Another Simple White Loaf.  I got this from this Japanese website:  http://kneader.jp/recipe/14.  Thanks to Koby.  It was a light,  fluffly bread,  just like those you find in those Japanese Bakery.  I doubled the recipe here.

What I find interesting is the method:  1.  The Biga Mix -  it includes sugar first.  its quite a high content of yeast,  I probably would like to try a little less instant yeast.  This only requires 10 minutes although I extended it to 30 mins because of the temperature here.  2.  The baking -  3 different degrees within the span of 35 mins baking time.  Here's the details in this site:  https://sites.google.com/a/jlohcook.com/jennycook/latest-postings/simplewhiteloaf

What do you think of this method?

After a year trying to make something like the bread you buy at the baker's I had given up.

I use a bread maker to produce dough then bake in the oven as the results are better, but I still end up with very dense bread even if I let the dough rise for an hour after the machine has finished.

Anyway, today I made dough and had to go out just after the machine had finished. Before I left I took out the dough, punched it down and put it into my baking pan then left it outside in the spring sunshine covered with a damp cloth. Three hours later when I got back I baked the massive lump of dough hanging out of the pan.

The result was the best bread I have ever baked. It was light and airy I couldn't believe the contrast with my previous results.

So my advice is to wait. Punch the bread down after the first hour of rise then wait another three!

Yeah I know, it's a long time but worth it.

I made a version of Susan's Norwich Sourdough

http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/07/08/my-new-favorite-sourdough/

with a variation of a higher percentage of starter:

400g white (very strong) rather than 450g
60g light rye
250g warm water rather than 300g
280g starter (mix white & rye) rather than 180g
10g salt
(i.e. same percentages flour and water if you take starter at 100% into account)

1 hour autolyse without salt, 3 S&F at 30min intervals, added salt, S&F to medium windowpane.  Left for an hour, S&F then left for 30m.  Did a rough shape then left for 30m.  Shaped thoroughly then proved (on flat tray) for 2.5 hours (around 21C) - it rose a lot!

Oven was at at least 260C (with tray of boiling water) + sprayed - 5mins at this, turned down to 250C (NB fan oven) for 5m.  It was getting very brown so took out tray of water and turned down to 200C for 10mins, then 180C for 20mins, finally 160C for 5mins. (45m total)

It is a good looking loaf, however - the crumb tasted very light and fluffy, whereas I prefer a more chewy crumb.  In addition, although the crust is dark, it is quite soft (day 2 as well).

Recommendations please - what should I do to get somewhat chewier crumb?  What should I do to get a crispier crust?

Many thanks!
Sali

So in a recent thread I posted a recipe that I based on a bread someone had seen on TV. I just did my best guess, based on provided ingredients and my own experience. 

I figured I should post the results, because it was mostly theoretical, but I believed it would work. The goal was yeasty, soft, fluffy bread, and use of a preferment. 

Here's the recipe, makes eight (8) 92g rolls/buns, or one good-sized loaf of bread...hence BreadBuns!

• 100% hydration starter (sourdough or not) 100g (26.50%)
• All purpose flour 375g (100%)
• Water 218g (58%)
• Brown sugar 38g (10%)
• Salt 10g (2.65%)
• Yeast (instant) 12g (3.30%)
• Melted butter 26g (7%)
• FINAL DOUGH WEIGHT (g) 778g

First, make a 100% hydration starter with 50g flour, 50g water and a pinch of yeast, mix, cover and leave at room temp for at least 6 hrs (or use some existing sourdough starter). In this case, I used some starter that I had around. 

Combine starter with remaining ingredients. This is after 1 minute of mixing at low speed. 

Mix with dough hook for 6 minutes total at KitchenAid speed #2 (low speed); this is the end result: soft, supple, quite smooth and satiny. 

Flatten, then roll into log and/or shape into ball and let rise for 1 hr in warm place, covered. 

Shaped and ready for rising...

In the bucket, ready to rise

After a 1 hour rise, it's doubled.

I decided to shape into 92g rolls, placed in a greased 9x13 pyrex dish:

Cover and let them rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, til doubled. Preheat oven to 400F

Bake for 23 minutes at 350F on middle oven rack.

Here's how they look after 10 minutes, just starting to get a hint of browning.

After the full 23 minutes, they're looking nice and brown. 

Remove from oven, carefully remove from pan and let cool on rack about 10 minutes before devouring. 

Crust and crumb are soft, light, tender and fluffy as expected. I think they could use a bit more brown sugar though, a touch more sweetness for this kind of bread. 

I like to store these in a Ziploc plastic bag to maintain that fluffy softness. Enjoy!

Everyone wants to make the perfect challah. It's easier than you think. Try this recipe:

Perfect Challah with Sweet Crumble Topping

I make them in twisted rolls and bake them in a 12 cup muffin tray and they come out shaped well and with great height. You cannot eat just a bite so make a lot of them!

Makes 32 rolls

Topping:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
16 - 19 tablespoons oil
Mix flour and sugar. Add oil (start with 16 tablespoons) and add until consistency is crumbly.

Challah Dough
5 lbs sifted flour (sometimes need to add 2 or 3 more cups)
1 cup sugar
4 packets RAPID RISE yeast
2 tablespoons salt
3 eggs
5 cups warm water
1/2 cup oil

Put 5 cups of flour in mixer. Add yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix in water, oil and eggs. Mix until well combined and it has no lumps. Add remaining flour one cup at a time. Knead in the mixer for 12 minutes.

Let dough sit in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The dough should have at least doubled in size. Punch down dough and braid into loaves or use a few pieces and knot for rolls. Place in challah pans or in large muffin cups. Let rise 45 more minutes. Sprinkle generously with crumble topping. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

For more great challah recipes, check out www.gourmetkoshercooking.com 

We have a local bakery called FlavorField in Taibei, Taiwan that used to make a nice light, fluffy white bread with figs and walnuts, nothing at all like the dense, sweet loaves I see when I search for fig bread recipes. These are small, golden brown batards, lightly dusted in spots with flour, a soft crust, cream-colored fine crumb which is chewy, not sweet, and then a sprinkling of chopped figs with a few walnuts. It keeps well for a few days, but does not taste rich. Very nice with coffee in the morning or as a light snack.

They have now stopped making it.

I wonder whether anyone can recommend a recipe for something like this; I've searched, and most fig bread recipes seem too rich and heavy. I've never made a light fluffy white bread of any kind, so a push in the right direction would be appreciated.