The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

First Bake with the New Flour (Sperry Organic Bread Flour)

sourdoughpod's picture
sourdoughpod

First Bake with the New Flour (Sperry Organic Bread Flour)

Thought I'd share some pictures of my first bake with the Sperry Organic Bread Flour I recently purchased. I bought a 50 lb. bag (for $37) so I was really hoping it made some good bread. I am really happy with how these loaves came out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a couple disappointing attempts at batards and baguettes, I thought I'd go back to my old faithful banneton/brotform (difference?). 

I have had the most success, thus far, with a recipe from a website called "The Perfect Loaf" by a guy named Maurizio.  These loaves were made using his "My Best Sourdough Recipe" and I couldn't be happier with how they turned out with this new flour. 

The only adjustments to his recipe I made were (obviously) the flours (I used the Sperry Organic Bread Flour and KA whole wheat in place of his recommendation), water temp (I just used room temp, not 90 F), and final bake temperature. I baked in a cast iron dutch oven, lid on for 20 mins at 475 F, then lid off for another 25 mins. Probably very minimal effect.

 

Anybody else used this flour? Opinions? 

Anybody else familiar with Maurizio's site "The Perfect Loaf?" Is there another recipe of his I should try?

I appreciate your thoughts/advice! 

Best, 
Mike

 

Comments

KathyF's picture
KathyF

Those are some gorgeous loaves of bread! I am going to have to check out that site.

sourdoughpod's picture
sourdoughpod

Thanks kathyf, these were definitely some of my prettier loaves! Yes, definitely check out The Perfect Loaf. He has a lot of great recipes. 

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Hi, Mike.

Nice to have you here!

First, I have not used that Sperry flour. Your loaves certainly do look very nice.

Second, in answer to you question about proofing baskets (just to confuse matters by introducing another term), "Banneton" is a French term for baskets, generally woven from thin willow branches and lined with un-bleached linen and used to proof loaves. "Brotformen" (plural of "brotform") is a German term for bowls made of coiled cane and used to proof loaves. Brotformen are customarily floured inside to prevent dough sticking, but they are sometimes lined in a manner similar to bannetons.

Third, while I was not previously familiar with "The Perfect Loaf" web site, it is rather nice. I was initially confused, because the site has a very similar name to a very fine book by Sam Fromartz (who is also a member of TFL). I highly recommend Sam's book, by the way. Here's a link to it: In Search of the Perfect Loaf: A Home Baker's Odyssey: Samuel ...

Happy baking!

David

Trevor J Wilson's picture
Trevor J Wilson

Sam's book is a great read! Insightful and entertaining. I highly recommend it. 

Trevor

sourdoughpod's picture
sourdoughpod

thank you for the clarification, David. I always appreciate a little etymology. I have been using a brotform and will call it by its proper name from here on out! 

Per your third point, I will have to see if I can find it at the library (I don't think my wife would support the purchase of a bread book!) As far as the similarity to Maurizio's website is concerned... I'd guess that is a unifying trait for most of us... we're all on a quest for the perfect loaf! 

Speaking of etymology, maybe you could answer a "San Joaquin Sourdough" question for me.  How did you settle on the name? I assume you are from the Central Valley? I grew up in Patterson just a stone's throw away from the SJ River. This is probably partially responsible for me choosing your recipe first of all the recipes on TFL.  I've been thwarted a couple times by underproofing trying to make your batards/baguettues (I'll get it right eventually...) Anyways, it piqued my curiosity and I couldn't find the answer on your blog. 

great to hear from you!

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Re. "The perfect loaf:" You know, there are lots of perfect loaves. The variety of breads one can make is a part of the fun of it all. But, each formula has its own version of perfection, I suppose. 

If you can't buy Fromartz's book, your library can get it for you.  If you are on "the quest," you would enjoy reading it.

The name of the SJSD? Well, it's a sourdough. It's not a San Francisco Sourdough. I thought, if Hamelman can call his signature sourdough "Vermont Sourdough" after the place he hangs his hat,  I suppose a SD I came up with (after many trials) could be called "San Joaquin Sourdough" on the same basis. I'm in Fresno, but "San Joaquin" sounded better to me for the name of a bread.

I happen to think the SJSD is a good bread for developing skills. For a beginning, it is easier if you lower the hydration a bit - In the final dough, use 350g of water for 500g of flour. Then work your way up to a 70+% hydration dough. The  biggest difference might be you have to work harder on gluten development and shaping skills to get a SJSD baguette crumb like this, which I baked yesterday:

So, I am recommending you try the version in this blog entry: San Joaquin Sourdough Baguettes

Happy baking!

David

PalwithnoovenP's picture
PalwithnoovenP

They must be delicious from the flour and the love you put in them.

Rotation issues:

If you upload from a phone, they will be fine if you view them in a phone but they will be rotated if you view them in a computer. You must rotate them in photo editing app before uploading here. When I view photos in my phone, they are fine but when I transfer them to my laptop that's where the rotation happens, I just rotate them in windows picture manager. In this case they're okay when viewed in my laptop but rotated by 90 degrees in my phone that took the pictures but look right in other phones (is this a memory thing of my phone?). Maybe you could also rotate pics in fb before uploading here. Hope this helps. :)

sourdoughpod's picture
sourdoughpod

thanks for your help! I went ahead and edited the picture with the google drive software (that is where I keep them). This is a huge pain! but glad I know how to do it now. 

Trevor J Wilson's picture
Trevor J Wilson

You're loaves are wonderful! I've never tried that particular flour myself, but it looks like a winner to me. I love Maurizio's website! Beautiful bread and amazing photography. Very inspiring stuff. From what I've seen, all his recipes look top notch. You probably can't go wrong giving any of them a try. Cheers!

Trevor

sourdoughpod's picture
sourdoughpod

Hey Trevor, it's a small bread world! I just commented on your IG account yesterday. I love your feed!

I agree. Maurizio takes excellent photographs. I think I might try his sourdough banana bread recipe soon. 

Trevor J Wilson's picture
Trevor J Wilson

It's a small world indeed! I seem to be running into all sorts of folks that are both here and on IG. I don't know why I should be surprised, but I am. Anyway, glad to see you here as well, and awesome bread!