ananda's blog

Seigle d’Auvergne

This is very much my own formula adaptation, but it takes its inspiration from Daniel Leader’s lovely book “Local Breads: Sourdough and Whole-grain Recipes from Europe’s Best Artisan Bakers”, see pp. 158 – 161.   Leader credits Armandio Pimenta, who has a bakery in Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne, as the source for his formula.   My effort does not use the same refreshment regime, nor does it rely on hot water at the mixing stage.   Leader has a photograph of his loaf in the plates between pages 84 and 85 of my edition; the loaves I baked compare well, although I made 2 Miche, scaled at just over 1700g, where Leader’s recipe produces 1 loaf, slightly smaller at 1195g.

Here is the detail:

Rye Sour Refreshment

Final Dough

I made this on the Saturday morning, beginning the mixing at 06:00

Method:

• Mix the sourdough, water and flours using a hook attachment, for 4 minutes on first speed, scraping down the bowl as needed.   Autolyse for half an hour.   Add the salt and mix 1 minute on first speed and 5 minutes on second speed, scraping down the bowl as required.   DDT 26°C.
• Bulk ferment for 2½ hours.
• Scale the paste using wet hands into 2 pieces and shape round.   Rest 15 minutes and prepare 2 bannetons dusted generously with dark rye flour.   Re-shape the dough pieces and place smooth-side up into the bannetons.
•  Final proof 1 hour.
• For baking, pre-heat the oven to 280°C for one hour.   Tip the loaf directly onto the hearth stone, apply steam and bake without the fan for 15 minutes at 250°C.   Drop the heat to 200°C, switch to convection and bake out for 50 minutes.
• Cool on wires

This is the dough at the end of bulk proof:

 Finished Loaf, Crust and Crumb Shots:

We enjoyed one of these loaves with our dinner with friends last night.   The depth of flavour from the sourdough was intense; it was an accompaniment to avocado, served with the biggest prawns I have ever seen.   Munching on more of this bread with a salad for lunch today and I noted the sour flavour was much less pronounced, allowing more subtle flavours to come through; much improved to my taste.   The crumb is moist, but not overly so, and wonderfully easy to chew on.

The first loaf stood up tall in the oven, even though the formula uses over 72% rye flour.   I used Organic white bread flour at 11.6% protein, not High Gluten flour.   I should have delayed shaping the second loaf, as the long bake time meant this loaf was over-proved when it came to bake.   I’ve photographed the best-looking loaf, although the crumb shots come from the over-proved one.

We love this bread; such an eating treat for us for the rest of the week.   The Market beckons; this means I have plenty of baking to do this week.

All good wishes

Andy

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne, Northumberland. UK.

18th March 2012

David Snyder and I were enjoying a conversation in his thread on his lovely baking of last weekend.   See here, there are 3 comments to read:

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/27810/last-weekends-breads#comment-208809

David ended up asking me what bakers do to procrastinate and put off what they really should be doing [ie. making bread, of course!]   Well, here is my answer, provided in the best way I can think of, including a visit to a medieval bakehouse!

Whilst I hanker for mountains, Alison is very much a sea lover.   Yesterday we did some shopping and cleaning after enjoying a lie-in.   Today we went to the seaside!   Not just any old seaside, of course; this happens to be a place Alison thinks is as lovely as anywhere else in the world.   On days like today it is very difficult to argue with that.   And it’s an island, less than one hour’s drive from where we live!   And it was cut off today from 09:50 until 14:05.   We had the place virtually to ourselves.

First of all we went to the Lindisfarne Musuem, then to the Priory.   This is the first time I’ve been to these places since visiting them on a School trip as an “A” Level History student some 29 years ago!   To give some context, the old Kingdom of Northumbria was the last of the old Kingdoms of what became England to hold on to Celtic Christianity instead of switching allegiance to Rome.   The Synod of Whitby in 664 AD became the last chance saloon as the Northumbrian king gave way.   All of this has been famously documented by Bede of Jarrow, and the centre of the Lindisfarne story of this time is the work of St. Cuthbert who eventually became a somewhat reluctant Bishop of Durham.

So, the Priory.   Here is a lovely photograph.   It is fantastically preserved really, given some parts date to the 10th Century.

From the 15th Century part of the Priory, we found this:

And this is the oven!

After an early lunch next to the sea and close to the Castle, we set off for a walk taking in the north-eastern tip of the island; truly stunning coastal scenery.

As we looked back to the Cheviots, from whence we had come, all was a little cloudy.

Meantime we basked in sunshine, taking in views of both Lindisfarne Castle

and Bamburgh Castle.

Onto the beach; this is typical of the Dunes which are such a feature of the fabulous Northumberland Coast, along with the Castles, of course.

At the end of the time spent on the beaches we found a hut which we believe to be a Shrine, which touched us both considerably.   This beach stone structure seems to have been recently been erected by a couple as monument to the baby they tragically lost.   Apparently the Planning Authority are none too happy about it; how typical, have they no heart or soul?

Well it’s back to more serious work tomorrow, early doors, with 2 days to complete the next assignment for my MSc and Alison back to the grindstone managing education provision for those around Northumberland not currently in school, for one reason or another.

What a beautiful place to have spent our Sunday!

Best wishes

Andy

Bread from my wood-fired brick oven, made 15th/16th March 2012

1.    Caraway Rye with Blackstrap Molasses

I haven't made this in a while, but returned to it when contemplating doing a Pain de Siegle de Thezac, and remembering I had plenty Molasses and Caraway Seeds in stock.

Rye Sour Refreshment:

Method:

• Build the sourdough as above.
• Dissolve the molasses into the warm water.   Add the sourdough, seeds and salt, then add the flour.   Attach a dough hook and mix on first speed for 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.   Leave to rest for 10 minutes.   Mix for 2 minutes on first speed and 3 minutes on second speed, again, scraping down the bowl as needed.   Rest a further 10 minutes.   Mix 3 more minutes on second speed.   DDT 25°C.
• Bulk ferment 2 hours.
• Scale, divide and mould as 2 large loaves.   Re-mould dough pieces and place in prepared bannetons.
• Final proof 2½  hours.
• Tip out onto a dusted peel and score a diamond pattern on the top of the loaf.   Bake in a wood-fired oven.
• Cool on wires.

2.    Gilchesters’ Miche

More Gilchesters breads for the market!

Levain Refreshment

Method:

• Combine Farmhouse Flour and water in a mixer until clear.   Autolyse for one hour.
• Add Levain and mix in speed one with the hook attachment for 8 minutes.   Add the salt and mix on first speed a further 7 minutes.   DDT 26°C.
• Bulk Proof Times 2½ hours.   S&F at 1 and 2 hours.
• Scale, divide and mould.   Rest 15 minutes.   Prepare Bannetons.   Re-mould.
• Final proof 2½ to 3 hours.
• Score tops and bake in wood-fired oven.
• Cool on wires.

Wheat Levain Refreshment:

3.    Pain de Campagne

I wanted to use up the last of the T55 Farine de Ble which my brother brought back for me from the Loire at the end of January, and to make something more robust with it.   Two big loaves!

Method:

• Build the leaven according to the schedule above.
• Combine all the final dough materials in a mixing bowl and mix on first speed using a hook attachment for 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl.   Rest for 5 minutes.   Mix a further 5 minutes on first speed, scraping down as needed.   Rest another 5 minutes.   Mix on second speed for 4 minutes, again, scraping down the bowl as needed.   DDT 26°C.
• Bulk ferment for 2½ hours, S&F after each hour.
• Scale, divide and mould.   Rest 15 minutes and prepare bannetons.   Re-mould and put into bannetons.
• Final proof 2 to 2½ hours.
• Tip each loaf out onto the peel and score the top.   Bake in a wood-fired brick oven.
• Cool on wires.

4.    White Bread – Gilchesters’ Style
ie. not very white

Method:

• Build leaven as described.
• Combine all the final dough materials in a mixing bowl and mix on first speed using a hook attachment for 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl.   Rest for 5 minutes.   Mix a further 5 minutes on first speed, scraping down as needed.   Rest another 5 minutes.   Mix on second speed for 4 minutes, again, scraping down the bowl as needed.   DDT 26°C.
• Bulk ferment for 2½ hours.
• Scale, divide and mould.   Rest 15 minutes and prepare bannetons.   Re-mould and put into bannetons.
• Final proof 2 to 2½ hours.
• Tip each loaf out onto the peel and score the top.   Bake in a wood-fired brick oven.
• Cool on wires.

All four varieties have turned out well; the oven is firing well at the moment and the milder weather has really helped proof times too.

Alnwick Farmers’ Market is very late this month.   But I’m ahead of schedule as my freezer is now just about full, and there is a broad selection of bread made; mostly naturally leavened items too.   I’ll be on the hunt for fresh yeast very soon now so I can make Hot Cross Buns for the stall as it will be so close to Easter!

Andy

  Development Day Work with Nigel, 13th March 2012

My friend Nigel came to meet me at Newcastle’s Central Station on Tuesday morning, early enough for us to get a full day of baking done.   I had arrived on the train, lugging a huge hold-all full of sourdoughs, leavens and various bits of baking kit, flour, etc.   Nigel had fired his oven the evening before, and a new  fire was roaring in it when we arrived at his house ready to start.

We reviewed my choice of recipes, looked over samples I had brought and then mixed these 2 doughs straightaway.   After that we talked through Nigel’s ideas and constructed recipes for him to work with.   Before he got started on these, we made a Ciabatta dough to turn into focaccia for our lunch.

The day progressed very well indeed.   We did all the preparation up in his kitchen using a 20 quart Hobart machine with the additional luxury of a 10 quart bowl being very useful to keep the mixing going.   All the doughs were given around 2 hours of bulk ferment before shaping and placing in bannetons.   By this time the sun had come out and the oven had been cleaned and shut down too.   This meant the sealed area around the oven was lovely and warm.   We took all the filled bannetons down on boards and set onto racks covered with a polythene sheet with a pan of water on a gas burner for steady moisture supply.   Everything was ready to bake in under 2 hours.   We managed to fit all the loaves into the oven on the one bake, with the temperature readings all sitting solidly around 250°C.

I had taken a Gilchesters’ Miche as a sample; this is photographed here.

For the development day I made more Gilchesters’ Miches plus some panned Moscow Rye.   So I had arrived at Nigel’s house with ripe wheat levain, plus the “sponge” constructed from rye sourdough and scald which is the basis of the Moscow Rye.

Details of Nigel’s bread choices are shown below.

Hastily we made contact with the Manager of Hexham Farmers’ Market.   We had to arrange to drop samples off with him ready for his Directors’ Meeting taking place this evening [Weds 14th March].   We wrapped up and labelled a selection of the best loaves, printed out the attached product information sheet and loaded them all into a nice, lined basket.   Nigel delivered the loaves.   Alison came to meet me after she finished work, and I drove us back home to Northumberland.

Well, this was great fun, and both of us were very happy at the quality of bread we produced.   So now we wait to see if our authentic Artisan Bread is wanted at Hexham Farmers’ Market; we shall see!

Details of all products shown below

Refreshment Details:

A] Rye Sourdough

B] Wheat Levain

 1.    Gilchesters’ Miche

Method:

• Combine Farmhouse Flour and water in a mixer until clear.   Autolyse for one hour.
• Add Levain and mix in speed one with the hook attachment for 8 minutes.   Add the salt and mix on first speed a further 7 minutes.   DDT 26°C.
• Bulk Proof Times 2½ hours.   S&F at 1 and 2 hours.
• Scale, divide and mould.   Rest 15 minutes.   Prepare Bannetons.   Re-mould.
• Final proof 2½ to 3 hours.
• Score tops and bake in wood-fired oven.
• Cool on wires.

 2.    Moscow Rye Bread

Method:

• Build the sourdough as described above.   Make the “scald” as follows:   combine the caraway and the red rye malt and dark rye flour.   Weigh the molasses into a pan, add water and bring to a rolling boil.   Tip this onto the flour mix, and add any extra boiling water if there is evaporation.   Stir well to ensure full gelatinisation.   Cover and cool.
• Once sufficiently cool, add the scald to the sour to make the sponge.   Cover and leave to ferment for 4 hours.
• For the final paste combine the sponge with remaining flour and the salt, mix with the paddle beater in an upright machine, 2 minutes on first speed and 2 minutes on second speed.   Add water if needed [Previously, I added 220g which is 11% on flour].   Scrape down the bowl to ensure thorough mixing.
• Bulk proof for 1 hour with DDT at 28°C.
• Shape into a large Pullman Pan, plus a large and small bread pan prepared with lining of butter and coating of rye flour.   Smooth off the top.
• Final proof for just 1 hour at 28°C, then bake.
• Bake with lids on the bread pans for 3 hours in the wood-fired oven.
• Cool on wires; wrap in linen and leave 24 hours before cutting into the bread.

 3.    Ciabatta Dough for Focaccia

Method:

• Make the Biga and ferment overnight.
• Combine Biga with all other ingredients for 2a.   Mix on first speed for 2 minutes and second speed for 6 minutes with a hook attachment.   Scrape down as needed.
• Add the remaining water, attach a paddle beater and let the dough down slowly.
• Ferment in bulk for 2½ hours with S&F each half hour; wet stage.
• Scale, divide and shape; dry stage.
• Final Proof
• Bake.
• Cool on wires

Nigel Wild and Andy Smith’s Artisan Bread Samples

For Hexham Farmers’ Market Directors

1.    Gilchesters’ Miche

A Miche means a large loaf, and this bread takes its inspiration from the famous French baker, Lionel Poilâne and his own signature Miche.

It is made with a natural levain using Organic white bread flour.   The rest of the flour used is Gilchesters’ Organic Farmhouse flour which is a high extraction flour, typical of the type used by M. Poilâne.

2.    Gilchesters’ Farmhouse

These boules are made in a similar style to the Miche described above.

3.    Gilchesters’ White

Made with a white levain using Organic unbleached flour plus Gilchesters’ Organic Pizza flour in the final dough.

4.    White Boules

Lovely crispy crust in a flavoursome loaf made with a natural levain and Organic unbleached flour.

5.    Rye Cob

Distinctly tangy loaf made with a wheat levain and using Gilchesters’ Organic Pizza and Farmhouse flours and our favourite Organic Dark Rye flour from Bacheldre Watermill in Wales.

6.    Moscow Rye

One of the GOST Standard loaves as laid down in Soviet times, alongside the more famous Borodinsky and Rossisky loaves.   It uses Rye Sourdough which is mixed with a “scald” of rye flour, rye malt, molasses and caraway seeds to form a “sponge”.   The 3 stage process is known today as the Auerman process, but is thought to have originally been invented by the chemist, Borodin.   This loaf uses only rye flour; it is “wheat-free”.

All flour used is Certified Organic.   All bread is leavened using wild yeast/bacterial cultures, with no added Bakers’ Yeast.   All bread baked in wood-fired brick ovens.   Gilchesters' Farm is only a few miles from Hexham; as local as it possibly can be.

And more photographs of me enoying working on the oven!

Happy Baking everyone!

Andy

Monday 5th March 2012

The sunshine returned to Northumberland today, allowing me to enjoy myself firing the oven and baking these different breads.

The sourdough seed bread takes inspiration from the Hamelman formula, but uses a stiff levain, very different leavening procedure and flour combination.   The flavour from the tamari-roasted seeds is intense.

I made the Leinsamenbrot in bread pans, although this is probably not authentic.   I used my liquid rye sourdough plus a flax seed soaker with 3 times water to seeds.   So the hydration in the formula is very high; intentionally so.   I'm pleased with the final result at 40% rye, 60% white flour.

The Roasted Almond and Raisin Breads have a biga pre-ferment and I finished off my current supply of fresh yeast in the final dough.   There is butter in the formula, but no sugar, or spice.   They baked beautifully in the brick oven too!

Recipe/formulae details given below, plus photographs.

1.    Sourdough Seed Bread

Levain Build:

Method:

• Build the levain as shown.   Prepare the soaker the night before.   Roast the seeds ahead of time to allow them to cool before adding to the dough.
• In the mixer, combine the flour with the water and soaker and mix 3 minutes on first speed, scraping down to clear.   Autolyse for 1 hour.
• Add the salt and levain and mix 2 minutes on first speed and 6 minutes on second speed, scraping down as needed.   Add the roasted seeds and mix on first speed to clear.   DDT 28°C.
• Prove in bulk for 2½ hours; stretch and fold after 1 and 2 hours.
• Scale, divide and mould round.   Rest 15 minutes and prepare bannetons.   Re-mould.
• Final proof 3 hours
• Bake in the wood-fired oven.
• Cool on wires.

2.    Leinsamen Bröt

Rye Sourdough Build

Method:

• Build the Rye Sourdough as shown, and prepare the soaker the night before.
• Mix the soaker, sourdough and white flour using a paddle beater, on first speed for 3 minutes, scraping down, until clear.   Autolyse for 1 hour.
• Add the salt and mix for 2 minutes on first speed and 4 minutes on second speed.   Use the hook if it picks up the dough, otherwise stick with the paddle beater.   DDT 28°C.
• Bulk Ferment for 2 hours.
• Scale and divide into prepared bread tins.
• Final proof 2 hours.
• Bake in the wood-fired oven.
• Cool on wires.

3.    Roasted Almond and Fruit Bread

Method:

• Prepare the Biga the night before.
• Combine all the ingredients in the mixer except the fruit and nuts.   Mix on first speed until clear, scraping down as needed.   Mix for 6 minutes on second speed with the hook attachment.   Rest the dough for 20 minutes then add the fruit and nuts and mix to clear using a Scotch cutter.   DDT 28°C.
• Bulk Ferment 1½ hours.
• Scale and divide into 3 x 1kg pieces; mould round.   Rest 15 minutes then shape as bloomers.
• Final proof 1½ hours.
• Score the tops of the loaves, glaze with egg and bake in the wood fired oven.
• Cool on wires.

Very best wishes

Andy

1st March 2012 Premature Springtime Baking

Today I made some breads to begin re-stocking the freezer for the next market.   It has been a beautiful day; a real pleasure to get out onto the patio and work on the oven.

The 3 wholemeal bloomers are yeasted, made with an overnight sponge.   The Gilchesters’ loaves are the same as the last few batches; a mixer and oven full!   The Pumpernickel is an authentic one.   Thank you to Mini for clarifying this; these loaves contain only RYE.   There is “altus” from Borodinsky bread, then there is Whole Rye berries, Cracked Rye grain and Dark and Light Rye Flours.   Add a little Blackstrap Molasses and Salt to complete the formula.   Apologies, but I don't have photos as this bread isstill in the oven just now.

1.    Wholemeal Bloomers

Method:

• Make the sponge the night before and leave covered to ferment.
• Calculate water temperature needed for DDT of 28°C.   Combine Water and Wholemeal in the mixer, then autolyse for one hour.
• Add the Salt, Fresh Yeast and Sponge and mix with the hook attachment for 2 minutes on first speed and 4 minutes on second speed.   Scrape down, rest for 10 minutes, then mix a further 1 minute on first speed and 2 minutes on second speed.
• Bulk proof, maintaining the dough temperature @ 25°C for 2 hours with S&F after 1 hour.
• Scale and divide: 3 bloomers @ 1160g
• Final proof @ 18°C for 2 hours
• Bake in the wood-fired oven for 45 minutes.
• Cool on wires.

2.    Gilchesters’ Miche/Boules

Makes 9 loaves: 2 @ 1350g; 3 @ 950g; 3 @ 650g and 1 @ 350g

Levain build:

Method:

•  Build the levain, see description above.
• For mixing, first of all mix the Gilchesters flour with the water, on first speed for 3 minutes with a hook attachment, then autolyse for 1 hour.
• Add the levain and the salt.   Mix on first speed only for 10 - 15 minutes.   Dough Temperature Calculation worked out as follows: WT = 3[DDT – FRH] – Leaven Temp – Flour Temp.   3[28 – 1] – 18 – 20 = 43.   Water temperature required at 43°C.   The gentle nature of the mixing action is evident here with just 1°C rise in temperature due to friction!
• Bulk prove the dough maintaining DDT of 26°C for 2 hours, one S&F after one hour.  
• Scale and divide as above.   Mould round and rest for 15 minutes.   Prepare bannetons, re-mould dough pieces and set to final proof.
• Final proof DDT maintained at 26°C, for 3 hours.
• Bake in the wood-fired oven.
• Cool on wires.

3.    Black Pumpernickel Bread

Method:

• Build the sour as schedule
• Prepare the “altus” by dissolving the molasses in the water and soaking the bread pieces in the sweet liquor.
• Soak the whole rye grain in cold water for 8 hours; strain off and wash the grain, then cook it for half an hour.   Reserve any spare cooking liquid.   Cover and cool.
• For the final paste, combine the rye sour, “altus” and cooked rye berries, then add the cracked rye, light rye flour and salt into a mixing bowl.   Use the paddle beater and mix to combine on first speed for 2 minutes and second speed for 4 minutes.   Scrape down as needed and add the cooking liquor to let the paste down if needed.   I added a further 200g at this stage, meaning overall hydration of 101%.   I added flour, cracked and wholegrain to come to 100% for the formula but did not include the “altus”.   So, there is 2000g rye and 2020g water in the recipe used.   DDT is 28°C.
• Bulk proof 1 hour.
• Scale and divide.   I used 1 Pullman Pan and 2 other tins with foil lids.
• Final proof 3 hours.
• Bake in the "dead oven", covered, in the wood-fired oven, with steam, for  12 to 16 hours.
• Cool on wires
• Wrap in linen and leave undisturbed ambient for 36 hours before slicing

A very enjoyable day making good bread!

Best wishes

Andy

A holiday week for Alison; a week of baking for me, plus a trip to Oxford to meet up with fellow UK TFL members and enjoy real quality time.

Here is the baking side of things:

Firstly I made Borodinsky on Wednesday 15th Feb, as my "show and tell" loaf for the UK meet.   My project is to turn this and other high rye loaves into 100% rye and eliminate the wheat portion.   Alison is avoiding wheat, and I am aware that there are numerous customers out there with similar aspirations.   To do this I need to source bulk quantities of light rye.   No changes made at this stage to the current formula.

Thursday 16th Feb was a much bigger baking day.   I began with a new rye formula; Moscow Rye.   This uses caraway seeds along with red rye malt.   It is all rye!   I used only the Bacheldre Dark Rye, and I also used a soaker plus the sponge to adopt the full 3 stage process.

Moscow Rye 15 – 16.02.2012

Rye Sour build:

Method:

• Build the sourdough as described above.   Make the “scald” as follows:   combine the caraway and the red rye malt and dark rye flour.   Weigh the molasses into a pan, add water and bring to a rolling boil.   Tip this onto the flour mix, and add any extra boiling water if there is evaporation.   Stir well to ensure full gelatinisation.   Cover and cool.
• Once sufficiently cool, add the scald to the sour to make the sponge.   Cover and leave to ferment for 6 hours.
• For the final paste combine the sponge with remaining flour and the salt, mix with the paddle beater in an upright machine, 2 minutes on first speed and 2 minutes on second speed.   Add water if needed [I added 220g which is 11% on flour].   Scrape down the bowl to ensure thorough mixing.
• Bulk proof for 1 hour with DDT at 28°C.
• Shape into a large Pullman Pan, plus a large and small bread pan prepared with lining of butter and coating of rye flour.
• Final proof for just 1 hour at 28°C, then bake.
• Pre-heat the oven to 280°C.   Load the pan, apply steam, and turn the oven down to 100°C.   Keep a supply of steam in the oven and bake for a total of 6 hours.
• Cool on wires; wrap in linen and leave 24 hours before cutting into the bread

I baked everything else in the wood-fired oven, as follows:

Gilchesters’ Miche/Boules 15 - 16.02.2012

Makes 2 Miches, 1 large and 2 small Boules

Levain build:

Method:

• Build the levain, see description above.
• For mixing, first of all mix on first speed for 3 minutes with a hook attachment, then autolyse the Gilchesters flour with the water only for 1 hour.
• Add the levain and the salt.   Mix on first speed only for 10 minutes.   Dough Temperature 26°C.
• Retard overnight.
• Bulk prove the dough allowing recovery to ambient; approx. 2 hours.  
• Scale and divide as above.   Mould round and rest for 15 minutes.   Prepare bannetons, re-mould dough pieces and set to final proof.
• Final proof DDT maintained at 26°C, for 3 hours.
• Tip each loaf out of the banneton onto a peel, score the top and set to bake on the sole of the wood-fired oven.   Small loaves bake in half an hour, next biggest takes 40 minutes and the biggest loaf took around 50 minutes.
• Cool on wires.

White Bread

This bread turned out with a lovely cracked crust; I made 1 large and 2 small loaves.

The sponge was fermented overnight; the Gilchesters' flour produces distinctly "off-white" bread, but these looked attractive once baked.

Wholemeal Bloomers

I made these as 4 large bloomers, baked on the sole of the oven.   The spring in the oven was really pleasing, producing a very light bread for a 75% wholemeal loaf.

Croissant etc. with Sponge

My base recipe for laminated yeasted dough   And I have adapted the formula to use a sponge where 20% of the total flour becomes pre-fermented.   I’m still to be convinced on the sponge, as I believe it makes the laminating process somewhat more difficult; the jury is out on this!

Method:

• Make the sponge the night before and leave to ferment slowly.
• For the dough, blend the milk powder and salt through the flour.   Weigh very cold [I pre-chill the water overnight] water into the mixing bowl, and dissolve the fresh yeast into this.   Add the sponge and the dry ingredients.   Mix with a hook attachment for 3 minutes on slow and 4 minutes on second speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
• Cover the dough and store in the chiller for half an hour, and meanwhile cut the butter into slices and roll between 2 plastic bags to create a pliable sheet of butter.
• Roll out the croissant dough so that the slab of butter fits onto two thirds of the dough slab.   Fold the butter in letter-style to create 2 layers of butter.   Rest for one hour in the chiller.
• Turn through 90° and roll out to the same size as before.   Fold the dough in 3 for the first turn, then chill a further hour.   Repeat this 3 more times to give 4 x ½ turns in total.   Rest a further one hour
• I then split the dough into 3 sections and made 14 Pain au Chocolats, 12 Pain Amandes and 14 Croissants.
• Glaze each finished unit with egg, dip the Pain Amande in flaked almonds and set to proof for 45 minutes.
• I used the electric oven to bake these on convection heat setting at 210°C for approx 15 minutes each tray.
• Cool on wires

Bara Brith [Speckled Bread, or, Welsh Tea Bread]

Method:

• Soak the fruit overnight in freshly brewed boiling hot strong tea.   The liquor should just cover the fruit.
• Drain off the liquor from the fruit and reserve both parts
• Make the ferment and leave, covered in a warm place for 40 minutes
• Cut the butter into small cubes, combine flour, mp, salt, spice and sugar.   Add the ferment and mix in a machine with hook or paddle beater to form a soft and well-developed dough.   Add the reserved tea liquor as needed to let the dough down.
• Ferment for half an hour covered.
• Cut the soaked fruit into the dough
• Rest 20 minutes, then process.   I made 3 large round loaves, Panettone-style, scaled around 800g each.
• These were baked slowly in the wood-fired oven.

The breakfast pastries went in the freezer, except a few left as a gift for my Sister-in-Law and Niece who came to look after our cat for the weekend!   One Bara Brith for Mark, "mine host" at the Bear and Ragged Staff in Oxford.   That apart, all the rest of these breads were sold on day of production, even though I only had orders for 7 loaves; the rest went too.

Today's baking made it to the freezer, ready for the Farmers' Market coming up on Friday.   I made the following:

 Breads for Monday 20th February 2012

Rye Sour built with 40g stock, plus 300g Dark Rye and 500g water, fermented overnight.   Wheat Levain built with 40g stock plus 600g white flour and 360g water, fermented overinight.   The Biga was also fermented overnight.

Ciabatta Dough

I made 15 x 250g Ciabatta breads, plus 3 x 900g sheets of Foccacia [Red Onion and Feta; Olive and Feta; Rosemary and Rock Salt]

Pain de Campagne with Mixed Leavens

I made 2 Miches plus 1 large and 3 small Boules.

My brother and sister-in-law sent me 5kg of T55 flour as a birthday present recently.    They have been staying in the Dordogne for most of January, and eventually he came across this flour which he was confident would be good for me to work with.

I’m going to use up the other 4kg on Thursday!

Some business on the baking front, with lots of ideas about how to take “Bread and Roses” forward too.   The studying needs more priority, of course.   ‘Twas ever thus!

Happy Baking Everybody!

Andy

Tamari-Roasted Mixed Seed Wholemeal Bread with Mixed Pre-ferments

These breads are a sourdough version of the seeded breads I recently posted on here: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/27186/toasted-suflower-seed-wholemeal-bread-and-some-breakfast-pastries

There are small variations in the leaven proportions used; this is purely for availability reasons, and not anything more technical.

I used overnight retard, again to fit my schedule, not for flavour purposes.   The bread is loaded with flavours whether using the yeasted or the sourdough process [retarded or not]

Both cultures given 2 refreshments prior to use:

Rye Sourdough

Wheat Levain

Method:

• Combine wholemeal, water and rye sourdough and mix until clear with a dough hook on first speed.   Autolyse for one hour.
• Add the wheat levain and mix for 2 minutes on first speed and 3 minutes on second speed.   Add the salt, mix 5 more minutes on second speed.   Add the roasted seeds and mix on first speed until clear.   DDT 27°C.
• Retard overnight in the chiller.
• Bulk ferment dough for 2 hours allowing the dough to return to ambient temperature.
• Knock back the dough gently, and scale and divide.   2 Miches @1350g and 4 pieces @ 300g for a four-pieced Sandwich loaf in a Pullman Pan.
• Final proof: 3 hours @ 28°C.
• Bake the loaves with steam…I used my electric oven for today’s bake, pre-heated to 280°C, then settling at 235°C for 10 minutes with steam.   Then I switched to convection and baked out the breads at 210°C.
• Cool on wires

We ate some of this bread for lunch, not long after it had come out of the oven....I know, I know, we really should have waited, but a family lunch prior to a cinema trip just meant we could not wait any longer.   Well the bread tasted great, but it was difficult to cut, and I apologise if it has impacted on the crumb shots at all.

Best wishes to you all

Andy

I made these 10 loaves using the wood-fired oven today.

The oven is now heating up well; I have moved batches of wood inside around our Inglenook fireplace for a few days and this extra drying really helps.   Burning logs is now easy, and it makes the oven "solid".

1.    “Borodinsky” using the Auerman Method

One Pullman Pan

Rye Sour build:

Method:

• Build the sour as described, make the Scald at the same time as preparing the final refreshment of the sour.   Cover and cool to room temperature overnight.   Make the Sponge first thing in the morning and ferment this for 4 hours.
• Mix the sponge with the flours, salt and coriander using a paddle beater, on first speed for 2 minutes, and second speed for 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as necessary.   DDT 28°C.
• Bulk proof for 1 hour.
• Line a Pullman Pan neatly with silicone paper and scale the paste into the pan, neatening off carefully.   Top with some freshly crushed coriander seeds.    Attach the lid.
• Final Proof 3 hours.   Bake a minimum of 4 hours in the “dead” wood-fired oven, up to 16 hours
• Cool on wires

 2.    Gilchesters’ Miche/Boules

Makes 9 loaves: 2 @ 1350g; 3 @ 950g; 3 @ 650g and 1 @ 350g

Levain build:

The leaven was then allowed to prove slowly overnight in the fridge

Method:

•  Build the levain, see description above.
• For mixing, first of all mix on first speed for 3 minutes with a hook attachment, then autolyse the Gilchesters flour with the water for 1 hour.
• Add the levain and the salt.   Mix on first speed only for 10 minutes.   Dough Temperature Calculation worked out as follows: WT = 3[DDT – FRH] – Leaven Temp – Flour Temp.   [84 – 1] – 18 – 20 = 45.   Water temperature required at 45°C.   The gentle nature of the mixing action is evident here with just 1°C rise in temperature due to friction!
• Bulk prove the dough maintaining DDT of 26°C for 2 hours.  
• Scale and divide as above.   Mould round and rest for 15 minutes.   Prepare bannetons, re-mould dough pieces and set to final proof.
• Final proof DDT maintained at 26°C, for 3 hours.
• Tip each loaf out of the banneton onto a peel, score the top and set to bake on the sole of the wood-fired oven.   Small loaves bake in half an hour, next biggest takes 40 minutes and the biggest loaf took around 50 minutes
• Cool on wires.

Happy Baking!

Andy

Croissant Dough with a Sponge

My base recipe for laminated yeasted dough, with a couple of amendments.   A bit of sugar is included, although my own preference remains a croissant without sugar.   And I have adapted the formula to use a sponge where 20% of the total flour becomes pre-fermented.

Method:

• Make the sponge the night before and leave to ferment slowly.
• For the dough, blend the milk powder, salt and sugar through the flour.   Weigh very cold [I pre-chill the water overnight] water into the mixing bowl, and dissolve the fresh yeast into this.   Add the sponge and the dry ingredients.   Mix with a hook attachment for 3 minutes on slow and 4 minutes on second speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
• Cover the dough and store in the chiller for half an hour, and meanwhile cut the butter into slices and roll between 2 plastic bags to create a pliable sheet of butter.
• Roll out the croissant dough so that the slab of butter fits onto two thirds of the dough slab.   Fold the butter in letter-style to create 2 layers of butter.   Rest for one hour in the chiller.
• Turn through 90° and roll out to the same size as before.   Fold the dough in 3 for the first turn, then chill a further hour.   Repeat this 3 more times to give 4 x ½ turns in total.   Rest a further one hour
• I then split the dough into 3 sections, and made 12 Pain Amande with one piece, 9 Pain aux Raisins with another, and 14 croissants with the last piece.
• Glaze each finished unit with egg, dip the Pain Amande in flaked almonds and set to proof for 45 minutes.
• I used the electric oven to bake these on convection heat setting at 210°C for approx 15 minutes each tray; there were 5 trays in total.
• Cool on wires

Yeasted Sunflower Seed Wholemeal Bread with Mixed Pre-ferments

Both cultures given 2 refreshments prior to use:

Rye Sourdough

Wheat Levain

nb. The levain was allowed to ferment slowly overnight in the chiller after the last refreshment.

Method:

• Combine wholemeal, water and rye sourdough and mix until clear with a dough hook on first speed.   Autolyse for one hour.
• Add the wheat levain and bakers’ yeast and mix for 2 minutes on first speed and 3 minutes on second speed.   Add the salt, mix 3 more minutes on second speed.   Add the toasted seeds and mix on first speed until clear.   DDT 27°C.
• Bulk ferment dough at 26°C for 2 hours.
• Knock back the dough gently, and scale and divide.   I made one small panned loaf @ 500g; a large panned loaf, 3-pieced each one @ 350g; a Pullman Pan, 4-pieced each one also @ 350g.   The remaining dough, just over 1kg, was used to make one large Boule.   Mould each piece round, and rest covered for 15 minutes.   Shape each piece and dip in seeds and assemble panned loaves, and use a banneton for the boule.
• Final proof: Boule fermented  @ 26°C for one hour; 2 panned loaves followed on, so 1¾ hours proof.   The Pullman was held back by fermenting at 15°C for 2½ hours.
• Bake the loaves with steam…I used my electric oven for today’s bake, pre-heated to 280°C, then settling at 235°C for 10 minutes.   Then I switched to convection and baked out the breads at 210°C.
• Cool on wires

We are about to go out for dinner at our friends' home nearby.   The bread is for them, as really valued customers; the pastries pictured are a gift.

All good wishes

Andy