I have a problem with my bagels coming out inconsistent, namely, some are flat (not desired, in this case) while others are puffy (preferred). I used Peter Reinhart's trusted recipe from the Bread Baker's Apprentice.
Hello Fellow Bread Bakers,
I just baked a loaf of part wheat part white bread using my bread machine to do the mixing and kneading. Then I took the dough out, punched down the air on a lightly floured board, then placed the shaped dough in a loaf pan to rise. It looked beautiful after about 30 minutes. But as soon as I removed the lightweight towel, the dough sank and did not rise again when I placed it in the oven to bake. What do I need to do differently?
Thanks a bunch,
Kathleen
Hi. I am having a bit of a dilemma and wanted to see if anyone has the same problem or if one of the experienced bakers here that I respect so much might be able to diagnose the difficulty.
I have a sourdough starter that I began about 3 months ago. It is 100% hydration. I have been keeping it refrigerated and feeding about weekly according to the instructions I found here – basically discard all but about ¼ cup, feed 1:2:2, allow to rise and then begin to descend, then feed again and use or just refrigerate after the 1st feeding if no use is intended.
I've been making my basic wholewheat ciabatta for years; I can do it on autopilot. Yesterday, my autopilot failed when I was trying to proof bread AND do the laundry. I formed the bread into boules for the last rise and ... forgot about it. Hours later, after the laundry had been folded and put away, I looked into the kitchen and freaked. I baked the "loaves" anyway. They spread out and are 1-1/2 inches high :) They are somewhat coarse, but don't taste at all bad.
I made the Reinhart 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich bread (the first one in the book, I'm pretty sure) and it came out flat like a Ciabatta. I tried to make a Batard, per the instructions, and it just didn't come out. The dough lacked the strength to hold its shape for very long so it flattened out while proofing.
I used a Kitchenaid dough hook to do the mixing. I am thinking that the dough needed to be stretched and folded somewhere in the process, maybe, to build up strength in the dough. Anyone had any experience with this and know where I might be going wrong?
Has anyone ever made anything like the Pretzel-thins at Trader Joes or the old snack, Mr. Phipp's Pretzel chips? I love dipping them in salsa, but I feel like I should be able to make it at home.
I've tried making them by using a preztel recipe and rolling out the dough, but they still puffed up enough that they weren't crunchy. I've also tried a lavash cracker (a la Reinhart) and then put it in a baking soda solution prior to baking, but the results were less than satisfactory.
I have been working with the Cook's Magazine "Almost No Knead" recipe, which seems pretty slick to me. Trouble is, after baking the recipe a number of times, I feel there is an either/or issue resolving hydration vs rise and shape stability. I do my second rise on a parchment sheet lowered into a bowl (boule?) shaped like the rounded loaf I hope for. When the second rise is complete, I remove the parchment sling, slash the loaf, then lower it into the 6 quart dutch oven for baking. The loaf is about an inch less in diameter than the pot.
I did not see a post about this so I thought I would start one. Namely what to do with your bread when it doesn't come out right. Using the strictly technical and professional term, a brick. This would have to be something beyond bread crumbs. Something you would deposit into your compost pile or trash. I'll start off with three ideas of my own. But hopefully we'll get much more and better ideas from the rest of you.
1. Make bread pudding.
2. Make pancakes.
3. Make Pappa al Pomodoro.
Hope someone has the anwser for me. I have trouble with the second rise for my bread when the humidity is high. Usually, the bread seems "flat". It taste fine, but there is not enought height. Are you supposed to use cooler water? If so, what should the temperature be?
Rachael
