The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

take 2 - Sesame Semolina Couronne

alfanso's picture
alfanso

take 2 - Sesame Semolina Couronne

Yesterday's bake was a dry run to see what's what.  Today corrections were made, and hopefully for the better.  This time I used a spring pan which had a slightly wider base than the Angel Food pan, and also employed a small bowl in the center in order to enlarge the hole in the crown.

Otherwise everything else was business as usual.  And although this didn't get quite the loft and open score of yesterday's bake, some of the loft issue may be related to the crown being a little wider in diameter.  I think that overall I'm more pleased with the look of this one.  

1250g x 1 corona

Comments

IceDemeter's picture
IceDemeter

looks better in the photos --- the scoring yesterday was really impressive, but this one looks more "deliberate", you know?

The bowl in the middle was a good option - so that you didn't have to waste time on early bathing!  Actually, though, I'm a bit saddened that you still went with this shaping option, since I was looking forward to your account of rolling that beast out and twisting it together a-la-bagel...  Now THAT would make an awesome YouTube video!

Both bakes are still impressive, and I'm sure will impress those lucky neighbours with the flavour and presentation!  It's going to taste great with the torta di riso, cheese, and limoncello and will be a fitting accompaniment for the good company and good conversation.

Thanks for sharing another great bake - and have a great time with your friends!

alfanso's picture
alfanso

Not for a bagel type of shape, but rather for one gigantic gros baguette.  infrequently I've made what I call gros baguettes which have a hefty girth to them.  But what about a monster version where the entire 1250g or whatever are rolled into one huge vicious mass of baguette/batard to take over the world.  Or least the oven?

In Manhattan an Italian Deli, Manganero's, was famous for their 6 foot hero bread sandwich.  Maybe the "alfanso's" is not far behind. 

thanks, alan

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Nice looking bake Alan.  Well done.  I have not made one of these in a while and yours looks great.

Happy Baking!

Ian

alfanso's picture
alfanso

I figured as I hand't done it before it seemed like a good "project".  Pretty simple actually.  If/when I do it again with a pain au levain type of dough, I should probably gently pre-shape the bulk before putting the hole into it.  As it was, I just took the bulk and went right for the hole puncture.  A rookie mistake, if a mistake at all. 

alan

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

and interesting shape when it comes to bread.  I would expect to see these on a rod hanging fro the wall of an Italian Bakery in Puglia right next to the hanging provolone and sausages.  It had to be a nice break from the baguette shaping. 

Happy baking Aplqmn

alfanso's picture
alfanso

as a gopher at the factory where my father worked in the Manhattan garment district.  There was a great Italian deli nearby the old classic Penn Station where a lot of the workers and conductors from the rail lines would pick up food.  Salumeria Biellese, https://www.sbdeli.net/about-us.html on the corner of 8th Ave. and 28th st., and mere blocks from 150 W 30th where I was situated.  This place, at that time, was the real deal with the meats & cheeses hanging on hooks and monster cheese wheels on burlap stacked up on the floor.  The smell was intoxicating.

The coolest thing about the place was that they took orders for sandwiches based on price.  So I could go in and get a genoa salami and provolone hero. for example, for 60 cents, or 70 cents, or...  Pretty unique as I can't recall any other place that would do that.

Thanks, Aplqmn (must have been drinking the limoncello!)

 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

tend to drink it.  I put the skins on grain for 1 full year with 3 times the skins required and then let it age for another year after adding the sugar water.  Best thing ever sitting next t the pool in the summer.  I ,ox it 5 /50 witj diet squirt.  Just killer....

alfanso's picture
alfanso

We had dinner recently in an Italian restaurant and the waiter brought over a pair of complimentary glasses of it for us with dessert.  When I mentioned that I had tried once at home and failed miserably, he said that the floor manager makes the limoncello for the restaurant and he'd send him over to explain how he does it.  And so he did.  Very gracious of them since this was a top of the line once-a-year kind of place that we dined at.  He sat down and explained and wrote it all down for me and said that he does it in three or four days, start to finish.  The next day I bought a fifth of Everclear and was on my way, and by the end of week it was ready.  No year-long wait around here.

And yes, I agree, if you make your own you and to drink it.  A happy thing if you ask me! 

PalwithnoovenP's picture
PalwithnoovenP

Very beautifully done! It would easily attract the attention of any customer when displayed in a bakery.

alfanso's picture
alfanso

It is actually pretty easy to make, and I already see where a simple improvement can be made for next time - I didn't pre-shape the dough.  Instead I just dropped it out of the bowl it was bulk retarding in and punched a hole in the center.  I'd guess that the gentle pre-shaping would help with the final product.  (almost) always a next time....  

Now the problem will be to figure out how to slip it onto a shelf in the local bakery without the baker noticing ;-)

alan