Post holidays check in

I've officially retired Louis I (i.e. unceremoniously dumped him into the trash). He was smelling like a prison distillery by the end. Fortunately, one of his offspring (Louis IV) has taken over as my go-to wheat starter.

Since getting home from the holidays I've been busily baking bagels, brioche, and boules. Also pizza. 

Most recently out of the oven was the Pain Au Levain with mixed sourdough starters from Bread by Jeffry Hamelman. This one took a stiff rye starter and a wet wheat starter, for an overall mix of 84% bread flour, 8% whole wheat, and 8% rye, at 68% hydration (1.8% salt). 

Before that (by a couple hours) was the Serious Eats pan pizza.

Thursday was bagels following the recipe in Bread Baker's Apprentice with some vital wheat gluten added. Very good!

Last weekend was a Pain de Campagne from FWSY, and the Overnight Brown from FWSY.

And I started the new year with a batch of brioche (recipe from Bread Baker's Apprentice) that was turned into cinnamon buns and doughnuts.

Overall the last couple weeks could be summarized as "getting comfortable with commercial yeast and ultimately returning to sourdough."