The Fresh Loaf

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My daily bread

Skibum's picture
Skibum

My daily bread

Greetings Fresh Loaf friends. I continue to bake every week but have been negligent in posting my results. This is my weekly sandwich loaf:

I have been making this recipe for a year now and have it dialed. I am also fortunate to be able to buy the best bread flour from my local bakery. Boy does great flour EVER make a difference. I also use a sweet levain at 100% hydration. This is essentially a sourdough starter that isn't sour, hence sweet levain.

Here is the recipe:

445 grams fine bread flour

250 grams whole milk scalded and cooled

85 grams sweet levain starter

11/2 tsp active dry yeast

58  grams honey -- boy did the wildflower honey EVER kick up the flavour!!!!!

3/4 tsp salt

50 grams melted butter

2 egg beaten

After mixing and developing the dough, I let it bulk ferment for about two hours. I then pre-shaped and shaped a pan loaf, let rise for about two hours, then egg washed and scored.

The loaf baked for 18 minutes at 375F with steam and an additional 20 minutes with no steam.

Best sandwich bread I have ever baked. Try it you'll like it!

Happy baking. Ski

Comments

WatertownNewbie's picture
WatertownNewbie

That looks like a winner.  Does it stay fresh for an entire week?  I find that anytime I use a commercial yeast (instant dry for me, active dry in your case) in addition to a sourdough starter the bread is good for maybe three or four days, but not beyond that.  Of course, the bread is usually consumed by then anyway! ;) 

Skibum's picture
Skibum

I cut the loaf in half and slice what I need for the day's sandwich. The rest is double bagged and into the freezer. When I need a fresh slice, I pull out one of the frozen half loafs, nuke it for 30 seconds and my very sharp bread knife can slice off a couple of sany slices. The remaining loaf goes back into the freezer.

So yes, when you freeze it and use it as necessary, it stays fresh for at least a wek.

Happy baking! Ski

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

I recently put wild flower honey in one of my breads so I know how it really enhances the flavour! Your loaf is fantastic!

Skibum's picture
Skibum

The wildflower honey vs regular grocery store honey is not an even comparison. The wildflower honey I have sourced is delicious! It really adds a nice subtle flavour not to the bread.

Happy Baking! Ski

Truth Serum's picture
Truth Serum

When you say fine bread flour can you give us any more details?As for  the honey , Just like the flour it makes all the  a difference!

Skibum's picture
Skibum

Sorry I should have said strong bread flour. I buy my flour here in Golden, BC from the owner and baker at our local bakery for $25 for 20 kilos. Darren's family bakery business has been buying the same hard wheat flour sourced from a particular mill in southern Alberta for 50 years. Though the BakeMark distributor is the same as the flour I was buying in Canmore, this flour is just better. You can feel it working the dough and taste the results! The difference between this high grade, pro bakery grade flour and what I would be buying in the grocery store is night and day. NO comparison!

Happy baking! Ski

Cedarmountain's picture
Cedarmountain

Ski, there's an organic grain source fairly close to you, Fieldstone Organics, https://www.fieldstoneorganics.ca/index.php, located in Armstrong BC.  They have a broad selection of various grains and seeds, all non-GMO and organically grown. If you have a mill you might want to try using some of their products in your next bake.  I have been purchasing grain and seeds from them for years and have not been disappointed with any of their products.

 

alfanso's picture
alfanso

If that's what you make on a regular basis, keep a scale handy for yourself to step on.  It looks great, as does the formula.

alan

Skibum's picture
Skibum

Fortunately, I am blessed with an active metabolism so every day I get on the scale I weigh the same. One of these days, I may get brave and try the baguettes again that you do so beautifully. My scoring on the sanny loaf is going good and getting better. Just refreshing the starter today, so I bake again in two days. Need another sandwich loaf, but I think I will do a lean loaf and see wht happens.

Happy baking! Ski

Cedarmountain's picture
Cedarmountain

That's a fine looking sandwich bread Ski...it would be great bread for making French toast too. Wondering if you have tried using this dough to make donuts, it's very similar to the recipe I just used?

Skibum's picture
Skibum

It would be great for French toast and you just gave me a great idea for tomorrow's breakfast! Doughnuts with this dough? No, I have never thought about that, but it is an intriguing idea.

Happy baking! Ski