"The Bread Baker's Apprentice" by Reinhart

[Brigid Mary]

I think they look delicious, Marlene. I made the French bread a few weeks ago, and it looked no where near that good! What's you secret?

[Marlene]

Practice. Seriously, the steam maker I got, has made a tremendous difference for me. I would never consider throwing water on my oven floors or walls, and a steam pan never worked for me. I wouldn't have even considered hearth baked type breads without it. Now, I just need to work on shaping etc. All this bread baking does leave me thinking up dishes that go well with fresh bread. Pasta, soup etc.....less beef. Is that a good thing?

[Marlene]

So what is the best way to store baquettes so that the crust stays crisp, but the bread doesn't go rock hard?

[Anna N]

So what is the best way to store baquettes so that the crust stays crisp, but the bread doesn't go rock hard?

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My experience is that baguettes are a one-day wonder! Enjoy them fresh on the day they are made and turn them into crostini/garlic bread thereafter. Nothing I have tried maintains the crust AND keeps the dough soft. You can try freezing one, after it is completely cool, but the thawed bread doesn't measure up to the fresh in my judgement.

[Tepee]

Sigh...I read with envy your baguettes-baking...my oven's too small to bake them.

I finally got BBA and made Peter Reinhart's Multigrain Extraordinaire a couple of days ago. Though my family has been orientated to eat european-style breads from my almost 3 years of breadbaking, being Malaysians, their preference are still 'soft' breads, and this certainly got their thumbs-up. The flavour is also great. They are demanding that I make it again. Soon.

Edit: I reduced the yeast from 1 tablespoon to 1 tsp, and the sugar from 3 T to 2, as I notice there is honey too.

Edited January 9, 2008 by Tepee (log)

[Marlene]

Anna, I was afraid you were going to say that. That's been my experience too so far. It's sort of a shame because I get three baquettes out of the BBA recipe and while we'll eat one with dinner, I've been making an awful lot of crostini and croutons.

Teepee, that multigrain looks fabulous. I may just have to try that one!

[Tepee]

Yes, do try it, Marlene. I used quinoa, rolled oats and wheatgerm (out of bran) for the soaker and black hill rice for the main dough. The bread is incredibly soft and fluffy, yet has a nice chew to it.

[Marlene]

Today I tried the Pugliese bread from BBA. It's a fairly labour intensive bread, and I wasn't thrilled with the results. I did not get the big airy crumb the picture shows.

[demiglace]

So what is the best way to store baquettes so that the crust stays crisp, but the bread doesn't go rock hard?

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Try cooking them 3/4 of the way..then cool and wrap and freeze. I do that with fougasse. When I'm ready for them I bake from frozen. Works well. I don't know why it wouldn't work with baguettes. Maybe you could experiment with one baguette and let us know what happens! Have you tried Vienna bread yet? I really like it.

[Marlene]

The Vienna bread is actually next on my list.

[Darcie B]

Today I tried the Pugliese bread from BBA.  It's a fairly labour intensive bread, and I wasn't thrilled with the results.  I did not get the big airy crumb the picture shows.

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I'm sorry you weren't pleased with the Pugliese. It's one of my favorites in the BBA. FWIW, my crumb never gets as airy as the photo either. The Pane Siciliano is another favorite.

[Marlene]

Today I made the Vienna bread. Now, this happens to be the best tasting bread I've ever made, but I think something's not quite right. In the book, the pic shows a tighter crumb than this. I seem to have gotten more of a french bread type of crumb. It was fabulous mind you. I made it without the dutch crunch topping as I didn't have any rice flour on hand. I got great oven spring and a nice bloom on this one.

[demiglace]

Tasty eh?...one of my favourites.

Edited January 23, 2008 by demiglace (log)

[Marlene]

I think it will become one of my favourites as well. It was amazing. We both raved over it.

[Marlene]

Made the cinnamon rolls again today, a favourite here. No pics here until tomorrow, but up on my own place.

[Marlene]

Cinnamon buns from a few days ago.

Made the Vienna bread again yesterday. I really really like this bread.

[Kerry Beal]

Made the Vienna bread again yesterday.  I really really like this bread.

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That is one fine looking loaf!

[CaliPoutine]

Marlene,

Those cinnamon rolls look amazing. So does the vienna bread.

Do you have the new whole grain baking book by Reinhart? I bought it, but have yet to bake anything out of it.

[Marlene]

Thanks Kerry and Cali! I was really really happy with this one.

Cali, I don't have it yet, but I think now that I'm getting comfortable with breads, I will get it. I'm also signed up for a week long breadmaking course at ICE in NY at the end of March.

[Marlene]

Sticky buns from BBA. Does it count that it took me three tries to get it right?

These are just out of the oven and flipped, so that glaze will harden up a bit more yet. I'd skip the raisins next time and just use straight pecan pieces for the topping.

[prasantrin]

Anna, I was afraid you were going to say that.  That's been my experience too so far.  It's sort of a shame because I get three baquettes out of the BBA recipe and while we'll eat one with dinner, I've been making an awful lot of crostini and croutons.

On of my favourite bakeries takes their leftover baguettes, slices them up, spreads some caramel (at least I think they use caramel) on each slice, then bakes them. Mmmmmmmm....

[KitchenQueen]

Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread

I made this for the first time and need help.

I adhered to the recipe with one exception. I have a foodie friend I wanted to share with who thinks raisins overpower everything, so I used currants.

Other than that, no deviations from the recipe.

My problems..

The bread was dry. It didn't rise as it should.

I've gone over what might have affected the quality .

Yeast was good and fresh.

Oven temp was on the money.

Temp in the rising bowl area was about 78-82 degrees.

The recipe said 1 1/2 cups of raisins, rinsed and drained.

To me, rinsed and drained means measure , THEN plump the babies a bit.

I think plumped raisins would hold a lot more moisture than plumped currants.

Looking at the volume of plumped currants seemed to confirm this. Smaller.

Was this my boo-boo?

I took his recipe to mean 1 1/2 cups BEFORE rinsing. It wuz bigger afterwards. Lots bigger,as expected. Did I measure the difference? No. Although the currants got fat, raisins would have added a lot more moisture.

I added the walnuts and currants at the end of the Kitchenaid dough hook kneading.

2 minutes (per instructions) then took it out and finished kneading by hand.

It was a bitch to knead with so little dough compared to the add-ins.

First rising. It didn't double as it should. Second rising in pan.. It took longer, to the point I put it in the oven before it over-proofed and it deflated and did a pancake on me.

It was about 3/4 an inch over the top of the loaf pan when I put it in the oven. The finished product did an 'amourous man hit with a cold shower" and was about 1/4 to 1/2 inch below the top of the pans.

It was dense, like halfway between bread and fruit cake. Dense works if it's tasty, but I don't think that's the desired end result. But the dryness is totally not acceptable.

Good parts. Flavor was good. "Specially with good butter. Toasted must be wonderful.

This is a keeper and I want it right.

Oh yeah, supermarket bagged walnuts. I did not toast them a bit first. Should I have?

I've got that Pane Siciliano down. Damn, that's wonderful.

Now I've gotta fix this bread.

I'm a bit anal about his book. I won't be trying his next recipe till the previous ones come out tight.

All you pros, help me please?

[Becca Porter]

I wanted to post my picture of the pugliese I made yesterday. I used half fancy durum flour to half bread flour. I did use the mashed potatoes as well. I was very happy with the way this bread turned out. I didn't have as many holes as the picture in the book but it is a start... I have been trying really hard not to deflate the dough much while shaping it.

I also thought you all might like to read my account of the bread class I took with Reinhart in Dallas. It was very helpful. He is wonderful.

http://porterhouse.typepad.com/porter_hous...s-texas--d.html

[Becca Porter]

Today I made the Vienna bread with the Dutch crunch topping. They are lovely and I cannot wait to cut into them. That buttered slice in the book kills me...

[Mirrorball]

I made Pain a l'ancienne for the first time today and I'm not sure if I got it right. Should it taste really sweet? As if there was sugar in the dough? I definitely didn't like it.