The Bread Topic (2016–)

PatrickT · March 20

35 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/mar/20/britains-bitter-bread-battle-what-a-5-sourdough-loaf-tells-us-about-health-wealth-and-class

Love this idea! 😍

Ann_T · March 21

Tonight's bake.

Dough was made with a levain and was the last of the two doughs made and in the

fridge since last Friday.

Taken out of the fridge late this morning and baked tonight.

JoNorvelleWalker · March 25

First pan bread I've baked in about thirty years. The recipe is White Bread from Ken Forkish's Evolutions in Bread, p87. I followed the recipe closely -- except I mixed my yeast first with flour as I prefer, and I fell asleep and missed a fold. I am very pleased. The bread was much easier than my usual loaves.

Next time I may cut down on the amount of salt.

PatrickT · March 25

I recently tried a simple sourdough loaf with 3 changes from my typical process: (1) an overnight BF schedule, (2) adding a bit of honey and olive oil to the dough, and (3) using a cold, month-old starter straight from the fridge without any additional refreshment. Very impressed with the final bake! The overnight schedule is super convenient for me, the honey and olive oil make for a lovely, soft crumb with just a hint of sweetness, and the effectiveness of the old starter straight from the fridge was definitely a surprise.

Edited March 25 by PatrickT (log)

Ann_T · March 30

Started two batches of sourdough last night. Both started with levains that had been in the fridge for 3 days.

One went into the fridge for another day and the other was left out on the counter for a room temperature bulk fermentation.

Had more than doubled by 3:00 AM this morning.

Baked two baguettes and two loaves in vintage bread pans.

I've never baked sourdough in bread pans before.

Ann_T · March 31

On 3/25/2024 at 4:16 PM, PatrickT said:

Now that is a beauty.

I'm always amazed at how a loaf turns out when I do something different, like using a dough that has been in the fridge for a week, or not refreshing the starter.

And then it turns out like that beautiful loaf. Love the crust and the rusticness of it. I can just imagine how delicious it is.

PatrickT · March 31

Thanks @Ann_T! 😍🙏

Ann_T · April 4

This dough just kept on giving......

It was started at 4:00 AM Sunday morning with a sourdough Levain.

After the last stretch and fold, I divided it into three pieces. One that was 500g and one that was 350g, both went into different containers, and the remaining dough went into a larger container and into the fridge along with the smaller 350g dough.

The 500g batch was left out on the counter for a room temperature fermentation and Matt made himself a large pizza late afternoon.

The 350g dough got taken out of the fridge at noon and left on the counter until I got home from work and I baked a small pizza in the OONI for Moe and I to share for dinner Sunday night.

That left the large piece, still in the fridge since Sunday.

Matt took it out this morning around 8:00 and cut off another 500g piece and baked himself a pizza around 3:00 PM

and I used the remaining dough to make this loaf.

Just out of the oven.

Edited: Moe really wanted a slice of warm bread so I caved and sliced it while it was still warm.

Buttered Bunny!!

Edited April 4 by Ann_T (log)

Ann_T · April 5

Put a sourdough in the fridge on March 29th and took it out last night and left it on the counter until 2:00 AM this morning.

So it was six days in the fridge, and baked on the 7th day.

Baked 12 mini baguettes.

**JAZ** · April 8

I haven't baked bread in decades, but I decided to try my hand at pain de mie. I used a recipe from King Arthur's site and was pretty pleased with it.

I was probably too impatient to slice it, so the crumb is a bit mangled, but I think it's going to be fine.

PatrickT · April 8

2 hours ago, JAZ said:

the crumb is a bit mangled, but I think it's going to be fine.

I actually like the look of that crumb! Perfect sandwich loaf. How is the taste?

**JAZ** · April 8

Thanks, @PatrickT. The crumb is exactly what I wanted; I just meant that I sliced into the bread when it was still a bit too warm, so that slice tore a bit. The taste is good, not terribly complex, but perfect for toast, which was my main goal.

PatrickT · April 14

Baked this Guinness Asiago loaf with Rosemary, Thyme and Sage - absolutely delicious. I love how the little shreds of Asiago turn golden in the toaster. 😃 I ad libbed off this recipe, using an 80/20 mix of bread flour and Khorasan flour and subbing all of the water with Guinness. This one is definitely going on my regular baking rotation. Give it a try!

Edited April 14 by PatrickT (log)

C. sapidus · April 18

Mrs. C's sourdough bread. Best one yet!

Side note: Mrs. C does glass fusing, and the plate the loaf is sitting on was one of her recent projects.

PatrickT · April 18

17 minutes ago, C. sapidus said:

Side note: Mrs. C does glass fusing, and the plate the loaf is sitting on was one of her recent projects.

Love that plate (as well as the loaf 😉)!

Tropicalsenior · April 21

I haven't been doing any baking for about the last 3 weeks because of a flare up of tendonitis and carpal tunnel and of course on my right side. But today I managed to make some buns with a Teriyaki flavored filling. Not the best I've ever made but at least I made them. I'm happy.

**MaryIsobel** · April 21

1 hour ago, Tropicalsenior said:

I haven't been doing any baking for about the last 3 weeks because of a flare up of tendonitis and carpal tunnel and of course on my right side. But today I managed to make some buns with a Teriyaki flavored filling. Not the best I've ever made but at least I made them. I'm happy.

Those look great. I often change my cooking/baking plans when I am having a "bad wrist day."

**MaryIsobel** · April 21

18 minutes ago, MaryIsobel said:

Those look great. I often change my cooking/baking plans when I am having a "bad wrist day."

And on that note, I have found that good old, stinky Tiger Balm gives me fairly quick and long lasting relief, although it's not a smell that I want to permeate any kind of food and my dog hates the smell, so I usually just apply it at bed time.

JoNorvelleWalker · April 24

From last weekend. Ken Forkish method but steam baked in Anova APO on heavy baking steel, not in a Dutch oven...

Slackest dough I've ever tried to work with. My guess is slightly over proofed. Scoring was out of the question and I decided to use parchment on the peel. Excellent flavor. I've found it's easier for me to mix by hand than wrestling with the machine(s).

Also got to try out new proofing box.

Ann_T · May 3

This dough was somewhat abused, but proves what I often say. It is really difficult to screw up.

The dough for this sourdough was made on Sunday, April 28th with just 80g of discard and after the last

stretch and fold went immediately into the fridge.

Matt took the dough out of the fridge at 3:30 AM on Wednesday May 1st and left in on the counter until around noon.

The dough had almost tripled. He cut off 550g of dough to make a pizza and returned the remaining dough to the container

and put it back into the fridge.

I left it there until around noon today.

It was left on the counter until 5:00PM. It had more than doubled AGAIN.

So I shaped a big loaf and left it to proof.

Preheated a Römertopf Clay baker in the 450°F oven and when the loaf had proofed, scored it and slid it into the clay baker,

covered and baked for 25 minutes. Removed the cover and left it to finish baking for another 15 minutes.

Turned out pretty good.

Edited to add:

Sliced this morning for breakfast.

Edited May 3 by Ann_T (log)

Maison Rustique · May 3

@Ann_T, when you use the Romertopf to bake bread like this, do you soak it first or just use dry? I have one and I don't know why, but have just never thought of using it to bake my bread. Having a DUH moment.

Ann_T · May 3

1 hour ago, Maison Rustique said:

@Ann_T, when you use the Romertopf to bake bread like this, do you soak it first or just use dry? I have one and I don't know why, but have just never thought of using it to bake my bread. Having a DUH moment.

@Maison Rustique, No, I just preheat. No soaking. The moisture from the bread creates enough steam in the preheated Romertopf. Just like baking in a dutch oven.

Maison Rustique · May 3

17 minutes ago, Ann_T said:

@Maison Rustique, No, I just preheat. No soaking. The moisture from the bread creates enough steam in the preheated Romertopf. Just like baking in a dutch oven.

Thanks!!