About me and bread making:  I'm at this for about 2 years.  Started with Cook's Illustrated Almost no Knead (beer yumm...), did a bit of Lahey, and a lot of Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day  (Master, Peasant, Rye, Brioche and Challah both of which make amazing babka).  I've done some pretzels, bagels, and lots of pizza to please the kids and have done Pain ancienne a la Reinhart numerous times.  Love BBA and American Pie.  I've used a stand mixer, dough whisk, and bare hands with some  very good results.

Bagels.

Brioche, cinnamon Babka,  and cream cheese Babka made with the same dough from AB5

Chocolate Cinnamon Babka made with AB5 Challah dough.

I'm a bit of a gear head and have a pro sized gas oven.

Currently I am on a baguette kick. My wife bought a food processor for me this Christmas.  I often cook for a crowd and this thin is great.  It's the big WS Cuisinart model and it stays on the counter and I'm trying to use it for everything I possibly can.  I happened across the Van Over recipe in an old Cuisinart manual.  I looked at the recipe and thought the hydration seemed kind of low at 63% but made it anyway.  It was the easiest dough to handle - very tasty, but needed more crackle and more holes.   I added an ounce of water bringing the hydration to about 69%.  I then saw van Over's published recipe online  and noticed that he had made the same change.   I guess I learned from you all…  The bread was good but could be better.  

I just finished a batch of baguettes with this formula adjusted to 72% hydration and have a batch of dough in the fridge at 75%.  

I'm attempting to adapt other baguette techniques to the food processor and I'll put the details in another post (I suppose the artisan forum is appropriate) but my goal is to get a food processor dough with higher hydration and minimal active time and minimal kitchen mess.  And of course improve technique along the way.

This forum has been a constant resource and a fun read.

Thanks.

tordoc

i have recently made 2 breads using a clay pot baker (romertopt). i was inspired by mini oven's post about green earth clay bread bakers.

the first loaf was processed in my welbilt bread maker on the dough cycle.

the 2nd loaf was processed using my food proceesor for the initial mixing/kneading & then following the directions for floydm's 'your first loaf - a primer...'

as you may notice, i have never met a recipe the i didn't want to tweak. i made some additions to the first - whole caraway seed; the second - whole caraway seed, whole flax seed, ground sesame seed, ground flax seed. i also used 1/2 ap flour & 1/2 bread flour.

my husband & i love the flavor & texture of the bread baked in the clay pot cooker. i will attempt to attach pics of each.

thank you floydm & minioven for your recipes & inspiration.

claudia

Does any one use a food processor to make their dough?  I have a recicpe for rye bread(doesn't say to use a food processor) that wants you to MIX, BEAT VERY HARD FOR 3 MIN., And KNEAD FOR 8-10 MIN.  Can the food processor do all this?   I guess I want to know if you can make all doughs using a food processor or just some recipes or do you have to adapt the recipe when using the processor?  I bought a pretty good 14 cup Cuisinart that should be strong enough but not sure when to use it for doughs.  Any one have any ideas?