The Fresh Loaf

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Floydm's picture
Floydm

The latest

10% whole wheat, 10% rye sourdough with a long, cold fermentation outside.

I recently spotted a near-mint condition copy of The Village Baker, which has always been one of my favourite baking books that I've never owned.  I made his cream cheese snails again, which I haven't made in years.

Finally, I found a can of pumpkin puree in the cupboard so I whipped up some pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.

Comments

golgi70's picture
golgi70

those loaves look brilliant.  Love the crumb you got.  And those muffins look like they are gonna be huge.  Giant muffin crowns always remind me of Seinfeld and the muffin tops/stumps episode.

Nice Baking

Josh

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Thanks, Josh!  

Yeah, the muffins were a bit large.  A meal apiece!  

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

David

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Thanks, David!

Bakingmadtoo's picture
Bakingmadtoo

Your bread looks gorgeous. It feels like everyone has been baking today except me. Well, I made cookies, but that doesn't count. I would love The Village Baker too. Keep waiting until I find a secondhand one. It is bound to turn up one day and it is not as if I don't have enough books to be going on with! 

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Thanks!  Yeah, I'd been keeping an eye out for a secondhand copy for probably five years.  Glad I finally found one!

Janetcook's picture
Janetcook

Hi Floyd,

Love the scoring on your loaves.  THe crust colors photographed so nicely.  I am a sucker for a nice loaf of bread.

Interesting that you should post a bake of cream cheese snails….I was just eying my formula for Pain Aux Raisins that someone posted here several years ago.  My son loves them with cream cheese….your photo just might have pushed me into a bake of these sooner rather than later on…

Also, I have held onto a copy of a recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies in my files for awhile but just haven't attempted it out of fear that the pumpkin will taste 'weird' in the mix….Your muffins look delicious so I am wondering if you can tell me how the pumpkin flavors the outcome….or just exactly what adding it does to the final 'product'?

Thanks for the posting of what's happening in your kitchen lately.

Janet

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Thanks!

The flavour? It is pretty pumpkin-y.  Think "pumpkin pie with chocolate."  I've loved the combo ever since I tried a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin at a Great Harvest Bakery near my office at the time.  Everyone else in my house likes them too, for what it's worth.

Janetcook's picture
Janetcook

Thank you for the reply.

As soon as I read your words 'think pumpkin pie with chocolate' I instantly understood the combination and will now proceed with the cookie recipe.  I think I have a Dan Leopard recipe for brownies somewhere too that calls for pumpkin…..a new door has been opened.  Thanks so much!

Janet

Darwin's picture
Darwin

Everything looks great, well done sir!  

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Thank you!

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Nice to have a cold retarder outside in the winter:-) bet that bread was sour too!

Happy baking in 2014 Floyd

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Indeed, I love it (baking on cold days): better baking results and a great way to keep the home warm. 

Skibum's picture
Skibum

Great crumb too! Now the cream cheese snails look like something I am going to have to try. Great baking! Regards, Brian

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Thanks, Brian!

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Great looking loaves and pastry Floyd.  Everything looks just perfect and must taste great.

Regards,
Ian

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Thanks, Ian!

Syd's picture
Syd

Beautiful loaves Floyd.  I am particularly attracted to those boules.  Promises of lots of flavour there.  The snails look delicate and light, too.  

Would you mind if we featured them on the homepage for a bit? :)

Best,

Syd

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Ha! Thanks!

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

bread, muffins and the snails look absolutely delicious too.  

It's been a long time since I've made some CCS.  Your post brings back memories of the snails and I will have to put them up on the list.

Sylvia

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Thanks, Sylvia.  They are good. "Were good," actually, because my family wolfed them all down in 36 hours.

nora sass's picture
nora sass

Your cheesy snails on your kitchen counter top looked within reach from my computer here. I am drooling here, indeed you are forcing me to try these gorgeous looking snails. And so does the rest of your bread, all looking great. Very well done !!! 

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Thanks, Nora!

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Beauties, Floyd! Those SDs are calling my name. Oh, i hope i can bake as much as i need of those for the market.

Cheese snails, hmm.. With some coffee in the morning, brilliant!  

Khalid

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Thanks, Khalid!

Foodzeit's picture
Foodzeit

believe you have not made those cream cheese snails for a long time, they look so good. They remind me of my youth when we had those vanilla pudding glazed snails with a sweet yeast base for the bake... But I would eat them for high tea with a good cup of espresso. 

henryruczynski's picture
henryruczynski

"I would love The Village Baker too. Keep waiting until I find a secondhand one. It is bound to turn up one day"

 

I just came back from Powells books in Portland Oregon and noticed they had four soft cover copies of the Village Baker available - cost of one of these books is about $42.00.

If I'm not mistaken, Powell will ship pretty much anywhere

H

weavershouse's picture
weavershouse

Used hardcover copies of The Village Baker are available at Amazon for about $12.00.