The Fresh Loaf

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Yogi Bakes, Update

Rajan Shankara's picture
Rajan Shankara

Yogi Bakes, Update

It's been a while! Over the past month I have been baking on a regular schedule and trying out a new recipe every bake and just having tons of fun. Let's see if I can quickly recap some breads—all 100% whole wheat sourdough of varying hydrations. 

 

 

85% WW Jalapeno Cheddar and Sun Dried Tomato SD!

 

This bread was so much fun, and awesome tasting. Spicy when you got a pepper!

 

 

100% Hydration WW SD Beer Bread!  Made with all Homemade Belgian Dubbel, no water. 

 

Secret monk technique: The beer and the flour have to sit close together and absorb the essence of the beer into the flour. 

 

I just loved this bread. I have been making a ton of all beer breads without adding water and the flavor is out of sight. Strong, bitter, malty and tangy sour from the SD. I added some seeds to this batch. 

 

 

I think this is rolled oats, high hydration. Beyond that I can't remember!

 

 

Another batch of beer bread, this time with a Homebrew Vienna Ale. So good. No water. 

 

I added toasted nuts and seeds. All of these were ground slightly in an R2 food processor. 

 

Yes, yes. 

 

Pan breads are new to me and a little challenging. Surprisingly enough, when you do all beer breads without water, the dough isn't even that wet or slack after a 2+ hour autolyse. Beer and water are so different. 

 

 

85% WW Fennel Raisin Molasses SD. This recipe, and this bread specifically, was amazing. I can't stress that enough. The crust was so soft and sweet, yet slightly thin and crunchy. The raisin-fennel combo taste like licorice and melt in your mouth. Man o man. 

 

 

100% water-hydrated WW SD with seeds: flax, sesame, pumpkin and rolled oats. Because life. 

This bread was so soft and delicious, unreal. I also did a 5 hour autolyse, really softened the bread up. 

 

I buttered the pans heavily and reaped all of the rewards from that action in the finished product. 

 

80-something% hydration Walnut-Berry SD! I think I used cherries. Been using all kinds of berries lately. The watery ones are so crazy wet they mess up the hydration. But, they are redeemed in flavor and awesomeness in color. 

 

Totally great bread. With melted butter these loaves were gone, just annihilated. 

 

 

Raspberries have been interesting too, the disappear in the flour and just make a color/flavor profile. 

 

 

Aren't these little puff-balls so cute? I don't even know what these are. I think they are some kind of sweet bread with lots and lots of jaggery and honey and milk—all holy things. 

 

 

More cute little puff-balled bread. I was really enjoying the natural no-score look for a while...still am too. These are made with some kind of nut and berry, I wanna say apricots. 

 

Comments

sadkitchenkid's picture
sadkitchenkid

all of these look amazing! the fillings are beautiful. Must've been real tasty. Good job!!

Rajan Shankara's picture
Rajan Shankara

I appreciate the support

PalwithnoovenP's picture
PalwithnoovenP

What goodies you have shared with us. Thanks! You're a home brewer too? Nice!

yozzause's picture
yozzause

Perhaps Yogi could share the pictures of the Brewery set up, its a bit more than a home brewer set up.

 

Rajan Shankara's picture
Rajan Shankara

and sourdough comes in close second. There is something special about fermentation. 

cgmeyer2's picture
cgmeyer2

these are beautiful breads. I'm salivating right now.

claudia

Rajan Shankara's picture
Rajan Shankara

I appreciate the mention!

yozzause's picture
yozzause

Yogi Yogi Yogi You have excelled yourself, your brother monks are not going to let you relinquish your baking post any time soon. I was very pleased to see you have employed the other great product of fermentation and one that you are so well acquainted with being the Monastery brewer too! I don't know why it has taken you so long, but can see and feel your delight in your revelation. You are certainly building a solid base of breads for inclusion in that Monks Baking journal and your photography is illuminating. A good soaking of the flour in the beer also assists in all those whole wheat particles becoming completely hydrated with those brewed flavours. Have you yet tried a Beer Barm where the yeast from the brewing process are used to raise the bread? Coincidently  I bottled a home brew of ginger beer yesterday and saved the dregs from the bottom of the fermenter to use in a bread this weekend, I added flour 100g to about 100ml of ginger beer by-product  and it seems to have rocketed into life, I will feed it again and use it at the rate I would a sour dough culture or indeed a levain. It still retains that lovely ginger aroma at this stage. 

Any way congratulations, thanks for sharing and keep up the good work. kindest regards Derek

 

Rajan Shankara's picture
Rajan Shankara

I have to give credit to my teacher before beginning to reply, as is custom in the Hindu tradition. I couldn't have gotten this far without your insights. 

Ha! You are right, I of course am no longer allowed to not bake! Yesterday there were cries for my newest creations of black bean chocolate brownies, this time with toasted coconut on top. 

Isn't it ironic that the beer bread took so long to get to? Last night after an 8 hour brew session I was able to grow up a levian for using up the spent grains from a Coconut Porter recipe, heavy on the chocolate malts. The dough smells delightful. I also saved some extra wort and used that for hydration instead of water. The dough is sitting in our walk-in fridge now, waiting to be warmed up and workable. The other batch of the session was 20 gallons of a honey Blonde Ale with Citra and Williamette hops. 

I have not yet used my brewing yeast in my bread...looks like I will have to follow your advice. I think I can whip up some liquid yeast and throw it in some dough...but which kind?! I have English, American and Belgian yeast strains. 

 

 

yozzause's picture
yozzause

Just a minor hiccup in the past  that has been well and truely overcome with your great dedication, You are very kind, its nice to see the great improvement in your breads over a relatively short time. keep up the great work.

 

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

Everything looks scrumptious!!!! You have been a very busy bear!

Rajan Shankara's picture
Rajan Shankara

Thanks for the support, Danni, we monks try to stay busy to build willpower and good meditation skills. 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

see your passion for both.  I don't brew as much as used to when I was younger and good beer was hard to find .  Now good beer is pretty easy to get  but good bread still is hard to find.  Matching up both in one bread is killer but to have so many is a treat few non minks can ever get to.  Well done and

Happy baking 

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Beautiful bakes!

Love the cherry walnut loaf.  I have made similar bread in the past and was just thinking a cherry bread would be next since they are in season now.

Thanks for sharing your awesome bakes.

Regards,
Ian

Rajan Shankara's picture
Rajan Shankara

Ian I think cherries exist to be added to yogurt and bread dough, anything else and it misses the potential. 

Thanks for the support

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Ha....Ha...my favorite yogurt!  Just ate one as snack :).  Look forward to your next post.