Isand66's blog

Who knew there were so many different styles of rye bread?  This is just the third week of testing and I am continued to be amazed and impressed by the recipes in the new yet to be published book on international rye breads.

This week's breads included one from Poland called Wroclaw Trencher bread which is meant to used as a plate to hold your meal.  This was by far the most sour tasting of any of the breads to date and would go great with a nice beef stew.

The second bread for this week was the Weinheim Carrot bread. 

I have to admit I wasn't sure how I would feel about a bread with carrots in it since I'm not a big fan of carrot cake, but you really don't taste them very much.  This bread includes a whole bunch of seeds and other goodies and is a real nice and hearty loaf.  Definitely something I can see being very popular in Germany.

So far all of the breads I have made have been well received by my own gang of taste testers and I look forward to baking the next batch this week.

This is my third attempt of the Pain Au Levain formula from Peter Reinhart's new book "Bread Revolution".

The first 2 did not come out correctly.  I now suspect the main culprit was that I did not dry out the sprouted winter wheat berries enough and the flour was too moist.  This time I let it dry out using a fan for a day and half and the bread came out much better.

I used my AP starter and did not add any yeast.  I also let the bulk dough rise for a bit in my proofer set at 80 degrees before refrigerating.  The next day I let it sit out for an hour before shaping and proofing at 80 degrees for around 3 hours.

I did not achieve much oven spring but the crumb is nice and moist and not gummy like the last bake.

This tastes like nothing I have baked ever before.  The sprouted grains really do add such a unique flavor.  I can't wait to start experimenting with different sprouted grains when I return from my annual pilgrimage to North Carolina for Thanks Giving.

Happy Holidays to everyone.

This is the fourth recipe I have been asked to test from the upcoming Rye Bread baking book by Stan Ginsberg.  This one was much different than the first three.  It ended up being pretty simple to make and the final bread had a very tender crumb and soft crust with a nice mild tang to it.

This is definitely one I would make again.

I also baked my second attempt at the Sprouted Wheat Pain Au Levain from Peter Reinhart's new book "Bread Revolution".  I am really enjoying reading the book so far but unfortunately my first two attempts at this recipe did not come out correctly.  I am using my own sprouted flour and I think I didn't let the sprouted berries dry enough which could have an effect on the final outcome of my dough.

The first attempt I let the dough over-proof and it had no oven rise and ended up being a door stop.  The second attempt below I thought I proofed it correctly but it may have been under-proofed.  It still had no oven rise to speak of and ended up with a very gummy crumb.  Both attempts were not really edible.  Once I stock up on some more wheat berries I will give this another go and hope for better results.

Stay tuned for the next 2 recipes from the Rye book soon.

This is the third recipe I have been asked to test from the upcoming Rye Bread baking book by Stan Ginsberg.  The beer is not too overpowering and the crumb is fairly moist for this hydration level of bread.  Overall a nice rye bread that makes a nice sandwich with some pastrami or corned beef.

The other night for dinner I decided to use the left-over pizza dough I made last week and make some calzones.  The pizza dough is similar to my normal one using mostly type 00 Caputo flour mixed with about 10% whole wheat.  I ran out of Caputo so I actually used around 20% Caputo along with some AP flour, potato flour and whole wheat and I added some Asiago cheese just for the fun of it.

The dough actually made some great pizza and was still nice and extensible after sitting in the freezer for a week.

I made some turkey meatballs using ground turkey, Panko Chili bread crumbs, greek yogurt, dried oregano, onions, fresh chopped garlic, onion powder, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and a couple of eggs.  I browned them on all sides in a large pan and covered them for a few minutes at the end to make sure they were cooked through.  Lastly I glazed them with some good balsamic vinegar and let it create a nice caramelized crust on the meatballs.

For the stuffing in the calzones I used the meatballs, fresh ricotta cheese, fresh mozzarella and a little Asiago.

The end result was a whole lot of cheesy goodness!

Have a great weekend.

Ian

 This is the second recipe I have been asked to test.  It is very different than the first one and has an interesting shaping technique utilizing natural scoring. 

I really like this one a lot as it's nice and soft and tasty.  It almost looks like a Durum bread but while I can't divulge the ingredients I can tell you there is none in this formula.

I accidentally man-handled the shaped dough when shifting it in my oven so I think the oven spring was less than it should have been, but it tastes great anyway.

If the rest of the recipes in this book are as good as the first 2 I believe this will become a classic that will be more than worth while picking up.

I should be receiving the next recipes tomorrow so stay tuned for more.

I am honored to be participating as a recipe tester for Stan Ginsberg's upcoming bread book featuring rye breads.  We are not legally allowed to share or discuss the actual recipes we are testing, but fortunately we can at least wet your appetite with some photos.

I have to say I was very happy with the way the first recipe came out and even though I am not normally a big fan of spiced bread this one was subtle enough that it worked.

Stay tuned for more to come....

I really loved the way the first version of this bread came out but I wanted to change it slightly and see if I could make it even better.

The only changes I made was to build the levain using Durum flour in a 2 step build.  I also used garlic infused olive oil instead of plain olive oil.  I also used a new proofing basket I just purchased which fit the amount of dough produced perfectly.

The results were excellent.  I like the flavor and creamy texture the increased durum starter imparted on the final bread.

Here are the Zip files for the above BreadStorm files.

Tangzhong is the technique of heating a portion of the flour and liquid in your recipe to approximately 65C to make a paste (roux).  At this temperature the flour undergoes a change and gelatinizes.  By adding this roux to your final dough it will help create a soft, fluffy, moist open crumb.  It is also supposed to help prevent the bread from going stale.

It is not very difficult to do a Tangzhong.  Use a  5 to 1 liquid to solid ratio (so 250g liquid to 50g flour) and mix it together in a pan.  Heat the pan while stirring constantly.  Initially it will remain a liquid, but as you approach 65C it will undergo a change and thicken to an almost pudding like consistency.  Take it off the heat and let it cool before using it in your recipe.  Some people will refrigerate it for a while but you can use it right away as soon as it cools.

Levain Directions Build 1 (Using AP Starter at 66% Hydration for Seed)

Mix all the levain ingredients together  for about 1 minute and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it sit at room temperature for around 7-8 hours or until the starter has doubled.  I used my Proofer set at 81 degrees and it took about 4 hours.

Levain Directions Build 2

Add the ingredients to the Build 1 levain and mix thoroughly and cover.  Let it sit at room temperature until the starter has doubled.

Main Dough Directions
Prepare the Tangzhong per directions above and allow to cool to room temperature.

Mix the flours, Tangzhong and water together in your mixer or by hand until it just starts to come together, maybe about 1 minute.  Let it rest in your work bowl covered for 20-30 minutes.  Next add the salt, oil and starter (cut into about 7-8 pieces), and  mix on low for a minute.   Mix for a total of 6 minutes in your mixer starting on low-speed and switching to speed #2 for the last 2 minutes.  Remove the dough from your bowl and place it in a lightly oiled bowl or work surface and do several stretch and folds.  Let it rest covered for 10-15 minutes and then do another stretch and fold.  Let it rest another 10-15 minutes and do one additional stretch and fold.  After a total of 2 hours place your covered bowl in the refrigerator and let it rest for 12 to 24 hours.  (If you have a proofer you can set it to 78 degrees and only leave the dough out for 1 hour to 1.5 hours before placing in the refrigerator).

When you are ready to bake remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let it set out at room temperature still covered for 1.5 to 2 hours.  Remove the dough and shape as desire and cover with a moist lint free towel or sprayed plastic wrap.

The dough will take 1.5 to 2 hours depending on your room temperature.  Let the dough dictate when it is read to bake not the clock.  Note: I used my proofer set to 80 degrees and it took a little over an hour to be ready.

Around 45 minutes before ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 550 degrees F. and prepare it for steam.  I have a heavy-duty baking pan on the bottom rack of my oven with 1 baking stone on above the pan and one on the top shelf.  I pour 1 cup of boiling water in the pan right after I place the dough in the oven.

After 1 minute lower the temperature to 450 degrees.  Bake for 35 minutes until the crust is nice and brown.

Let them cool on a bakers rack before for at least 2 hours before eating.

    This recipe is adapted from the book "Inside the Jewish Bakery" by Stanley Ginsberg and Norman Berg.  The original recipe is a straight dough made with yeast and I changed it up to use a white sourdough starter.

Bialys are mainly a New York kind of thing, and if you have never had one you owe it to yourself to bake some and you will never look back.

Most of the breads I bake need to rest 1 to 2 hours before eating, but with these you can feel free to slather on some butter or cream cheese when they just come out of the oven.

I am able to buy these from the local bagel stores on Long Island and I'm happy to say my version is just as good if not better using the SD starter.

Download BreadStorm .bun file here.

Levain Directions

Step 1

Mix all the levain ingredients together  for about 1 minute and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it sit at room temperature for around 7-8 hours or until the starter has doubled.  I used my proofer set at 83 degrees and it took about 4 hours.

Onion Poppy Seed Filling

45 grams Dehydrated Onions

340 grams Boiling Water

14 grams Vegetable Oil

10 grams Black Poppy Seeds

4 grams (1/4 tsp.) Sea Salt

Add the boiling water to the onions and stir and let them sit for around 30 minutes or longer.  Next strain them out and spread them on a piece of paper towel.  Wring out as much water as you can.

Mix the onions with the remaining ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.

 Main Dough Procedure

Mix the flours with the ice water for about 1 minute.  Let the rough dough sit for about 20 minutes to an hour.  Next add the starter and  salt and mix on low for 5 minutes and speed #2 for another 3 minutes.   You should end up with a cohesive dough that is slightly tacky but very manageable.  Remove the dough from your bowl and place it in a lightly oiled bowl or work surface and do several stretch and folds.  Let it rest covered for 10-15 minutes and then do another stretch and fold.  Let it rest another 10-15 minutes and do one additional stretch and fold.  Let the dough rise until it is doubled in size.  I used my proofer and it took around 5 hours.  (Note: I did not make a fresh starter but used part of my mother starter I had refreshed a few days before which is why it probably took so long.)

When the dough is ready, divide into 12 pieces that are 85 grams each and shape them into round rolls shapes.  Let them rest on a parchment covered baking sheet and cover with sprayed plastic wrap or a moist lint free towel(s).  Let the shaped dough proof until they are doubled in size and the poke test leaves a nice indent.  You almost want them to over-proof otherwise they will puff up too much which you don't want.

Around 45 minutes before ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 500 degrees F. and prepare it for steam.  I have a heavy-duty baking pan on the bottom rack of my oven with 1 baking stone on above the pan and one on the top shelf.  I pour 1 cup of boiling water in the pan right after I place the dough in the oven.

Once they are proofed sufficiently take each ball in your hand and place your two thumbs in the middle and stretch the dough so the center is paper thin and the outside has a nice thick rim.  It's almost like making a mini pizza.

Next, place a teaspoon of the onion filling in the middle of each shaped bialy and place in your oven.   Place the cup of boiling water into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the bialys are nice and brown.

      I was in the mood for a nice Durum loaf and figured I would use the Tangzhong method to lighten it up a bit.  I've used this method for rolls several times but not on an actual loaf.

I have to say this simple recipe turned out amazing with a nice thin crust and moist and open crumb.  This is one of those breads you can just eat with some butter or cheese or olive oil and call it a day.

I highly recommend you give this one a try.  It makes great toast, grilled bread and sandwiches or goes well with some "Italian Gravy"!

Last week was our Lexie's first birthday and Max's second so we celebrated on Friday with a doggie cake.  Both puppies loved their cake :).

Here are the Zip files for the above BreadStorm files.

Tangzhong is the technique of heating a portion of the flour and liquid in your recipe to approximately 65C to make a paste (roux).  At this temperature the flour undergoes a change and gelatinizes.  By adding this roux to your final dough it will help create a soft, fluffy, moist open crumb.  It is also supposed to help prevent the bread from going stale.

It is not very difficult to do a Tangzhong.  Use a  5 to 1 liquid to solid ratio (so 250g liquid to 50g flour) and mix it together in a pan.  Heat the pan while stirring constantly.  Initially it will remain a liquid, but as you approach 65C it will undergo a change and thicken to an almost pudding like consistency.  Take it off the heat and let it cool before using it in your recipe.  Some people will refrigerate it for a while but you can use it right away as soon as it cools.

Levain Directions Build 1 (Using AP Starter at 66% Hydration for Seed)

Mix all the levain ingredients together  for about 1 minute and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it sit at room temperature for around 7-8 hours or until the starter has doubled.  I used my Proofer set at 81 degrees and it took about 4 hours.

Main Dough Directions
Prepare the Tangzhong per directions above and allow to cool to room temperature.

Mix the flours, Tangzhong and water together in your mixer or by hand until it just starts to come together, maybe about 1 minute.  Let it rest in your work bowl covered for 20-30 minutes.  Next add the salt, oil and starter (cut into about 7-8 pieces), and  mix on low for a minute.   Mix for a total of 6 minutes in your mixer starting on low-speed and switching to speed #2 for the last 2 minutes.  Remove the dough from your bowl and place it in a lightly oiled bowl or work surface and do several stretch and folds.  Let it rest covered for 10-15 minutes and then do another stretch and fold.  Let it rest another 10-15 minutes and do one additional stretch and fold.  After a total of 2 hours place your covered bowl in the refrigerator and let it rest for 12 to 24 hours.  (If you have a proofer you can set it to 78 degrees and only leave the dough out for 1 hour to 1.5 hours before placing in the refrigerator).

When you are ready to bake remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let it set out at room temperature still covered for 1.5 to 2 hours.  Remove the dough and shape as desire and cover with a moist lint free towel or sprayed plastic wrap. 

The dough will take 1.5 to 2 hours depending on your room temperature.  Let the dough dictate when it is read to bake not the clock.  Note: I used my proofer set to 80 degrees and it took a little over an hour to be ready.

Around 45 minutes before ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 550 degrees F. and prepare it for steam.  I have a heavy-duty baking pan on the bottom rack of my oven with 1 baking stone on above the pan and one on the top shelf.  I pour 1 cup of boiling water in the pan right after I place the dough in the oven.

After 1 minute lower the temperature to 450 degrees.  Bake for 35 minutes until the crust is nice and brown.

Let them cool on a bakers rack before for at least 2 hours before eating.