The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Soft as a Pillow Cream Cheese Porridge Bread

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Soft as a Pillow Cream Cheese Porridge Bread

   This is the softest crumb of any bread I've made to date.  The combination of the porridge, cream cheese and potatoes made this one soft like a "pillow".  The taste was fantastic with the combination of 5 different flours.

If you decide to try this one, make sure to leave the skins on the potatoes when you mash them up.  This really gives some added texture and flavor to the bread.  I left the potatoes chunky on this one and you can see some of the potato chunks of flavorful goodness in the crumb and the crust.

The crumb was also nice and moist and open which is to be expected for this style of porridge bread.

Here are the Zip files for the above BreadStorm files.

Levain Directions

Mix all the levain ingredients together  for about 1 minute and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it sit at room temperature for around 7-8 hours or until the starter has doubled.  I used my proofer set at 83 degrees and it took about 4 hours.  You can use it immediately in the final dough or let it sit in your refrigerator overnight.

Porridge Directions

Add about 3/4's of the water called for in the porridge to the dry ingredients in a small pot set to low and stir constantly until all the water is absorbed.  Add the remainder of the water and keep stirring until you have a nice creamy and soft porridge.    Remove from the heat and let it come to room temperature before adding to the dough.  I put mine in the refrigerator and let it cool quicker.

 Main Dough Procedure

Mix the flours,  and the water together for about 1 minute.  Let the rough dough sit for about 20 minutes to an hour or longer.  Next add the levain, cooled porridge, potatoes, olive oil, cream cheese and salt and mix on low for 5 minutes. Remove the dough from your bowl and place it in a lightly oiled bowl or work surface and do several stretch and folds.  Let it rest covered for 10-15 minutes and then do another stretch and fold.  Let it rest another 10-15 minutes and do one additional stretch and fold.  After a total of 2 hours place your covered bowl in the refrigerator and let it rest for 12 to 24 hours.  (Since I used my proofer I only let the dough sit out for 1.5 hours before refrigerating).

When you are ready to bake remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let it set out at room temperature still covered for 1 to 1.5 hours.  Remove the dough and shape as desired.

The dough will take 1.5 to 2 hours depending on your room temperature and will only rise about 1/3 it's size at most.  Let the dough dictate when it is read to bake not the clock.

Around 45 minutes before ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 550 degrees F. and prepare it for steam.  I have a heavy-duty baking pan on the bottom rack of my oven with 1 baking stone on above the pan and one on the top shelf.  I pour 1 cup of boiling water in the pan right after I place the dough in the oven.

Right before you are ready to put them in the oven, score as desired and then add 1 cup of boiling water to your steam pan or follow your own steam procedure.

After 5 minute lower the temperature to 450 degrees.  Bake for 35-50 minutes until the crust is nice and brown and the internal temperature of the bread is 205 degrees.

Take the bread out of the oven when done and let it cool on a bakers rack before for at least 2 hours before eating.

 

 

Comments

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

I am amazed at the amount of different ingredients you have in there. It must be absolutely scrumptious! I am bookmarking this one! Awesome job!

Isand66's picture
Isand66

I'm glad you like this one.  I hope to see your spin on it soon.  I think you will love how soft the crumb is on this one.

Thanks again for your kind words :).

Happy Baking.

Ian

IceDemeter's picture
IceDemeter

I can't believe just HOW perfect this one is! ;-)

I have spent today randomly pondering on what would be a good "next bread" that my brother-in-law (a white-bread addict) might enjoy.  There was no doubt that one of your porridge loaves was the best bet, but I just wasn't settling on any one direction.  Apparently you were transmitting through that drone in my kitchen, and for no reason that I was aware of, I decided to roast a couple of extra potatoes with dinner.

Now, here I am, relaxing after dinner, open the site and here it is:  the absolute perfect loaf, with the perfect crumb, and no doubt the perfect flavour.  Man, it's nice when I don't have to even go to the effort of fully formulating a thought, and am presented with the end result - with a detailed formula, no less!

Your timing, like your loaves, is impeccable! 

Hope you and yours are staying dry and warm --- and getting some exercise chasing off the squirrels.  Many thanks, and keep baking happy!

Laurie

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Could of sworn I replied but maybe the gremlins ate it :).  Thanks so much for your kind words. I'm so happy my timing was good for a change and that you were able to be inspired to try this one.

Happy Baking!

Ian

suminandi's picture
suminandi

very tender and delicious looking. your experiments with ingredients is very informative. 

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Guess I missed this comment as well.

Glad you liked it.


Regards,
Ian

merlie's picture
merlie

Ian, This looks wonderful and I want to make it .... but although the list of ingredients is easy to understand my brain goes to pieces when I try to understand anything  on the right hand side ! I have even been sitting here with a calculator all to no avail !   But am I beyond help ? Are there others out there with the same problem ? I can make an almost perfect Panettone but cannot understand a bread formular.  Where can I get help ? 

Merlie

 

 

Isand66's picture
Isand66

There are many posts on this site and others about Bakers math.  If you noticed I included 2 charts in the post with one being the percentages and the other being the actual amounts I used.  For the time being you can simply follow the amounts I used chart and not worry about the bakers %'s.  Basically when you do bakers % math everything is taken as a % of the flour with the flour = 100%.  You can put in bakers % in the search box on this site or go to any Search engine.  I use a program I purchased to automatically do the calculations but it helps to have a good understanding of how it works.

merlie's picture
merlie

Hi Ian, thank you for your reply. I am certainly leaving the baker's math for another time . I am ashamed to say that it is the right hand side of the first chart that is causing me problems ! 

Merlie

Isand66's picture
Isand66

just let me know if I can help.

leslieruf's picture
leslieruf

I have bookmarked it. Looks like I will be making a few porridge breads - they just look sooo good.  thanks for posting Ian

happy baking

Leslie

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Appreciate your kind words.  I hope you try it soon.

Regards,

Ian

Yippee's picture
Yippee

Knowing how delicious your breads usually are, I cannot think of any other way to describe this one! Well done!

But I must say you're challenging us to replicate your bread as the list of flours you used is becoming longer and longer! 

Happy Baking! 

Yippee

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Always nice to hear from you and glad you like this one.  I did use a nice selection of flours but you can certainly remove a couple and still get a great bread.

Happy Baking.

ian

sadkitchenkid's picture
sadkitchenkid

these are beautiful! What a nice crumb! All your great posts are making me want to venture into the world of porridge breads

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Appreciate the kind words.  I hope you give a porridge bread a try soon.  They are well worth it.

Regards,
Ian

Lazy Loafer's picture
Lazy Loafer

I am drooling, even without smell-a-vision! That's a big chunk of cream cheese in there, and I can just imagine what it does to the crumb and the aroma of this bread. I think this is one for the family, not for the shop, but definitely bookmarking it.

I'm loving porridge breads, and breads with potatoes (sweet or otherwise); the addition of cheese just ticks another box. :)

Isand66's picture
Isand66

I hope you try this one.  The combo of cream cheese and roasted potatoes really put this one in my top 10 list.

Regards,

ian

CAphyl's picture
CAphyl

Ian:   These look just fantastic.  Wonderful crumb.  I don't think I've made one of your porridge breads in some time, so I am due to get my rolled oats out.  If this in your top ten, it must be REALLY good. This recipe looks well worth the effort. Thanks for sharing.  Best,  Phyllis

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Great to hear from you.  I think you will be happy with this one if you give it a try.  Hope to see your results soon :).

Happy Baking.

Ian

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

to stay out of the auto parts store the day before making bread!  The crust and crumb on this one is especially  nice.  You have not lost your touch for porridge bread!   Lucy send her best to the black and furry ones!  Time to get the lettuce planted the cherry tomatoes are in.  I'm tired of store bought salad

Happy baking Ian

Isand66's picture
Isand66

I'm sure you and Lucy would love this one.  It's pretty healthy with plenty of good stuff and the crumb was soft and creamy.

We've been having weird weather in October.  I was mowing the lawn in shorts and a t-shirt on Sunday and today it was in the 50's and I had to turn the heat on tonight!  Tomorrow back to 70, which is fine with me.  Good luck with the veggies and your new health regime and it greats to see you posting again.

Max, Lexi and the rest of the gang say hi to their Arizona sweetheart.

Truth Serum's picture
Truth Serum

Just curious . Did the bread age well? My own limited experience with porridge bread that it ages well?

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Thanks.

Mine will usually last for at least 1 week and sometimes a little longer as long as it doesn’t get too humid in my house.

Regards,

Ian

MontBaybaker's picture
MontBaybaker

Have never used them, don't know where to buy.  Whole Foods?  I always have their bulk 5-grain flake mix in the freeer (oats, wheat, rye, triticale and barley).  I know the flavor would be different, but could I sub that mix for the oats & rye (maybe add some rye flour), or is it worth hunting down the chops?  Thanks! 

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Rye chops are basically rye berries that are cracked.  If you don't have it, just leave it out or sub oats.  I wouldn't worry about adding rye flour.  Good luck and let me know how your version comes out.

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

That crumb is to die for and it has to be about the best tasting bread around!  Well done and a notch above you normal greatness Ian:-)

Happy holidays Ian

Isand66's picture
Isand66

You actually already commented on this one :).  I'll take it though! 

Happy Holidays to you too.  I'm about to mill some flour to bake something for tomorrow.  I'm thinking a durum rye loaf with beer and some other goodies of course :).