The Bread Topic (2016–)

[Ann_T]

Today's bake.

 

The Boule was from a 600g batch of sourdough.  500g of my regular bread flour and 100g of organic stone ground spelt.  In the fridge since Monday.

I used just over 400g of dough in this loaf and the remainder Matt is using to make a pizza.

The baguettes were from a 500g batch of dough.  

 

Baguettes were started in the CSO and transferred to the conventional oven after 10 minutes.

The Boule was baked on a stone in the conventional oven under a stainless steel bowl for the first 25 minutes. Finished uncovered.

 

Edited November 12, 2022 by Ann_T (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

3 hours ago, Ann_T said:

@JoNorvelleWalker, well your boule is a beauty. 

 

Not sure why the dough seams were difficult, I haven't had a problem with them sealing.   Was this a same day bake?

 

Most of my doughs are given a long fermentation, usually in the fridge.  And even if I'm doing a same day bake, I do it at

63% hydration, but I use very little yeast, just 1 to 2 grams which means the dough still takes 7 to 8 or so hours to more than double. 

 

I'm baking this morning.  Two batches that had been in the fridge since last Monday morning.  Took them out of the fridge last night

just before  8:00 and I just divided and preshaped.  Letting them rest for 20 minutes and will finish shaping. 

 

For my dough I use a poolish started the day before.

 

One thing I noticed in the video is the instructor uses less flour on the board than I do.  But judging from your pictures you use about as much flour as I would.

 

[Ann_T]

6 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

One thing I noticed in the video is the instructor uses less flour on the board than I do.  But judging from your pictures you use about as much flour as I would.

 I tend to use more flour than I need for the loaves to rest on.  

 

But I do brush most off from under the loaves as I'm shaping.

 

I didn't bother with a preferment, I just added discard to the batch. 

[Annie_H]

On 11/3/2022 at 1:48 PM, Kim Shook said:

Any advice or observations would be most welcome!!

Another short and sweet 6 minute informative video for shaping. shaping rolls

DH is the bread baker in the household but I took over shaping a few years ago. Like Ann_T mentioned it is 'tension' on the top side that is important for a better second rise and a round form. 

[PatrickT]

Commendable first effort with the Tartine Basic County Loaf, but sadly about 30 minutes under-proofed. Thank goodness all C-level efforts deliver A-level flavor nonetheless. 😍

 

 

[heidih]

And toasting can be a big save 

[PatrickT]

26 minutes ago, heidih said:

And toasting can be a big save

 

💯😃

[Ann_T]

That is what is good about bread. Even if you aren't quite satisfied, it still looks and tastes good.

I would be happy with any of your loaves.

 

Today's baguette bake.

Not a long cold fermentation. 

 

 

Dough made last night and left out on the counter from 8:00 PM until 4:30 AM this morning.

600g flour, 1.5g of yeast, 15g of salt, 378g of water (63%).

Edited November 16, 2022 by Ann_T (log)

[PatrickT]

25 minutes ago, Ann_T said:

I would be happy with any of your loaves.

Coming from the baker of those 👆, that is quite the compliment. Thank you! 🙏

[AAQuesada]

pissaladière au pissalat & an Olive loaf made with the extra dough. Dough was 90% T80 from Central Milling and 10% buckwheat 
 

 

[Ann_T]

18 hours ago, AAQuesada said:

pissaladière au pissalat & an Olive loaf made with the extra dough

Oh MY!!!, I can just imagine how good that tastes.

 

Moe and I spent a couple of nights in Victoria.  Tied a mini vacation into a doctors appointment.  

 

My new toy arrived while we were gone. 

Was mailed on Tuesday from England and was through Customs in Vancouver on Wednesday and delivered

on Thursday. 

Going to start a batch of dough tonight and bake early tomorrow morning. 

 

 

[Ann_T]

Baked in my new toy the Netherton Foundry Spun Iron Cloche this morning.

Made two 500g loaves, one Boule and One Oval/Batard.

63% hydration.

Edited to add picture sliced. Not bad considering it was still a tiny bit warm. 

Edited November 19, 2022 by Ann_T (log)

[PatrickT]

28 minutes ago, Ann_T said:

Baked in my new toy the Netherton Foundry Spun Iron Cloche this morning.

 

Looks like that’s a keeper. 🙌

[CookBot]

On 11/19/2022 at 11:35 AM, Ann_T said:

Baked in my new toy the Netherton Foundry Spun Iron Cloche this morning.

 

I guess your upside down steel bowls are going to be getting a break from all their heavy labors, eh?     😉  

 

Your bread photos just absolutely slay me.  Especially your ear cuts -- are you using a lame for slicing or just a regular knife?

Edited November 20, 2022 by CookBot (log)

[Kerry Beal]

On 11/18/2022 at 7:04 PM, Ann_T said:

Oh MY!!!, I can just imagine how good that tastes.

 

Moe and I spent a couple of nights in Victoria.  Tied a mini vacation into a doctors appointment.  

 

My new toy arrived while we were gone. 

Was mailed on Tuesday from England and was through Customs in Vancouver on Wednesday and delivered

on Thursday. 

Going to start a batch of dough tonight and bake early tomorrow morning. 

 

 

How heavy did it turn out to be? Is it easily manageable for you?

[lindag]

I caved and bought the Challenger!  It's not that bad to lift though I do one piece at a time.

Now I have my work cut out to learn to make some beautiful baguettes.  My first attempt will be later this week.  Still working on my sourdough starter.

(Image is from the Challenger website - https://challengerbreadware.com

 

 

Edited November 21, 2022 by lindag (log)

[Smithy]

@Ann_T, the Netherton Foundry's Facebook page (to which you linked above) is a wonder. So is their main website. Oh. My. I do NOT need any more cookware, but this is gorgeous stuff! 

 

I'm looking forward to seeing more of what you do with that dome. Then again, I always look forward to your baking.

[Ann_T]

1 hour ago, CookBot said:

Your bread photos just absolutely slay me.  Especially your ear cuts -- are you using a lame for slicing or just a regular knife?

 I use a regular two sided razor blade.  I don't bother putting into the lame.

 

1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

How heavy did it turn out to be? Is it easily manageable for you?

@Kerry Beal, it isn't very heavy.  Bottom and top weight just 5 lbs. 

 

1 hour ago, Smithy said:

@Ann_T, the Netherton Foundry's Facebook page (to which you linked above) is a wonder. So is their main website. Oh. My. I do NOT need any more cookware, but this is gorgeous stuff! 

 

I'm looking forward to seeing more of what you do with that dome. Then again, I always look forward to your baking.

 

Thanks @Smithy.  I know. I love their cookware.  Did you see the set that comes with the hanging shelf?  Unfortunately I really do not need more cookware.  But Moe is as much of an enabler as everyone here on eGullet.  His suggestion was I would just get rid of the pots I don't need.   I'm really not in the market for a full set, but I do think maybe after Christmas I will order the Prospector roasting tray and maybe one of the woks.

 

1 hour ago, lindag said:

I caved and bought the Challenger!  It's not that bad to lift though I do one piece at a time.

I really wanted the Challenger, and although it was heavy, it was really the price that put me off.   By the time I paid for the pan, the shipping and the duty and taxes, with the exchange I was looking at $700.00.

 

I could have purchased the Netherton Cloche from Breadtopia in the US and a retailer in Canada, but it was less expensive to order directly from the Foundry.  

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Last night's kilogram boule:

 

 

 

Previous batch was 63% hydration.  This was 66% hydration.  For me 66% worked out better than 63%.  I could use the Ankarsrum dough hook and did not need to switch to the roller.  Mixing was 10 minutes on low and 10 minutes at 3:00.  After bench rest the dough handled beautifully.  Using less flour on the board solved my previous seam sealing difficulties.

 

This loaf had more volume than any I have baked in recent memory.  It was over the top of the banneton.  Final proof was 105 minutes.

 

One outstanding problem:  as can be seen in the picture, the boule surface dried out and developed a skin during the final proof.  Unfortunately this is typical for me with this size loaf.  For a smaller boule I would cover the banneton while proofing.  But for these loaves I don't have a vessel large enough, at least not that I can think of.  Would plastic wrap around the bottom of the banneton be of any help?

 

 

[PatrickT]

26 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Would plastic wrap around the bottom of the banneton be of any help?

I use a shower cap with my bannetons for the final proof. Before I put in the dough, I rinse the inside of the banneton with water, shake off the excess, and sprinkle the inside generously with rice flour. Works like a charm for me! Gorgeous looking loaf, by the way! 😃

Edited November 26, 2022 by PatrickT (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

1 hour ago, PatrickT said:

I use a shower cap with my bannetons for the final proof. Before I put in the dough, I rinse the inside of the banneton with water, shake off the excess, and sprinkle the inside generously with rice flour. Works like a charm for me! Gorgeous looking loaf, by the way! 😃

 

I've been told I have a big head.  But probably not that big.

 

[PatrickT]

31 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

I've been told I have a big head.  But probably not that big.

Alternatively, there are food safe elastic covers in various sizes that would allow you to do the same thing. 👍

[KennethT]

I was hoping to get some advice about making roti prata - the Singaporean laminated flatbread similar to paratha in India or roti canai in Malaysia, usually eaten with some kind of curry.  For those unaware, it looks a little like this:

 

 

Unfortunately, I don't have an interior shot, but it's crispy and flaky on the outside, tender and chewy on the inside and has a lot of thin layers in there.

 

I've watched them make it many times - a ball of dough is flattened into a disk by hand, and then flipped around to stretch the dough to be so thin that you can see through it. It's then slathered with either butter, oil or shortening, rolled into a snake, then coiled into a disk and pressed flat again, then fried on a griddle.  The example above actually grills it over charcoal.

 

I've been making these at home for years now, but I've never been able to get it exactly how I want it, so now I'm looking to find the theory behind how some of these bread things work.

 

Most recipes are flour, water, salt a bit of sugar and some oil - in Malaysia they will commonly add more sugar than Singapore and will also add some condensed milk.  Some recipes use an egg, some no.

 

What does the condensed milk do for the texture?  Would it be considered a tenderizer?  What about oil - is it also a tenderizer? What does the egg do?

 

I've been trying to minimize the amount of oil I use to try to keep it healthy - my latest ratio is 600g flour, 1t salt, 1T sugar, 15ml oil, 300ml water and 1 egg.  I knead it by hand until nice and smooth and windowpanes nicely, then divide, roll the balls in oil then let it rest for at least an hour.

 

The problem comes down to stretching - it is ridiculously elastic - I stretch it ok but when I roll the snake and coil the disk and press, it snaps right back to the original disk shape - I can't really get it to stay as a thin disk.  I used to make it with a lot more oil (I don't remember exactly, but maybe 90ml?) - so much so that it stretched so easily, one might say that it flowed.  But then, the layers also tended to meld together after shaping.

 

I'd love to learn the theory as to what each ingredient adds to the final product.  Any help I could get is greatly appreciated!!!

[dtremit]

5 hours ago, KennethT said:

 

I've been trying to minimize the amount of oil I use to try to keep it healthy - my latest ratio is 600g flour, 1t salt, 1T sugar, 15ml oil, 300ml water and 1 egg.  I knead it by hand until nice and smooth and windowpanes nicely, then divide, roll the balls in oil then let it rest for at least an hour.

 

The problem comes down to stretching - it is ridiculously elastic - I stretch it ok but when I roll the snake and coil the disk and press, it snaps right back to the original disk shape - I can't really get it to stay as a thin disk.  I used to make it with a lot more oil (I don't remember exactly, but maybe 90ml?) - so much so that it stretched so easily, one might say that it flowed.  But then, the layers also tended to meld together after shaping.

 

I am speaking from theory, rather than from experience — but I wonder if it would work better if you didn't knead it all the way to a windowpane? The elasticity sounds like the behavior of really strong gluten — and adding that much oil would reduce gluten formation.

 

I also see a couple of recipes that use some portion of hot water, which is also a common technique when making scallion pancakes. Might be worth a try?

[Tropicalsenior]

5 hours ago, KennethT said:

it snaps right back to the original disk

I know that in shaping my bread, I always let it sit a while after the first shaping to let it relax completely before I shape it again. Maybe it just needs to rest a little longer in that one step of the process. I might also add that I know nothing at all about this type of bread but it might be worth a try.