The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Nutty bread...

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

Nutty bread...

A friend has a walnut tree and gave me some walnuts...So when I looked at my Tartine 1 book again there was a basic recipe similar to my usual 1:4:5 with 100g WW and the rest strong white flour and 100g leaven...

So I followed the advice and toasted the walnuts in the oven which gave them an amazing flavour and surprised I had any left to bake with...

I then followed a bit the @fullproofbaking route and after 30min one coil fold and then lamination after 1.5 hours in bulk and added the walnuts...Then 2 X hourly coil folds and then left alone for 1 hour or more until nicely risen but not too proofy....

No pre-shape and as only two loaves just divided and straight shaping and into bannetons. I left them ambient proof for 25 min and then into 4C wine cooler over night....

I just loooooove the taste and the second one went to my friend with the tree!

Now, there is an interesting discussion going on about whether to pre-shape or not and triggered posts on IG after a talk by Ian Lowe at the UK Grain Lab event in UK. So, this is what I tried as the dough was strong enough, I thought and kind of the right shape to go into final shaping....need to look more into this....   Kat

Comments

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Im surprised you didn't get more blue/purple color coming through from the walnuts.  I love walnut breads and your crumb looks great.

Regards,

Ina

 

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

there is a bit of blue and purple and I was not ready for that and first a bit shocked...

I used all the nuts that I had and next time might even go for more...They taste amazing in the bread with cheese in particular! Kat

Edo Bread's picture
Edo Bread

Those look great

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

new territory with the walnuts so a pleasant surprise when I cut the loaves! :D Kat

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

I love the purple leaching from walnuts. When you get enough in thee, it looks like a water colour. I also love the crumb you got on that. Amazing really!

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

and had to do another one which I will bake tomorrow....now 'water colour' pattern sounds amazing and was not what I've expected... Kat

pul's picture
pul

Nice fall baking and beautiful crumb

 P.S.:I have not pre-shaped any of my loaves in ages

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

and probably also depends on type of dough as well as dividing....I cannot judge the correct amount of dough at all.... Kat

Abe's picture
Abe (not verified)

And that is a really lovely crumb. And do you mean to tell me there is a thought that dough doesn't need a pre-shape? Please tell...

Lovely as always Kat.

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

and it is just something that I came across when I saw a post on IG from a baker called Ian Lowe with regards to shaping without pre-shape and an interesting discussion on it in the comments....

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpIBxB6BZl7/

This is a shaping method that I also was shown for batards at the one day baking course in Suffolk/Norfolk with proofing on the couche so it kind of 

caught my interest...as I don't have enough space in the wine cooler, if I go beyond 5 loaves and proofing en couche was looking as an interesting option and I really like that type of batard shape  you get....

Then another baker https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp_tcosnuXo/ posted about no pre-shape after a talk that Ian  Lowe held at the recent UK Grain Lab event.

If you are interested I have a link to a file from a baker that recorded the talk and a lot of amazing science that I still find hard to comprehend as science is not my strongest area...

So, I am experimenting with no pre-shape but that depends on the dough, how many loaves I am baking as dividing without a pre-shape can be tricky for me...

Happy baking... Kat

 

DesigningWoman's picture
DesigningWoman

What a yummy-looking loaf!

I know what you mean about having enough walnuts to put in the dough, I run into that problem often :-P

I hear you about the preshape, been wondering the same thing myself. But I keep forgetting I want to make batards and shape rounds before I remember :-D

Congratulations and enjoy the bread!

Carole

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

and have more loaves in the wine cooler to bake as the walnuts were just addictive! If you are curious about the pre-shape have a look at the links that I included in my response to Abe..interesting thoughts and discussion.... Is it cold in France now? Getting more chilly by the day here... a bientot....

.. Kat

DesigningWoman's picture
DesigningWoman

Really interesting stuff, especially if you add to it the video from EIDB, where one 'preshape' is flattening out the dough and folding it over itself for a final proofing en planche or en couche, and then dividing it into batards before loading ... or the other technique where he just cuts the proofed dough and puts it in the oven. 

Yes, getting to feel very much like autumn here, today was chilly, gray and wet. And I hate that night comes so much earlier. I'm ready for spring!

Walnuts are addictive -- and very healthy. I have a big bag of shelled walnuts that I'm trying to forget about until it's time to bake! It looks like the 1.4.5 ratio is your sweet spot. That crumb is great.

Happy baking.

Carole 

 

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

and that walnut bread is addictive...I baked it again today and the lamination approach with a longer, slow bulk and no pre-shape seems to do the trick...

I just love the taste... Kat

DesigningWoman's picture
DesigningWoman

Never, in a jillion years, will I ever be able to produce a loaf like that. Not one. And you do five in one bake! 

Well, it's something to aspire to, if I don't get discouraged first ?. 

Lovely bake. Enjoy it.

Carole

BTW, I was at my health food shop earlier and they have an ancient spelt flour called oberkülmer. Do you know what that is?

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

are too kind and it is just practise and with that the bread will get better....I still have bread with no ears or not shaped properly or this or......

But with practice progress slowly comes and don't we always get to eat great bread and have great company to share the tales about it here.....:D Kat

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

I never heard of the Oberkülmer   spelt flour and looks like it is an heirlom spelt flour grown organically in States..... https://shagbarkmill.com/products/oberkulmer-spelt-products/

Intriguing.....sounds like some great spelt flour which would be Dinkel in Germany...

You could use it with a Champlain combined with some rye and white flour...  Kat

 

 

DesigningWoman's picture
DesigningWoman

In the grand scheme of things, I'm usually satisfied these days with my bread; the crumb tends to be nice, but never as open as yours, moist and tender/chewy. Crust is usually thin and crisp enough. Taste is always good. It really is just the rise that I need to get a handle on. A bit more experimentation and experience, and maybe I'll get there ?

Thanks for the info about the special spelt. It's supposedly locally grown, but there was nothing on the bag about whether it was whole grain or not.

I still have a bag of organic stone-ground spelt that I bought during summer holidays. It doesn't have any bits in it, so I guess that one is sifted. Would it make a big difference to use it on recipes that call for whole spelt?

My colleague grew up in Germany and Denmark, and I would love to surprise her one of these days with a dinkelbrot. I think Hanseata has a couple of recipes on here or on her blog.

Keep up the good work. I'm building a starter now for another bake tomorrow.

Hab einen schönen Abend! ?

Filomatic's picture
Filomatic

Great work, really impressive.

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

I wonder whether I get the crumb due to following the process of a longer slower bulk at 74F combined with lamination when I add the walnuts and then some gentle S &Fs and leaving the dough alone for hte last 1 or 2 hours... Then a straight pre-shape and I have used stitching as otherwise difficult to get the right shape without the pre-shape...

All fun experimenting... Kat

Elsie_iu's picture
Elsie_iu

I'm not just referring to the beautifully open and lacy crumb but the pastel blue and purple streaks running through the bread as well :)

Walnuts go utterly well with bread, especially that with red wheat. I found the sweetness of red wheat neutralizes the hint of bitterness walnuts have.

Adding toasted nuts must have brought your already delicious bread to another level!

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

I wish I would get some of the American flours here as I would love to use 'red wheat'...I probably could try to get some sweetness using Kamut/Khorasan flour and that should

be interesting with the walnuts...The flour is used for this loaf was just 10% WW and the rest strong White...It is amazing how just the addition of the walnuts changes the colour....I am intrigued as I baked the same flour combination and it did not get those amazing colours... Some room for thought... Kat

Cedarmountain's picture
Cedarmountain

Your bread is beautiful and looks as good as anything from Tartine 1 or 3!  I really like the nice open crumb with the chunks of walnuts surrounded by the faint purple hue. And your loaves have a very Tartine look to them, very rustic and "artisanal" (that's using the word as a complement Kat!), they came out of the oven looking great, very well done.

Cedarmountain's picture
Cedarmountain

Your bread is beautiful and looks as good as anything from Tartine 1 or 3!  I really like the nice open crumb with the chunks of walnuts surrounded by the faint purple hue. And your loaves have a very Tartine look to them, very rustic and "artisanal" (that's using the word as a complement Kat!), they came out of the oven looking great, very well done.

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

know what quite to say about your kind praise....it does mean a lot...(and don't worry about duplication as a joy to read twice!!!!!)

Now, I spotted the photo of an amazing looking loaf with your name on it just now and shall have a look straight away!   Kat

Cedarmountain's picture
Cedarmountain

Double posted comment...not sure why, sorry about that

Solano's picture
Solano

I loved these breads, so amazing! Very nice crumb, so open, you are doing great! 

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

long time no bread post from you? I love this walnut bread and bought 2 kilos of nuts last week. Just visiting family in Germany and also found all sorts of goodies such as Rye flakes and also rye berries to try sprouting next.... never have done that. I also got some Swiss Ruchmehl which I don't know much about but wanted to give a go....can't wait to get the starter out of the fridge tonight!!!!!  Kat

 

Solano's picture
Solano

Hi, Kat. I'm reading more than baking these days, having a lot of trouble with my doughs, it's really hot here now, maybe that is the problem, I don't know, but just got Trevor's book and I am enjoying it a lot. My doughs are impossible to shape, I was guessing it was a case of overproofing, because of the hot days, but now I imagine if it is not a underproofing problem, time and reading will tell.

I would love to use some walnuts and other stuff on my breads, but I don't feel confortbly to use anything while I am not able to produce simple white bread consistently. Probably I will make only white bread for my whole life hahaha

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

They have to taste great.as well.  Lucy has a Sneaky Phil take on roasting walnuts in the oven to get even more purple color and flavor.  She brushes on walnut oil on both sides of the nuts after they are almost done roasting so the oil doesn't get a chance to burn and then finishes them off. Sometimes she brushes them again when they come out of the oven.  As another side, if you make some extra, you can then roll them in a brown sugar, salt and cinnamon mix to make a snack or bush then with maple syrup instead of another coating of walnut oil when they come out and do the roll.   Phil walnut tip was great but PiPs doesn't post from Australia anymore - His bread and posts were amazing. just like this bread.

Very nice indeed Salty

not.a.crumb.left's picture
not.a.crumb.left

and I will end up eating even more walnuts...I always roast more walnuts than needed as they get decimated in the process by people eating them before they end up in the bread! So bought 2 kilos last week!

I love those beautiful posts from PiP and as it turns out I saw in an old version of a post somewhere that he is friends with another great baker posting @apieceofbread on IG and he is a baker in Tasmania. So many amazing and inspiring bakers around the globe and such a small world....

So I keep baking aiming to learn more...and eating more bread..... Kat