Something new - for me anyway. Woohooooo!

For once it has worked!  Yesterday's baking was to use up the frozen Forkish 80% levain from 30 April.  I made Field Blend #1 and his Bran encrusted levain bread (but I forgot to line proofing container with bran!!).  

Started on Wednesday, removing frozen 80% levain from freezer and left it to defrost.  That evening it was showing activity but 'cause I was scared, I refrigerated it overnight.  Left to warm up on bench for the morning.  It is winter here and bench temperature (with sunshine) went up to around 20oC.  Mixed both recipes during the afternoon and just did his normal S&F 4 times in 2.5 hours before leaving it to double.  Watched the SFBI video on shaping high hydration loaves and although not perfect was happier with my shaping.  Into the fridge overnight. 

This morning's task was to bake!  Bran encrusted :( was up first and was ok in DO.  

Then I baked the Field Blend #1.  WOW! Finally it bloomed and I had an ear! I am ecstatic! not sure if I can do it another time but today it worked on loaf straight out of fridge.  Last up were the 2 boules, 1 for each recipe and these were baked together just with steam.  Hey presto! another ear!  

We devoured the boule at lunchtime!  yum yum,!

Was a bit worried it would be too sour given the levain had been frozen, long bench bulk fermentation followed by overnight retard,, but it was really really nice.

Still need to work on the shaping, but maybe it is getting there.  I am thrilled to have achieved an ear twice in one day!

Leslie