The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

levain

Eli's picture
Eli

I have been busy with everything but  baking. So last night I started refreshing my motherdough from the fridge. It sits there paitienly and I eventually get around to it once every two weeks. I decided to use it insted of my counter-intelligent sourdough starter I keep for weekly baking at 166%.

I tore off about 50 grams of motherdough. I used a simple formula of ( I made a really small amount) Which is a variation from Janedo's Monge recipe which I have come to love. Thanks Jane!!

250 grams Hi Gluten Flour

175 grams of water

50  grams motherdough

5 grams salt

Combined the water and flour and allowed to autlyse 20 minutes. Added motherdough and kneaded about 5-8 minutes. Allowed a 10 minute rest and then added salt till evenly distributed. Allowed to bulk rise for 4 hours. Placed in a couche and off to the fridge. Took it out this morning and gave it about 3 hours to warm up and rise. Slashed and placed in a 500 degree humid oven for 30 minutes.

I normally do not use the motherdough. It is regarded as a back-up and safety net. It smells so sweet as if made with a good wine. Made only of flour and water back in January.

I noticed several things after the bake. The color is much more of a caramel color and seems to be thinner but crispier. The crumb seems to be somewhat more open. The taste still has a sour flavor but more of a caramel taste and then a sour finish. I may switch to this method and practice a little more. I like the results.

Eli

Does anyone use primarily a dough for the starter?

Motherdough Batard

Motherdough Closeup

Motherdough Crumb

MommaT's picture

Genzano Country Bread: Leader's "Local Breads"

August 27, 2008 - 1:08pm -- MommaT

Well, after my last experience with the flat whole wheat struan(s), I decided to take a momentary break from whole grains and build my confidence back up by trying something completely different.  I've always had good luck with Leader's breads and so borrowed "Local Breads" from the library.  Am I glad I did!

 I used some of my existing bubbling chef (Leader's recipe from Bread Alone) to create the biga naturalle used in the Genzano Country Bread recipe. Not only did the fermentation take off beautifully, but the loaf is my best to-date.   

proth5's picture
proth5

No wait, strike that – reverse it.

 

Summer is here and it’s too hot to fire up the oven which makes it a perfect time to take the electric griddle outside and make English muffins.

 

The problem, of course, is getting those great nooks and crannies.  My old formula and technique got me plenty of little holes in the muffins, but not those great nooks and crannies (well, the little holes caught the melting butter, but still, the drive for “just a little better” is strong.)

 

So I thought about both my formula and my technique.

 

I was using an adaptation of the King Arthur “English Tea Cakes” recipe which calls for beating the dough for 5 minutes in a mixer.  I thought about “Batter Whipped” bread and how beating the dough caused its fine texture.  Then I thought about baguettes.

 

Well, English – French, different, but in the end – all European.  So I thought I would adapt my baguette technique for my English Muffins.

 

I use King Arthur All Purpose flour.

Makes about 6 

The formula:

 

Levain Build

Starter    .65 oz (100% hydration)

Flour      .95 oz

Water     .95 oz

 

Let ripen overnight.

 

Final Mix

All of the levain build

Flour                9.25 oz

Salt                   .16 oz

Dry Milk         1.25 oz

Sugar                .55 oz

Vegetable oil    .55 oz

Water              9.25 oz

 

Mix to a loose batter.  Four times at 30 minute intervals, stir 30 strokes with a spoon or spatula.

 

Let rise until domed and bubbly.  Do not let it collapse.  This particular batch took about 3 hours at this phase.

 

Baked in greased muffing rings on a lightly greased griddle at 325F.  8-9 mins per side.

 

The results. 

(I'm no photographer - that's for sure...) 

Finally the nooks…

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

I made the Multi-grain levain from Hamelman's "Bread" for the first time about 6 weeks ago on Fleur-d-Liz's strong recommendation. I found it very good, but it didn't blow my socks off. Strangely, it developed a more delicious flavor after having been frozen and thawed. I thought the many flavors of the grains and seeds melded.

 Well, I made this bread for the third time this morning. I did two things differently: The first was that I gave it an overnight cold retardation. The second was that I tried a new oven trick. I steamed the oven (using Peter Reinhart's method), as usual, except, this time, I removed the cast iron skillet with water after 5 minutes and switched the oven to convection baking with the temperature lowered 20 degrees.

 The bread had a really carmelized, crunchy crust and the flavor was ... well, I can't think of a better word than the one Hamelman used ... delectable.

 Liz, now I get it. This is a fabulous bread! It has definitely made my favorites list.

 

Hamelman's Multi-grain levain

Hamelman's Multi-grain levain

BTW, the really dark loaf up front is the one we ate with dinner. That very dark crust had a marvelous taste.

Hamelman's Multi-grain levain - Crumb

Hamelman's Multi-grain levain - Crumb

David

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