pmccool's blog

• Two blueberry and two peach.  We'll make these in tomorrow's Festive Braids class. 

Paul

One of the breads for tomorrow's Festive Braids class.  

Paul

Ian asked that I post something from my bakes (it has been ages).  So, here's today’s bread, a simple pain de compagne.  It's yeasted, rather than sourdough and will form the base for some DIY grilled cheese sandwiches for tomorrow's class.  The other bread the students will make is pain a la ancienne.

This was all one batch of dough and the loaves went into the oven at the same time, so I’m not sure why there is such a difference in the amount of oven spring.  The most likely explanation, other than shaping differences, is that one pan was on the lower shelf to begin with. That put it closer to the steam pan.  Even though the pans were rotated halfway through the bake, the other loaves never expanded as much.     

Anyway, I do still bake, even though I don’t post nearly as much as I used to.

Paul 

 My running debate with myself over whether to buy a mill or do without came to an abrupt end the week before last when I saw a post about a KoMo Fidibus Classic for sale at an attractive price.  The new-to-me mill arrived early last week but I wasn’t able to play with it until I purchased some wheat this weekend.  

My first thought had been to make a 100% whole wheat bread.  After some further thinking, I realized that would be more of a test of my baking ability than a real experiment with home milled flour.  Happily, I noticed some buttermilk in the refrigerator and thus was born a buttermilk whole wheat bread.  And not just one bread but two: one using flour I milled and one using some Pillsbury whole wheat flour that was in the pantry.  To the best of my ability, they would be identical in all ways except for the flour.  Which means, in real life, that they are exactly similar.  

Knowing that 800 grams of dough would fit well in my 8 inch by 4 inch loaf pans, I worked backward to specific quantities using bakers percentages.  The initial formula looked like this:

• Whole wheat flour 75%
• Bread flour 25%
• Buttermilk 80%
• Active dry yeast 1%
• Diastatic wheat malt 1%
• Salt 2%

The mill worked flawlessly, turning the hard red winter wheat into a steady stream of fine flour that was only slightly more coarse than the Pillsbury flour.  Ambient temperature in my kitchen was about 78F and the temperature of the flour exiting the mill was about 117F. 

The initial mix of the flours, malt, and buttermilk felt quite dry and stiff, so I decided to add enough water to bring the hydration up to 90%.  Naturally, I overdosed the bread made with the home milled flour, making it very loose and only just barely manageable.  After a short initial mix, each dough was left to autolyse for an hour.  

When the autolyse was complete, the yeast was added along with approximately a tablespoon of water to make a slurry.  The yeast slurry was then mixed in, followed by the salt.  Then each dough received 10 minutes of slap and folds.  The slap and folds, along with salt, tightened the dough nicely but it was still very wet and sticky.  The Pillsbury loaf, having received the correct amount of water, was slightly less sticky.

Each dough was allowed to double during bulk fermentation, which took about an hour.   Then they were shaped into loaves and allowed to ferment until the dough crested about 3/4 inch above the rim of the pans.  

The breads were baked at 375F for 45 minutes.  When checked with a thermometer, their internal temperature registered 205F, so I deemed them to be done.  

There is an appreciable difference in crust color (Pillsbury loaf on the left, home milled loaf on the right):

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I'm not sure what caused the difference in oven spring for each loaf, seeing how each had the same bake.  Maybe the extra water in the home milled loaf was a contributing factor.  

This next view shows that the particle size of the home milled flour is just slightly coarser than the Pillsbury flour:

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Updated with crumb photos.  First up, homemilled loaf:  

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And the Pillsbury loaf:

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When sliced last evening, both breads were slightly gummy.  Oddly, the Pillsbury loaf with the lower hydration seemed gummier, contrary to my preconceptions. As of this morning, the bread is extremely moist but no longer gummy.  Apparently it just needed more time for the crumb to stabilize.  

The flavor differences were more subtle than I expected.  The Pillsbury loaf had a faintly bitter flavor note.  It could have been the tannins or perhaps it’s an early indication of impending rancidness. The home milled loaf is slightly sweeter and the grain flavor is more rounded.  It's possible that the germ in the home milled flour contributes some additional flavors that are missing from the Pillsbury flour.  All in all, I didn’t experience a profound change in flavor that some people report but it was an improvement.  

If I were to repeat this bread, I would dial back on the hydration; perhaps to 85%.  Although the dough seemed rather dry during the initial mix, 90% was rather wet for a panned loaf.  Or, keeping the hydration, bake as a hearth loaf instead. 

Looking forward, I plan to use the mill frequently.  It may help the bread texture if I drop the malt content to 0.5% of the home milled flour.  If I can locate a local farmer with grain for sale, that would be a plus.  There are a whole lot of new possibilities and new learnings to explore.  I think it will be fun. 

Beth Hensperger's Sweet Vanilla Challah, to be precise.  These will be appreciation gifts. 

Paul

Okay, the grain bill was different than Hamelman's but the rest of the bread was per the formula.  Good stuff!

Paul

My work schedule is set up so that I get every other Friday off.  Or, as my employer puts it, I'm on a 9/80 work schedule.  That means Mondays through Thursdays are 9 hours a day, one Friday is 8 hours, and the following Friday is off.  I love it.  Having a 3-day weekend every other week is a wonderful thing.

So, this past Friday, I got to play with some new recipes.  The first bake was an Irish soda bread.  It turned out wonderfully, in a craggy sort of way, with plenty of spring in the oven.  We took it to a neighbor whose mother had died a couple of days previously.  Consequently, there are no pictures.  It was well received; so much so that I’m not sure any of the extended family actually knew of its existence.

The second bread that day was something I'll call an Irish oatmeal porridge bread.  It features cooked steel-cut (or pinhead, or Irish, or Scots) oatmeal, some bread flour, some whole wheat flour, plus some molasses to help boost the flavor.  If you aren't acquainted with steel-cut oats, they are fairly analogous to cracked wheat.  Each oat kernel is broken into 3-5 pieces as they pass through a set of rollers at the mill.  The texture is quite different from rolled oats, even the old-fashioned variety.  The cooked porridge is more nubby, a bit more al dente. 

The dough was a bit drier than I expected.  There are two factors that may have been in play.  The first is that much of the liquid in the bread is contained in the porridge.  If one were to measure the pre-cooked and cooked weight of the porridge, they’d know how much water is lost during the cooking.  Of course, one would have to think of that in advance.  The second factor is the AP flour in this particular batch of bread.  It’s the Eagle Mills Ultragrain flour, which contains 30% white whole wheat flour along with the usual patent flour.  The extra fiber content makes it more absorbent than a typical AP flour.  Which of those was the greater influence, I can’t say.  What was clear was that the dough required more water, probably another 50-60 grams worth before it softened to something less than bagel dough.  Note that the dough didn’t feel particularly dry but it was quite stiff to knead. 

The dough was bulk fermented in a covered bowl, then shaped into a loaf that went into an 8x4 loaf pan.  The final proof, covered, went until the dough crested about ¾ of an inch above the pan rim, at which point it went into the preheated oven for baking.   

The first impression is favorable:

Hmm, perhaps a bit lopsided:

Well, yes, a longer final proof would have been a good idea:

And the crumb:

If you look closely enough at the crumb, you will notice a compression zone where the dough was in contact with the pan.  It appears that the outer extent of the loaf suffered some compaction before the top tore loose and released the pressure.  The rest of the crumb is very uniform and is a splendid base for my sandwiches this week.  The bread is firm and moist, probably an artifact of the moisture in the porridge, as well has having a degree of chewiness that is definitely due to the steel-cut oats.  The molasses, which is one of my favorite flavors, is front and center in both fragrance and taste.  I suspect this would also be very good toasted, with nothing more than butter spread on it.

I also managed to squeeze in a batch of sandwich rolls on Saturday, yielding 6 hotdog buns and 6 hamburger buns.  All in all, it was a fun time in the kitchen this past weekend.

Paul 

One of the all-time favorite recipes here on TFL is the Blueberry Cream Cheese Braid that Floyd posted clear back in 2005.  If you haven't yet, or haven't recently, read that post and the long string of comments that follow, I suggest that you have a look.  There are a lot of good ideas in that thread.

Not being one to leave well enough alone, I've been twiddling with that recipe.  And, since the ingredients for that recipe were measured entirely in volumetric units, I've recast them grams.  If you compare this version to the one that Floyd posted, you'll notice that the dough for this one isn't quite as rich (one egg instead of two) and that it has been converted from a sponge and dough approach to a straight dough.  

Four fillings have also been cadged from the original string and each has received its share of tinkering.  

Note that I have retained the original two braid yield for the recipe.  More often than not, though, I make three braids instead of two since I find the smaller braids easier to handle.  The smaller braids are also a great size for gifting.

Herewith my "regifted" version of the Blueberry Cream Cheese Braid:

Blueberry Cream Cheese Braid

Profile: Enriched dough

Recommended equipment: two small mixing bowls, medium mixing bowl, sturdy mixing spoon (or stand mixer), whisk. saucepan, measuring cups and spoons (or scale), bench knife, bowl scraper, rolling pin, half-sheet baking sheet, baking parchment or Silpat, pastry brush, cooling rack

Yield: 2 braids

Dough:

Pour the milk into a medium mixing bowl and scatter the yeast on the milk.  Allow the yeast to soften, about 5 minutes; it will sink. 

Mix in the sugar, eggs, salt, and butter until all are evenly distributed.

Add the flour to the bowl. Mix vigorously until all ingredients are combined in a rough dough.  Knead the dough on a lightly floured countertop until it is smooth and satiny; 6-8 minutes.

Place the dough back in the bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it is doubled in bulk.  This may take an hour or so if kitchen temperatures are in the mid-70s.  (You could also put the bowl in the refrigerator and let the dough rise overnight, if you wish.)

Egg Glaze:

Beat the egg and milk together.  Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Cream Cheese Filling:

While the dough ferments, mix the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg glaze in a small bowl until uniformly combined.

Blueberry Filling:

*Raspberries, blackberries, or pitted cherries could be substituted for, or combined with, the blueberries.

Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to a spreadable consistency.  Remove the pan from the heat and let the filling cool to room temperature.

When the dough has doubled in volume, remove it from the bowl and divide in half.  Cover one half with the bowl or plastic wrap.  Lightly flour the counter top and roll the first half into a 9x12 inch rectangle.  Slide the rectangle onto a sheet of baking parchment or a silicone pan liner.  Arrange the dough so that the short edge is facing you.  Starting at the top of the rectangle, cut the right-hand third into a series of ½-inch wide strips that angle toward you, chevron style.  Then repeat the process on the left-hand third of the dough to complete the chevron, making sure to cut the same number of strips that you did on the right-hand side.  Leave the center third untouched.

Cover the center third of the rectangle by evenly spreading one-half of the cream cheese filling.  Then spread one-half of the cooled fruit filling evenly over the cream cheese base.

Fold the top edge of the rectangle over the filling, then criss-cross the first set of strips across the filling; left to right and right to left.  Repeat criss-crossing each left-right pair of strips across the filling until reaching the next-to-last pair.  Fold the bottom edge of the dough over the filling, then finish criss-crossing the last two pairs of strips.  For maximum neatness and leak prevention, tuck the end of each strip into the edge of the filled area.  Use the parchment or pan liner as a sling to pick up the braid and place it on a baking sheet.  Brush the surface of the braid with some of the egg glaze.

Repeat the shaping process for the second braid.  Cover both braids with plastic and let them rise until they double.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Uncover the braids and give them one final coating with the remaining egg glaze.  Bake the braids in the center of the oven for 35-40 minutes.  If needed, turn the pan midway through the bake so that the braids bake evenly.

Remove the braids from the oven and place them on a cooling rack.  Cover them with a towel and let them cool for at least one hour.

Berries aren’t the only choice for filling the braids.  Some additional options are shown below:

Peach Filling:

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture achieves a spreadable consistency, then cool to room temperature before spreading the filling on top of the cream cheese layer.

Apple Filling:

Put the butter, brown sugar, and nuts (if using) in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to combine.  When the butter/sugar mixture has melted, add the apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch to the saucepan.  Continue to cook and stir the filling until it thickens to a spreadable consistency.  It is not necessary to fully cook the apples, since they will continue to cook as the braid is baked.  Cool the filling to room temperature before using.  Just before placing the braids in the oven to bake, sprinkle some cinnamon sugar over the last coat of egg glaze.

Cranberry Filling:

Combine the cranberries, orange juice and zest, sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer the cranberries until they are tender.  Make a slurry of the liqueur and cornstarch.  Whisk the slurry into the berry mixture and cook while stirring until the filling reaches a spreadable consistency.  Cool to room temperature before using.

One last hint:

If you are really pressed for time, canned pie fillings work well in place of the home-made fruit fillings.

Lots of decorating throughout the house, plus some stollen for when family visit for the holiday.  Maybe some for gifting, too.  Fortunately, the white stuff hasn't shown up outdoors, yet.  

Paul

Since receiving my copy of The Rye Baker, I've been baking and savoring its breads on a virtual basis.  It is a beautiful book with many intriguing breads to try; far more than I sampled during the test bakes.  Good as all that has been, the time has come to do some real baking.  Actually, the time came last weekend but I hadn't made the necessary preparations, so I ran out of weekend before getting to bake anything from the book.  Consequently, I made sure to have everything on hand and my schedule laid out so as to get serious about baking this weekend.

For my first bread from the book, I chose the GOST Borodinsky bread.  Before leaving for work Friday morning, I set up the rye sour.  Since my normal starter is maintained with a combination of bread, whole wheat, and whole rye flours, I wanted to do at least one build with rye flour only to serve as the basis for the bread's sponge.  With kitchen temperatures in at an un-Octoberish 70-75F, the sour was fully developed by the time I returned home that evening.

The sponge requires rye meal, water, and rye sour.  The ingredients were mixed as required, covered with plastic, and left to ferment overnight.

This bread also calls for a scald consisting of rye meal, red rye malt, ground coriander, and boiling water.  The first step was to toast the rye malt in a dry skillet from its diastatic state to the red, nondiastatic state.  Once it cooled, it was run through a coffee grinder that I keep on hand for grinding small quantities of materials and ground to a powder.  The coriander seeds were ground to a powder in the same mill, including the portion required later in the final dough.  LIke the sponge, the scald is covered and left to sit overnight.

The next morning, it was apparent that a small amount of the sponge had escaped its confines.  The rest had fallen back, leaving a sudsy froth trapped between the surface of the sponge and the plastic wrap.  I can't say that I've seen anything quite like that previously but there was no doubt that the sponge was ready to do some heavy lifting.

The sponge and the scald were combined in a pre-dough, whch was allowed to rest until doubled in volume.  This took just under an hour with kitchen temperatures in the mid-70s.

The final dough consists of the sponge/scald combination, bread flour, medium rye flour, molasses, salt, and ground coriander.  Once mixed, this was kneaded about 9 minutes with the KitchenAid mixer's spiral dough hook.  The bowl was then covered until the dough had approximately doubled in volume.  Upon removing the covering, the most delightful fragrance emanated from the dough.  There were the roasty, toasty notes from the malt, the dark sweetness of the molasses, and lemony/citrusy overtones from the coriander.  All this before it had baked!

The dough was carefully packed into a well-greased 9x4x4 inch Pullman pan.  Dough height in the pan was approximately an inch below the rim.  When I cam back to check on it about an hour later, it was nearly 1/4 inch above the rim; with small bubbles just beginning to burst at the surface.  I scurried to set up the oven and get it preheated.  By the time the oven reached the 550F baking temperature, the dough had risen to almost 1/2 an inch above the rim. 

After pouring boiling water in the steam pan a nd closing the oven, I wet my hands with tap water and gave the dough surface one last smoothing as carefully and gently as I could.  Crushed coriander seeds were scattered on top of the loaf and then it went into the oven.  From there, it was 10 minutes of watching the loaf for signs of deflation until taking the steam pan out of the oven and dropping the temperature to 350F.  By that point, it appeared that the loaf wasn't overproofed so I went back to my yard work while the bread baked for the next hour or so.  As directed, I depanned the loaf and put it back into the oven until the sides and bottom firmed up.  This is how it looks:

The top settled slightly as it cooled but has retained its domed cross section.  The crumb is about as open as you could ask for with a mostly-rye (81%) bread:

Since the crumb is still slightly gummy, I'll let it sit another day before cutting any more slices from it.  That's going to be hard to do, since we sampled the one slice.  Talk about a bread with complex flavors!  Everything I mentioned earlier about the dough fragrance is still there in the baked bread.  In addition, there's a firm but gentle sourness, combined with the earthy/spicy flavors inherent in the rye itself.  This is a spectacularly delicious bread!  I only hope that I can do so well whenever I make it next.

About the only deviation I took with the bread was to use white rye in place of the medium rye, since that was what I had on hand.  The Hodgson Mills rye flour I had in my pantry worked well as the recommended rye meal, since it has a fairly coarse texture.

The second bake from The Rye Baker was also this weekend.  We had dinner guests last evening and my wife prepared a pork roast as the meat for dinner, along with roasted white potatoes and sweet potatoes, and a salad.  After some discussion about the various merits of various rolls in the book, we settled on the rye biscuits.  These are quick and simple to make.  They have a mild, grainy flavor so the option of using various seeds is understandable.  However, since two of our guests were under the age of 10, mild seemed like a better option.  Since one of the girls ate two of the biscuits, that was apparently a good choice.  They make an excellent base for things like apple butter or pumpkin butter, too.  They are appealing to the eye, as well, with the pattern on the docking visible on their surface:

I'm not sure what my next bake might be but I'm leaning in the direction of one of the breads I baked when the recipes were being tested, just to see whether the published version was modified noticeably from the test version.  The Christmas Zelten will definitely make an appearance this year, even if I don't get around to making a stollen.

Paul