The Fresh Loaf

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tigressbakes bread

tigressbakes's picture
tigressbakes

tigressbakes bread

mill loafmill loaf crumb

 

This is the second bread that I've baked with my white sourdough starter and it is mmm-mmm good!

This is the Mill Loaf that is in Dan Lepard's The Handmade Loaf. Which I might add is a beautiful book!

I must say that I followed this recipe pretty much to the T - and it really worked! I have to work on my shaping and scoring but YUM! And I am very happy with the rise, much higher than my first sourdough attempt. I think that is due to my getting a bit better at shaping. 

It has 60% white, 30% wholewheat, and 10% rye, that is pretty much it, and water at 55% and 2% salt. I did not add the malted grains which were optional. Dan suggested that one could work with any grain flours to fullfill the 40% - as long as 60% was white flour. I did it as the recipe said the first time around. 

What was interesting was the technique of basically kneading the dough for only 10-15 seconds for 5 rounds - and than letting it set for 10 minutes to 1 hour depending on the round. This was actually the series for each round: 10 min, 10 min, 30 min, 1 hr, 1 hr. And then the final proofing for me lasted just bit over 5 hours. Scored and put the loaf in the oven on the preheated stone at 430 - sprayed the top and put a cup of hot water in a pan I had preheating in the oven. And then did 2 more rounds of spray to create steam. The recipe said 50 to 70 minutes. But after 40 it looke done - and interenal temp was 200. (I tried a new oven rack position and unfortunately the rise was so good the top got a little close to the heat source - I think the bottom could have gotten just a tad darker but I was afriad to ruin the beautful top crust).

I would recommend this loaf highly. I lived in Paris for almost 5 years and this bread reminds me of a country loaf that I used to buy at the local bakery.

It is a hearty loaf, quite substantial, but moist and lightly sour. It is VERY good! I am very pleased with myself I must say!

I am hooked more than ever! 

 

Comments

tigressbakes's picture
tigressbakes

my photos always come out so small :-(

Can anyone help?? 

Susan's picture
Susan

Save your photos in 640x480 size. And, in Image Assist, make sure the little box beside Size reads "preview," not "thumbnail."

Hope this does the trick!

Susan

tigressbakes's picture
tigressbakes

I will try that next time-

tigressbakes's picture
tigressbakes

This Bread is even BETTER the next day! I think I found a winner - I am so excited!

Susan's picture
Susan

You have a right to be pleased with yourself! Interesting kneading sequence. I'll have to try that soon.

Susan

browndog's picture
browndog

isn't it something how the dough changes? I made his Saffron bread over Easter, forced myself to follow his technique, and the dough just happened. Pretty amazing. Your bread is lovely, your shaping didn't detract from it at all- that's what character is!  How big is the banneton you used- it looks like a pretty generous loaf.

tigressbakes's picture
tigressbakes

yes, his technique is really interesting  - as a new baker it really hit home that it is less about kneading and more about time.

I cut the recipe in half and the bannaton was rather small - 8 1/2 inches long and 5 3/8 wide. But it did get a lot of spring every which way.