creating a dough bag. Time will get you there and the more often you do it the better you will get at it.

 

It looks to me like that recipe would work in a loaf pan. If you have one, a 9"x5" pan might be best to try first just in case it's a little wet. That way it won't go over the edges. Since that recipe calls for a Dutch oven (something I've never done) you might want to try covering the pan with another inverted pan for the first 15 or 20 minutes to get the rise you would in the iron pot. Careful when you take the pan off!

 

Keep up the good work! Experimenting is the best way to learn, unless you want a job in a bakery.

 

Dave

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Ann_T

Ann_T

Posted
Posted
On 6/11/2022 at 4:30 PM, PatrickT said:

 

@Dave R Haven't tried anything yet from ChainBaker (it's on the list!), but I would LOVE your thoughts on how to improve Maurizio's Walnut Cranberry Sourdough over at The Perfect Loaf. I made it last week and it turned out beautifully, but I really felt it was missing something. Maybe, like your wife, I was longing for more sweetness to it - perhaps a tablespoon of honey or agave? If you're game to give it a try, I'd really love your assessment.

 

 

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I don't make many loaves with fruit and nuts, but I really love the idea of this combination. Especially the walnuts.   Beautiful loaf @PatrickT. 

I bet it was good toasted too. I have one I do with onions and walnuts that I haven't made recently. 

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Last night's baguettes. 

Same, same day dough as the pizzas posted in the dinner thread.

1152627823_BaguettessamedaybakeJune14th2022slicedJune15th.thumb.jpg.35b18e960d24033d41609dbc8b88beb2.jpg

Sliced this morning for breakfast. 

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TdeV

TdeV

Posted
Posted

Hope this is the right place to post.

I have some pizza dough, made by bread machine, which has been sitting in the fridge for a while. It uses 572 g flour with 60% hydration and 3/4 teaspoon (2.63g) of yeast. Because of the low yeast, the bread can be used after 3 days for the next 8-10 days. At the tail end, pizza from this dough ends up very cracker-like.

 

I can't find notes for when I made this batch, but the dough has lost its puffiness and looks a bit wet.

 

Can I revitalize this dough? How?

PatrickT

PatrickT

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 6/13/2022 at 7:47 AM, Dave R said:

I was wondering if they were serving you a quick bread rather than a yeasted loaf.

 

Thank you again for all of your great comments @Dave R! So very helpful. With respect to the bread I'm trying to recreate from my (unlike yours) hazy memory, it was definitely a regular bread. Not sure if it was actually a sourdough or not, though. I have a non-sourdough recipe I'm going to try next and see if that comes closer to what I recall. Good thought, though!

 

On 6/13/2022 at 7:47 AM, Dave R said:

I think the problem you had was with the final shaping. This is something that practice will solve. The key thing to remember is that you want surface tension on the loaf so it holds it's shape.

 

Yup - wondered about that. I do struggle a bit yet with shaping, but as you point out, it's getting better with practice. I'll keep working on that.

 

On 6/13/2022 at 7:47 AM, Dave R said:

It looks to me like that recipe would work in a loaf pan. If you have one, a 9"x5" pan might be best to try first just in case it's a little wet.

 

Excellent! I'll give that a try next time - and might even add your 1.5-2% oil idea to soften the crumb just a bit for the pan loaf. 

 

On 6/13/2022 at 7:47 AM, Dave R said:

Keep up the good work! Experimenting is the best way to learn, unless you want a job in a bakery.

 

Thank you! 😂 Pretty sure bakery would have me, which is probably all well and good! Thank you again for your insights - much appreciated.

Edited by PatrickT (log)
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PatrickT

PatrickT

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Ann_T said:

I don't make many loaves with fruit and nuts, but I really love the idea of this combination. Especially the walnuts.   Beautiful loaf @PatrickT. 

I bet it was good toasted too.

 

Thank you very much @Ann_T! I really enjoyed baking that one. And YES, I actually preferred the toast... it was SO delicious!

 

And, as always, your baguettes are perfection!

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PatrickT

PatrickT

Posted
Posted

OK @Dave R - here is a ChainBaker recipe you simply must try! Just made his Dutch Crunch (or Dutch Crust, as we called it when I was a lad) this morning and it is positively delicious! I made my rice flour batter for the topping using sesame oil (as he mentions in the video and in the recipe) and I highly recommend it. It really adds an incredible flavor to the loaf. Looks like I could have done a bit better job degassing the dough before shaping it, but I'm still pretty happy with the crumb. The crust is just outrageous - so flavorful and such an interesting texture. This honestly might become a regular bake in our household. 😍 This is also my inaugural pan loaf, so I'm delighted that I didn't mess it up! LOL

 

 

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Dave R

Dave R

Posted
Posted

@PatrickT a job well done! 

 

I'd never heard of that bread or crust technique until I saw it on The Spruce Eats earlier this year. All the bakers I knew when I was a kid were from Eastern Europe and I guess they didn't have a version of that style. I'm going to have to go over the recipe, but I think I've got everything but toasted sesame oil. Definitely going on my baking schedule. I'll be sure to post once I try it.

 

The pan seems to have worked very well for you. It's funny to me that I hadn't thought of baking in a pan for decades until my wife got me some USA pans at the end of last year. Now I love baking in loaf pans.

 

Thanks for posting the link and the great pictures!

 

Dave

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PatrickT

PatrickT

Posted
Posted (edited)

Thanks @Dave R - this was really a fun one! And being able to bake it in a few hours beats 2-3 days of the sourdough regimen for sure. LOL

 

Appreciate your kind words and can't wait to see your results! Hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Cheers!

 

Patrick

Edited by PatrickT (log)
Ann_T

Ann_T

Posted
Posted
On 6/11/2022 at 10:19 AM, Dave R said:

Wanted to make something different for breakfast. I'm more of a whole grain person but my wife likes sweets, so I gave Babka Muffins a try and put her to work braiding. This is a version of ChainBaker's Chocolate Babka Muffins modified slightly for altitude and oven. These are really tasty. I don't think I've had that much butter in a year!

 

Dave

 

 

BabkaMuf14 web.JPG

Dave,I  keep coming back to look at these muffins.  What I wouldn't give for one of those with our early minute cappuccinos.

 

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Thibeault's Table -  Blog

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