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Early Summer Baking: Borodinsky in a Banneton and Pain de Campagne with Mixed Leavens

ananda's picture
ananda

Early Summer Baking: Borodinsky in a Banneton and Pain de Campagne with Mixed Leavens

 

Early Summer Baking:

Pain de Campagne with Mixed Leavens and Borodinsky in a Banneton

 DSCF1838DSCF1836

It's been a lovely weekend in the far North Eastern corner of England.   Yesterday we drove onto Holy Island and walked through the village, up to the Castle, then round the Northern Coast crossing 2 of the finest, and utterly deserted, beaches to be found...anywhere!

Today, we made our patio beautiful, once more, following the ravages of our harsh winter.   After we had eaten our lunch sitting outside, I took some photos of the bread I was making, as it came out of the oven.

•1.    Pain de Campagne.DSCF1839DSCF1842

I made 3 loaves in total.   One was a gift to our neighbours who treated us to an Iced Cream whilst we chatted away the afternoon: thank you Anna and Mark!   Another was just a small loaf, which I'd baked early so we could have fresh bread with some gorgeous "Berwick Edge" cheese I found yesterday, made by a local speciality cheese company, Doddingtons, just a few miles up the road from here.   Awesome flavour packing a real punch!

And the other is a 1.5kg Boule, showcased in the photographs here.   Yes, outdoor photography in the sunshine in good ol' Blighty: things must be on the up? [I wish!]

Here's the details:

I built both the wheat leaven and rye sour using 2 feeds from stock of 80g of each leaven, on Friday evening and Saturday morning.   I mixed the final dough on Saturday early evening, and retarded in the chiller overnight, before dividing, final proof and bake on Sunday morning/early afternoon.   The figures in the table offer totals of flour and water only; there was a small residue of both leavens for me to put back for stock.

Material

Formula [% of flour]

Recipe [grams]

1. Wheat Levain

 

 

Special CC Flour

25.8

400

Water

15.5

240

TOTAL

41.3

640

 

 

 

2. Rye Sour

 

 

Bacheldre Dark Rye Flour

9.7

150

Water

16.1

250

TOTAL

25.8

400

 

 

 

3. Final Dough

 

 

Wheat Levain [from above]

41.3

640

Rye Sour [from above]

25.8

400

Special CC Flour

64.5

1000

Salt

1.8

28

Water

36.4

564

TOTAL

169.8

2632

% pre-fermented flour

35.5

-

Overall % hydration

68

-

 

Method:

  • Build each leaven from stock, using 2 refreshments, as outlined above
  • Mix rye sour, flour and water until loose dough is formed; autolyse 45 minutes.
  • Add salt and wheat leaven and mix gently over half an hour to form a strong dough. Use Bertinet-style techniques here, as the dough is soft and sticky to start, but will soon become obviously strong.
  • Use intermediate proof of up to 1 hour. Then refrigerate overnight.
  • Scale, divide and mould round. I made a boule at 1.5kg, one at 750g, and made a small boule with the remainder. Place upside down in bannetons and set to prove, for around 4 hours, allowing the dough pieces to come back to ambient temperature.
  • Bake with steam on bricks in an oven pre-heated to 250°C. Cut the tops of the loaves just prior to loading.
  • Turn the heat to 200°C after 15 minutes. For the large boule, bake out for up to 1 hour if necessary; minimum 50 minutes. Jar the oven door slightly open, turn off the heat source, and leave the oaf in the oven for 15 minutes.
  • Cool on wires

I'm really pleased with how this loaf has turned out.   My experience with overnight retarding is that the breads are very prone to "blow-outs".   Plenty of time is needed in the final proof in order to avoid this.   I guess that my kitchen temperature hitting the dizzy heights of 24°C by lunchtime really did help me here.   The dough had been very active when I set it in the chiller the night before; so I turned the fridge to work at full power.   Note too, that the pre-fermented flour is way up over 35%.   Great result!   Here are some photos:

DSCF1841DSCF1843DSCF1844DSCF1845crumb_campagne

 

•2.    BorodinskyDSCF1837

As the previous 2 occasions, I used a "scald".   However, this loaf was proved in a banneton, and baked on the bricks.   Also....it is 100% Rye!!!   A colleague of mine who is studying for the VRQ Bakery Level 2 let me have some Doves Farm Light Rye flour she had in stock.   The sour was built with 3 refreshments.   The first 2 were part of the dough above, with a final refreshment made on the Saturday evening to allow me to form the final paste on Sunday morning.   I made the "scald" on Saturday evening, at the same time as the final refreshment of the sourdough.

Here's the formula:

Material

Formula [% of flour]

Recipe [grams]

1. Rye Sour

 

 

Bacheldre Dark Rye Flour

29.8

186

Water

49.7

310

TOTAL

79.5

496

 

 

 

2. Scald

 

 

Black Strap Molasses

6.1

38

Malt Syrup

4.5

28

Coriander [ground fresh]

1

6

Salt

1

6

Doves Farm Light Rye

20

125

Water [rolling boil]

35.3

220

TOTAL

67.9

423

 

 

 

3. Final Paste

 

 

Rye Sour [from above]

79.5

496

Scald [from above]

67.9

423

Doves Farm Light Rye

50.2

313

TOTAL

197.6

1232

% pre-fermented flour

29.8

 

Overall % hydration

85

 

 

Method:

  • Prepare the rye sour, feeding 3 times from stock, as outlined above. Make the scald at the same time as the last refreshment. Dissolve syrups in the water and bring to a rolling boil. Grind the coriander, and combine with salt and flour. Pour on the boiling syrup solution and mix to from a stiff paste. Cover and leave to cool overnight.
  • Combine scald and sour and mix thoroughly. Add in the remaining flour and form a paste.
  • Bulk ferment, covered, for 1 hour.
  • Use wet hands to shape and then prove in a banneton, covered, for c. 4 hours.
  • Tip out onto a baking sheet. Spray the loaf top with water. Prick the top with a skewer, or, equivalent, and dust with freshly ground coriander seeds.
  • Bake at 250°C for 10 minutes with steam. Turn the oven straight down to 190°C and bake out for a total bake time of 1 hour
  • Cool on wires

I ended up cutting into the loaf sooner than ideal, as the photographs really testify.   It was such a beautiful day, and so I wanted to try and get the best photographs possible.   I think I succeeded with the Pain de Campagne.   The Borodinsky is not quite there.   Given more paste, I prefer to make this in a Pullman Pan.   But, I did not have that luxury.   And, the scald was really thirsty.   The final paste had 85% hydration, but was stiffer than I am normally comfortable with.   The trouble is that a higher hydration can be very difficult to bake out.

There is too much flour on the top of the loaf, from the proof in the banneton.   I did my best to brush it off and replace it with coriander, but with mixed success.

The crumb is obviously moist, and I think it will taste great.   But it's a little tighter than I believe I would have achieved if I'd been able to use a Pullman Pan.

Still, photos are below, and I am certainthat the flavours will be as I want!

DSCF1840DSCF1847DSCF1846

My sunny greetings to you all

Andy

Comments

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

I'm glad you're getting some nice weather.

Can you tell me why you put the molasses and malt in the scald, rather than in the final dough?

David

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi David,

This is the easiest way to dissolve the syrups.   There is no moisture added in the final paste!

All good wishes

andy

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Simple, indeed. I'm a big fan of "easy."

David

txfarmer's picture
txfarmer

What a coincidence, I made a "mixed levain" country loaf with an overnight retarding as well. And yo know I am a big fan of your Borodinsky!

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi,

I spotted your bread from the Hamelman formula: very nice.

This one is my own, and I suspect a little different from Jeffrey Hamelman's, especially in terms of ther flour I used.

I love the Borodinsky too, but this one was not my favourite result.

All good wishes

Andy

kim's picture
kim

Andy,

I will try Borodinsky in a banneton when the weather is nice here. I love your rye bread recipe. Thanks,

Kimmy

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi Kimmy,

I've been tempting myself to make this breadi na banneton for some time.   But, I prefer to make it in a pan, and much wetter than this loaf too.   The crumb is too heavy compared to what is possible in the Pullman Pan.

Loved your croissants!

Best wishes

Andy

Syd's picture
Syd

Beautiful breads, and I loved reading about your trip to the castle and your buying of Berwick Edge cheese.  It all sounds so romantic. 

The scoring on your boule looks very attractive.  Lovely  bake.

All the best,

Syd

ananda's picture
ananda

Thanks Syd,

It blew up quite a wind around the Castle, but the beaches were somewhat more sheltered.

The cheese is to die for...like a Parmegiano Regiano in flavour, but not so hard a texture.

I love making 1.5kg boules like this.

All good wishes

Andy

teketeke's picture
teketeke

I especially like the crumb of your Pain de Campagne, Andy!   Nice weather , Great breads!

Best wishes,

Akiko

ananda's picture
ananda

Thanks Akiko!

2 weeks holiday around the corner, and we're going to take a beachside cottage in the far North of Scotland.   Well, you don't go there for the weather, but you can live in hope...I guess??

Very best wishes

Andy

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hello Andy,
Thank you for your warm weather photos - the breads look great.
It's nice to be able to spend more time outdoors, isn't it?
I tried gathering nettles yesterday for the first time, and dried the leaves - and hope to try making Faye's (Award Winning!) Nettle Bread.
For all of the formulas and knowledge that you share - thank you!
from breadsong

 

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi Breadsong,

I left the office in such haste on Friday that I forgot to take my USB stick out of my pc...the one I'd saved all the work I was going to do this weekend on!   Such a shame...not!!!

So happy we enjoyed the sunshine instead

Do let me know how you get on with Faye's [Karin's] bread, please.

All good wishes

Andy

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Great Baking, Andy. Sunray does justice to expose the full beauty of your loaves!

BTW, why did you mix the wheat leaven after autolyze? is there any specific advantage to that? You have a great crumb for the campaign bread, although you did not fold the dough, or did you?

Beautiful Bordinsky BTW! You know, when i sifted my Whole Rye from Dover's Farm, the flour came our very light and puffy, almost like corn starch in lightness. I think sifting is key to obtaining open crumb Rye breads.

Khalid

ananda's picture
ananda

It's good to know you liked the sunny photographs I managed to catch.

I follow Hamelman regarding autolyse.   So, if a leaven is liquid, it goes in the autolyse, but if the leaven hydration is lower than that of the final dough, then it stays out.   The reason being that I cannot see the point of autolyse unless there is sufficient hydration to do the desired work in the first place.

I did no S&F.   Instead, I knocked each dough piece back in the morning when cold, just after scaling.   Then I shaped each piece and set it to prove.

I'm sure you are right about sifting the rye flour, but I think I just prefer to make this type of bread in a pan!

Very best wishes

Andy

nicodvb's picture
nicodvb

Andy, the pain de campagne has a wonderfully elongated crumb and a nice gelatinized look. The Borodinsky is nice, too, but in a mould it would have come out better.

Glad to see you are back!

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi Nico,

Lots of pressures on just now, but I only stay away for so long.   I have to bake bread, and will keep posting as much as possible.

I agree about the Borodinsky...pan; every time!

It's really good to hear from you

Andy

suave's picture
suave

Andy, I must be missing something, but I've always thought that the name Borodinsky refers to a very particular recipe, no?

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi Suave,

you probably are aware that I worked at Village Bakery, Melmerby for 10 years, mid 1990s onwards, and have continued to work with Andrew Whitley on occasions since.

I based the previous 2 recipes on this:  http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/13151/translation-auerman039s-borodinsky-recipe-and-some-questions-about-it and this: http://translate.google.com/translate?tl=en&sourceid=ie8-activity&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.borodinsky.com%2Frecipe%2Findex-r.html

I understand my interpretation is not so precise as you have come to accept.

However, I'm no "Russian expert".   I venture to suggest that Mr. Whitley probably is.   I was very sorry to read your dismissive comments to Daisy_A, concerning Whitley's intellect, here: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/20370/russian-sourdough-no-more#comment-141412    I don't really see why you appear so hardline.   Perhaps you may care to explain rather than reject?

I mean, the guy was only trying to sell bread, for goodness sake...and some of us would argue it was very good bread too!   Give us a break, please!

Best wishes

Andy 

suave's picture
suave

It's quite simple really.  There are classic recipes out that are best left alone and not "interpreted" to the point of not being recognizable - there is a reason why over there you have a whole set of laws to protect foods that are part of a local culture and tradition against that.  Not that it helps much, judging by the slew of yeasted Altamuras out there.

As to Mr. Whitley, I simply do not see the part where I challenge his intellect.  I said that a particular statement he made is either misinformed or insincere, and I still think that's the case, but that's about it.  Speaking of him, does not your interpretation go against the core of his belief that simplification for the sake of convenience is pure evil?

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi suave,

As I said I based my recipe on that one posted by Lucifer in the referenced post.   Whilst it's not identical by any means, I don't think it could be described as "unrecognizable".

It could be that you don't think that the Auerman recipe is authentic either; in which case you may wish to provide further enlightenment on what you believe to be a true Borodinsky recipe?

Andrew Whitley read Russian studies to Degree level, has travelled extensively in the country, speaks fluent Russian and worked as a Russian expert for BBC World Service.   Your words:   "Frankly, I think he doesn't know what he is talking about."   I think that is pretty derogatory.   I agree with Daisy_A that his basis, and a much more reasonable interpretation is that the roots of "Borodinsky" bread pre-date the Soviet era and are far less presciptive than you suggest.

I'm all for respecting and honouring local traditions and great food, but I do have great difficulty marrying up the concepts of "pure" and "evil".   Sometimes I'm accused of being "too serious", myself.   Lighten up, please!   This is bread, and, what's more pretty damn good, and, with many traditional aspects too.

I appreciate where you are coming from, but find it all just too "hardline", sorry

Best wishes

Andy

suave's picture
suave

Look, I just do not know how to make you understand.  You replaced half of the ingredients, completely skipped a fermentation stage and ended up with something that does not even remotely resemble the original bread, not in color, not in crumb structure.  I am not saying it's bad or not enjoyable, nothing of the sort, but if you think that you are tasting the original, then you are just deluding yourself.  Scalding some/any rye flour does not automatically turn a bread into Borodinsky, the same way as x-ing a top of a Big Mac with Tabasco does not turn it into a hot cross bun.

Re: Whitley thing.  Let me get back to the beginning.  Here is the original quote:

The Revolution destroyed the small private bakeries and industrialisation spawned standardised bread plants producing volume rather than variety. Regional recipes and local distinctiveness were all but eliminated. From one end of the country to the other, just a few breads were available.

I say that the last two sentences have nothing to do with the reality.  Like at all. Why would Mr. Whitley, with all his credentials write that?  It is a good question.

 

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi suave,

Are you making claim that "Borodinsky" is a specific recipe created from nowhere in early Soviet times at the advent of industrialisation....and, that it had no roots planted previously from the peasant past?   That seems unlikely to me.   Maybe reason, and further intelligent information might persuade me to think otherwise?   Trying to "make" me "understand" in this way isn't going to work.

I disagree with your analysis of Andrew Whitley's words.   This is exactly what happens when food production is centralised and industrialised.   I don't think you are asking a good question at all, based on the information you have so far provided.   In peasant-based societies, processes would hardly be so precise.   I fully accept that the loaf I produced had a number of shortfalls.   It's way better produced in a pan, and baked [even steamed] to give a more open texture and darker colour.

There are 3 possible derivations discussed here: http://www.foodbanter.com/sourdough/66003-name-s-borodinsky-borodin.html These seem to only re-inforce Andrew Whitley's contention that this style of bread was made locally in a peasant economy, long before Soviet industrialisation imposed the rigidity of the GOST standards to be seen here: http://www.indiana.edu/~pollang/Russian_bread_table.pdf Goodness, it really is a useful table, however.   I'm very glad to have come across this for future reference.

There seems to be a difference in interpretation of "original" here.   I don't see what gives you the high ground over Mr. Whitley.   You may need to provide your own answer to what you think is such a good question?   I'm all for using scientific processes to help to produce great bread, but I'm not making the connection with your demand that Borodinsky has to be made in such an exact way, and, that this has always been so.

Really?   Is there only one way to make a "White Panned Loaf"?

Best wishes

Andy

Franko's picture
Franko

Hi Andy,

Great colour and crumb on your Pane de Campagne, and the Borodinsky, despite your preference for baking in the Pullman pan, looks super as a boule. When I saw that you had some sunshine to enjoy I was thinking that perhaps you might have fired your WFO for this bake, but I'm sure you would have mentioned that if you had. It sounds like the two of you had an excellent weekend of warm weather and relaxation,hopefully the first of many more to come now that the worst of winter is over.

All the best,

Franko

ananda's picture
ananda

It was really tempting Franko.   But the mixed leaven dough was really kicking, despite a night in a cold fridge.

Oven is quite smoky: I need to brave myself to get the thing lit!   Easter could be good if there is some more fine weather about.

Relaxation...yes, it was so fine, indeed!

Very best wishes to you

Andy

Ruralidle's picture
Ruralidle

Hi Andy

Lovely looking breads and great sounding cheese - I look forward to trying some when I am up there for a baking course (hopefully!!).  Holy Island is really special but the weather was not good when we were there.

Did you really mean 36C on your patio???  Did you fire up a few wfos or what??

Have a great holiday.

Richard

 

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi Richard,

I noticed that the probe thermometer I keep in my kitchen by the oven was reading 24*C, as we sat down out on the patio to enjoy lunch.

Afterwards, I took the probe and put it on the table in the sunshine, right where you see the breads in the photos.   The probe read 36*C in the heat of the sun; wondrous!

I so hope we can pull off some dates later in July; keep me up to speed with how many people will commit to this.

Very best wishes

Andy

teketeke's picture
teketeke

Hi, Andy

I baked your Borodinsky today. Oh my,What a wonderful flavor the bread has. It was like a culture shock! I really like the taste of your Borodinsky bread. Although I missed the timing of the one hour bulk fermentation.  One of our chicks has had a impacted crop so that I had to massage and hold  her lower abdomen with my warm hands to break up the stuffed food in her crop. I thought she was going to die.  She finally drunk water all by herself this afternoon.  She is going to be okay hopefully. That was in my mind all day long more than baking.

    She still has a little bump on her crop but she is better.I couldn't find the picture of her having a huge bump on her chest.

Here is the result:

I shouldn't use excess flour like you described...I know nothing about Borodinsky, but I know that yours is mighty tasty!   I am going to bake it tomorrow, again.   I should have waited 24 hours before eating though...but I couldn't wait..  I sliced this bread when it was still warm.

----------------------

Next day:

Again I could not wait for 24 hours. I sliced it when it was cooled. I forgot to mention that I used regular rye flour instead of dark rye flour. I also used a pinch of dry yeast yesterday and today's loaves. On the final dough, I found out that I didn't have enough rye flour for the rye flour.. I used 30g light rye flour to adust the amount of the rye flour. I liked yesterday's .. Today's flavor was weaker than yesterday's.  I am going to get dark rye flour when I go to the organic food store.

I flipped the bread over to cool on the rack.

 This wonderful loaf reminds me of Larry's great rye loaf.  http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/19882/two-ryes-more-variations-hamelman 

Thank you again, Andy

Akiko

 

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi Akiko,

Great first time effort with high rye.   I prefer the panned loaf, from an appearance point.   The crumb is way superior.   But to get the best from rye, I agree you should source Dark Rye, especially to use in your sour.   Colour and flavour are supreme.   But the Light Rye gives better dough structure.

I don't think you'll need the extra yeast either.

Very best wishes

Andy