The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Weekend Baking, 26th-27th March 2011

ananda's picture
ananda

Weekend Baking, 26th-27th March 2011

 

A selection of breads made at home this weekend... 

•1.    BorodinskyDSCF1814

Utilising a scald, as the previous attempt; see here: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/22439/brief-report-young-baker-competition-and-weekend-bread-baking-home

The sour was built using 2 elaborations, with 18 hour fermentation time in between.   I started with 80g stock and ended up with 1040g of sour.

Material

Formula [% of flour]

Recipe [grams]

1. Rye Sour [see above]

 

 

Total Dark Rye Flour

30

360

Total Water

50

600

TOTAL

80

960

 

 

 

2. Scald

 

 

Dark Rye Flour

20

240

Malt Syrup

4.5

54

Black Strap Molasses

6

72

Coriander

1

12

Salt

1

12

Water

35

420

TOTAL

67.5

810

 

 

 

3. Final Paste

 

 

Rye Sour [from above]

80

960

Scald [from above]

67.5

810

Dark Rye Flour

23.5

282

Strong White Flour

26.5

318

TOTAL

197.5

2370

 

 

 

% pre-fermented flour

30

-

% hydration

85

-

 

Method:

  • Build the leaven as above. At the same time as preparing the final elaboration, 18 hours ahead of mixing the final paste, prepare the scald. Dissolve the malt, molasses and salt in the water, and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the flour and coarsely ground coriander. Cover and leave to cool.
  • Combine scald, sour and both flours to form a paste. Bulk ferment for 1 hour.
  • Prepare a Pullman pan by lining with silicone paper. Scale 2kg of paste into the pan with wet hands, and smooth to shape. Make a "steamed pudding" with the remaining paste.
  • Proof time will be 2 - 3 hours. Bake from cold in an oven with a pan of water, raising the temperature to 160°C. Bake time of 2½ hours.
  • De-pan and cool on wires. Wrap in linen for 24 hours before slicing.DSCF1816DSCF1817DSCF1827DSCF1828

 

 

•2.    Pain au Leaven using both Rye Sour and Wheat Levain<DSCF1803/p>

Refreshment regime for rye sour is as above.   Wheat leaven also 2 elaborations, first of 8 hours, second of 4 hours.   This dough was retarded overnight and baked off the next day.

Material

Formula [% of flour]

Recipe [grams]

1. Wheat Levain

 

 

Total Strong Flour

17.9

150

Total Water

10.65

90

TOTAL

28.55

240

 

 

 

2. Rye Sour

 

 

Total Dark Rye Flour

7.1

60

Total Water

10.65

90

TOTAL

17.75

150

 

 

 

3. Final Dough

 

 

Wheat Levain [from above]

28.55

240

Rye Sour [from above]

17.75

150

Strong White Flour

75

630

Salt

1.8

15

Water

46.4

390

TOTAL

169.5

1425

 

 

 

% pre-fermented flour

25

-

% hydration

67.7

-

 

Method:

  • Elaborate leavens as above.
  • Combine all the materials to form a dough, and mix until well-developed.
  • Bulk proof for 2 hours, then retard overnight
  • Shape and final proof for 5 hours [ I gave this maximum proof]
  • Bake with steam as 1 large loaf, for 1 hour
  • Cool on wires
  • DSCF1791DSCF1794DSCF1799 DSCF1801DSCF1806DSCF1811

•3.    Mixed Levains and Shoyu-Roasted Sunflower Seed Boule

Leaven cultures built as detailed above.

Material

Formula [% of flour]

Recipe [grams]

1. Wheat Levain

 

 

Total Flour

36.4

200

Total Water

21.8

120

TOTAL

58.2

320

 

 

 

2. Rye Sour

 

 

Total Dark Rye

8.2

45

Total Water

13.6

75

TOTAL

21.8

120

 

 

 

3. Final Dough

 

 

Wheat Levain [from above]

58.2

320

Rye Sour [from above]

21.8

120

Strong White Flour

45.4

250

Dark Rye Flour

10

55

Salt

1.6

9

Sunflower Seeds

16.4

90

Water

32.7

180

TOTAL

186.1 

1024

 

 

 

% pre-fermented flour

44.6

 

% hydration

68.1

 

 

Method:

  • Build the leavens.
  • Roast the sunflower seeds in shoyu under the grill, turning as necessary.
  • Combine all ingredients except the seeds and mix to form a soft dough. Develop this, then add the seeds and complete with a sequence of 4 "stretch and folds" over a 2 hour bulk proof.
  • Shape and prove in a brotform for 4 hours
  • Bake with steam for 45 minutes.
  • Cool on wires
  • DSCF1830DSCF1831

Borodinsky is for the main College Diversity Competition.

Large Boule had to be cut into prematurely, as I needed some lunch and that was the only bread available.

The Sunflower Seed bread is only just out of the oven, but straight to the freezer.   With the shoyu-roasted seeds, rye flour at nearly 20% and an ambitious 44.6% pre-fermented flour, I guess this loaf will pack a full punch in flavour.   Lovely crumb to it, for sure!

All good wishes

Andy

Comments

Franko's picture
Franko

Hi Andy,

 All marvelous looking breads as usual, but the inclusion of the shoyu roasted sunflower seeds in the Mixed Levain sounds incredible and a great idea for notching up the flavour. I'm making a note of it to try out for myself at some point.The crumb is outstanding!

I have a question regarding the varying prefermented flour percentages for your three loaves. Had a good look at all three formulas trying to determine if there was a consistent factor between them in relation to dough size or ingredients but couldn't see a pattern. Is it strictly a matter of final flavour that determines how much you use when formulating, or is there something else at play here that I'm not seeing? Curious as ever.

Best wishes,

Franko

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi Franko,

Many thanks for your kind words; it's really good to hear from you

Regarding formula construction: the Rye bread philosophy originally comes from my time at Village Bakery, where Andrew Whitley used a 50% sourdough in the formula as his base...this being for his Rossisky [Russian Rye Bread], as opposed to the flavoured Borodinsky.

To this day, I use the same proportions of Dark Rye Flour and Water to maintain my Rye Sourdough.   However, as soon as I went to College, I came to appreciate the importance of the % of pre-fermented flour, as opposed to the amount of sourdough in the formula.   I guess I'd already partially worked this out, as we maintained a stiff levain for our French Country Breads, and a liquid sour for the rye.

So, I began to work with rye sour at 30 - 35% pre-fermented flour in the total formula.   I've never deviated from that, and always ensured that the rye sour is fully fermented through before use.   So, it is a genuine SOURdough.   Think about the pentosans here!

For the Sunflower Seed Boule, it really was a matter of how much leaven and sour was available, and how much white flour I had left in my kitchen cupboard.   Simple as that, really.

For the large boule with mixed leavens, I based the formula on something I knew would work with an overnight retard.   I am finding that small amounts of leaven of 10 - 15% do not always produce consistent results.   Indeed some of my last attempts have produced blowouts, suggesting underproof.   This, in spite of total confidence in the leavening power of my 2 cultures.

Anyway, no real pattern, but pleasing results, which I'm sure you can see, demonstrate reason in action.

All good wishes

Andy

hanseata's picture
hanseata

I'm especially interested in the sunflower seed bread, but what is "shoyu roasting"?

Please, enlighten me,

Karin

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi Karin,

Really good to hear from you!

Shoyu is a type of soy sauce.   Simply toast the sunflower seeds under the grill, doused with some shoyu.   Turn the seeds as necessary to stop them burning.   Toast until dry, cool and add to the bread dough once "mixed".

Seeds prepared in this way make a great snack too!   Especially, with a beer, or, glass of wine as an aperitif!

All good wishes

Andy

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hello Andy,
Very tasty looking loaves - I will note how you've flavored them - the coriander and shoyu flavors, respectively, sound delicious!
Thanks from breadsong

ananda's picture
ananda

..Breadsong,

The Coriander should be freshly ground seeds in a mortar and pestle.   We used a grade called "fine cut" at Village Bakery.   The powder is reminicent of sawdust, and tastes like it too!

Roasting nuts and seeds like this always brings out the flavour, of course.

Best wishes

Andy

wally's picture
wally

Such a nice collection of different breads and flavors, Andy!  And the idea to roast the sunflower seeds in Shoyu is inspired as Franko noted.  But I am truly in love with the Pullman pan Borodinsky!  Both the pictures and formula depict a deep, rich rye that must taste heavenly.

As always, nice bake(s)!

Larry

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi Larry,

Always good to hear from you; hope the new job is going well?

I'm not quite satisfied with the Borodinsky in one respect.   The flavour is great don't get wrong.   But I still haven't tracked down any Light Rye flour!

I prefer the Dark Rye in the sour.   I'm unsure about which flour to use in the scald; maybe the light rye will be more effective bursting the starch molecules?

But I really like to keep this bread at 100% rye flour.   To do this, using Light Rye in the final paste is very effective; thus adding wheatflour is not necessary.

A colleague has some spare light rye flour, so I hope to try this version soon.

Very best wishes

Andy

teketeke's picture
teketeke

They all look great as usual, Andy.

I am also interested in the shoyu-roasted (YUM!) sunflower seeds bread, too.  Many Japanese love to taste shoyu in bread, too. 

Best wishes,

Akiko

 

ananda's picture
ananda

I always thought there to be a bit more about shoyu and tamari than ordinary soy sauce: have I got this right?

Best wishes

Andy

teketeke's picture
teketeke

Wow, Andy

I love tamari shoyu that is very rich and flavorful .I was about to write about "TAMARI" shoyu yesterday !!   http://www.care2.com/greenliving/tamari-shoyutamari-shoyu-soy-sauce.html 

A Japanese bakery sell " Oso-zai" bread using Tamari shoyu.  It is a big hit in Japan.

http://yaplog.jp/kuishinbou3/archive/222f

The dough is french bread, and There is a little piece of dried tomato, some creamcheese that is marinade with tamari shoyu, potatoes and a little bit of mayonnaise and black pepper on the top.   It is interesting, isn't?  I never had tried the one but it is very apealing to me.

Best wishes,

Akiko

ananda's picture
ananda

Thanks Akiko,

great link!

Yes tamari is a by-product from producing miso; I'd clean forgotten that one.   It is indeed much stronger than shoyu.

I think the focus of the article is so true; what matters most is the quality of each product achieved through fine and traditional processes involving cherished ingredients

Thanks again

Andy

Mebake's picture
Mebake

All look Beautiful, Andy! I can't really get both levains to ripen simultaneously... it takes lots of trials to get it right..

In your Pain au levain, you've mentioned Wheat levain.. is that wholewheat?

Great Bakes !!

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi Khalid,

Thank you for your kind words.

Yes, running 2 leavens side by side can be tricky.   But, I know I want sourness from the rye; so full fermentation.   But I don't want the same in the wheat.   This is a dough which I aim to have at peak, or, just over.   Balancing the 2 is the trick to perfecting the flavour and performance in this loaf.

My wheat levain is built with strong white flour from Carrs of Silloth [near Carlisle, in the NW of England].   It combines Canadian and English wheat, primarily, I believe, and goes under the general description of "world-class flour"...can't be bad!

Best wishes

Andy

wally's picture
wally

but leaving me precious little time to bake for myself.  Ah well, this too will pass.

Larry

ananda's picture
ananda

......don't go into lecturing then Larry!   Talk about "pound of flesh"!!!

Andy

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi Daisy_A

Away-days from TFL are quite legitimate you know; I'm glad you managed to catch this post anyway, knowing how rapid the traffic is through this site.

Today I was blown apace up the hill to the Mandela Building [Art & Design] where Karl was busy assembling the whole display for the Competition.   Our Cornucopia and Bowl, both full of breads have a good sturdy wooden platform to sit on.   Above that there are some laminated photos of the group at work and products in production, including the weaving.   It looks really good.   I then had to fight against the wind to get back downhill to my base in Lifestyle Academy.

When I got back to base I went to the office to find that SFA had pulled funding of student fees midway through my course this year, and senior management were not giving priority to an Apprenticeship partnership with a major and successful bakery in the North of England.   The threat of redundancies looms; how shortsighted is this?

Meantime, I've just made fishy sandwiches for Alison and I for tomorrow's lunch...with the Sunflower Seed bread.   Had a little sample; the rye is what comes through....how cool is that!

Every good wish

Andy

hanseata's picture
hanseata

to hear of your funding predicament, Andy!

Unfortunately here in Maine the same happens right now, funding for valuable programs is cut in order to give tax cuts to the rich...

Karin

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi Karin,

It seems like the cuts are happening over here simply because UKplc has run out of money.

There's no fairness about any of it; indeed it is totally overt.   How many bums on seats for how little outlay...it's as basic as that!

Unfortunately running baking and cooking programmes is somewhat more costly than many subject areas, and is rather difficult to roll out to large numbers at a time.   It's far cheaper to stick 30 - 60 students in one classroom with 1 lecturer, then give them lots of online work packages to wade through at home.

At the same time, apparently, Government is supposed to be prioritising vocational skills!   mmmmH, how does that work then???

It's really good to hear from you

Andy