The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Small weekend baking

odinraider's picture
odinraider

Small weekend baking

Usually, when I bake, I bake. A lot. The more bulk in my fermentation, the better. This weekend, however, I only did two small bakes; some demi baguettes and a couple sandwich loaves. I feel incomplete...

The baguettes were my best yet. Super crisp crust, rich, gelatenous crumb. Superb.

I don't know the thermodynamics behind it in equation format, but whenever I bake two sandwich loaves, they invariably burst toward each other. When I bake a singe loaf, no bursting at all. No other breads that I bake in synchronous multiples has this problem. I think the loaves are too close, and the air between the loaves is cooler than the air on the opposite side, creating a low pressure zone that the bread tries to fill. I wish my over were bigger. Next weekend, I am going to do an experiment. I will bake the two loaves synchronously, but I will alter their position in relation to each other and the oven walls. Sometimes I feel like a mad scientist.

Matt

Comments

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Very nice baking.

-F

odinraider's picture
odinraider

Thanks, Floyd!

foodslut's picture
foodslut

.... don't even feel worth getting the bowls/appliances dirty, no?

Still, nice bake - thanks for sharing.

odinraider's picture
odinraider

Thank you. And I would agree a small bake hardly seems worth the trouble, but I didn't even pull out the mixer for these. I just mixed them in their fermentation tubs and let them sit for a while. Very little cleanup. Next weekend I will do another large bake, and then I will feel aright. Only four more days to go; I had better begin refreshing my starter!

Matt