The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.
BellesAZ's picture

I took the plunge and bought the Magic Mill DLX!

July 18, 2010 - 8:27am -- BellesAZ

I'm really excited for my new Magic Mill Assistent to arrive next week!  I've been researching mixers for a few months now, trying to make the right decision for my kitchen.  I looked at so many mixers, but for some reason I just kept coming back to this one.

I can't wait to finally start branching out and making some other doughs that are currently impossible to do in my KA Pro.  I made a French Baguette dough a couple of weeks ago and my machine just overheated and shut itself off.  I knew I needed to upgrade.

holds99's picture
holds99

 

I'm not really sure if there is a fixed definition for a miche.  From what I can determine, from reading baking books and information posted on the Internet, there are numerous miche formulas, ranging from exclusively whole wheat to mixed-flour.  Based on my limited research, one thing that seems to make them stand out from the crowd is their size---they're big.  The legendary French baker Lionel Poilâne, who reintroduced the miche in Paris in the 1970s created his loaves using stone-ground flour, natural fermentation and a wood-fired oven.  Mr.  Poilâne's loaves weighed 2 kilograms each (4.4 lbs).  I made mine approximately the same size.  His were round, mine are oval, because, as you can see from the oven photo, that's the only way I could get these two big guys into my oven.

"Poilâne is most famous for a round, two-kilogram sourdough country bread referred to as a miche or pain Poilâne. This bread is often referred to as wholewheat but in fact is not: the flour used is mostly so-called grey flour of 85% extraction (meaning that some but not all of the wheat bran is retained). According to Poilâne's own website, the dough also contains 30% spelt, an ancestor of wheat." [Wikipedia]

After a number of iterations I've come up with a mix of flours that I like and, for my taste, has good flavor.  I also incorporated a soaker in this version.  Anyway, here's the latest iteration. 

This recipe uses a double levain build, a total 14-18 hrs. total build, depending on room temperature (I used a tablespoon of mature culture, equal amounts all-purpose flour and water for each build (8 oz. water, 7 oz. flour)).

Final Dough

All the levain - 29 oz.

White all-purpose flour - 34 oz.

White whole wheat flour - 16 oz.

light rye flour - 7 oz.

Water -  35 oz.

Salt - 1.5 oz (2 Tb.)

Soaker (optional) 2 cups cracked rye

Total water = 51 oz (including levain)

Total flour = 71 oz (including levain)

Hydration = 71%

Note: Give the dough three (3) stretch and folds at 20 minute intervals.  Then retard it in fridge overnight or for up to 20 hours before removing and bringing to room temp. After the dough reaches room temp. (approx. 2 hrs.) divide, shape and place in bannetons seam side up.  Allow to nearly double in volume (finger poke test) and turn out of bannetons onto parchment lined baking pans sprinkled heavily with semolina flour.  Score the loaves and bake in preheated (475 deg. over) with steam.  After 10 minutes reduce heat to 450 deg.  Bake for 40-50 min. Check for an internal temp. of [EDIT] 205-210 deg.

Cool on wire racks.

Cooking202's picture

Thought my starter was doomed..

July 18, 2010 - 6:09am -- Cooking202

it is a white starter and was just sort of blah, but instead of tossing it I refreshed it with rye and water.......it took off like a rocket.  Now it's the most active, with the best aroma that I've made so far...even the ones I started with rye.  If not for TFL, I would have given up on sourdough long, long ago.  Thank you all for being here.

 

Carol

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hello,

I picked up the CIA book "Artisan Breads at Home" by Eric Kastel from the library and was delighted to find a recipe for Chipotle Sourdough, using pureed chipotle chiles in adobo as an add-in.

For 48 ounces of dough, the recipe calls for 2.6 ounces of pureed chipotles combined with 1.3 ounces whole wheat flour as the add-in; I kneaded this in by hand at the end of mixing.

This bread is spicy and so, so tasty. I think it will be perfect to serve with an al fresco Mexican dinner and Margaritas!

The author advises the reader to "use it to create your most memorable grilled cheese sandwich" - a great idea I can't wait to try.

It's too bad the crumb shot doesn't show any pieces of chipotle chile - but they're in there, trust me!

Regards,
breadsong

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

diverpro94's picture

Zucchini Sourdough Bread- Question

July 17, 2010 - 11:18pm -- diverpro94
Forums: 

Summer has brought all kinds of fresh vegetables from our garden and we have a lot of zucchini. I've been baking tons of sourdough lately, and I'm working on sourdough formulas for my leftover zucchini. Anyway, does anyone know what % I should use proportioned to flour? It's a bit tricky because of the amount of water in zucchini, but I would take most of the moisture out. Thanks!

Mira's picture

Refreshing Mother Starter according to Reinhart's "Artisan Breads Every Day"

July 17, 2010 - 12:21pm -- Mira

Hello,

While still at the seed culture stage I'm reading Reinhart's book ahead to the mother starter stage and I admit to feeling confused.  His instructions to convert from seed culture to mother stage are clear; it's the instructions for refreshing that confuse me.

He states: "Whenever the mother starter gets low, rebuild it using 4 oz of the old starter and repeating the instructions above". (ie combining 4 oz of Phase 4 seed culture with 9 oz spring water and 12 o whole wheat flour.)

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

I followed the detailed postings and the bread was a success. It is very easy to handle and the shaping /scoring are a cinch due to the texture after all that chilling. I loved the crust and crumb. It exploded with crumbs when we broke into the loaf....just as the New Orleans French bread used to do before they ruined the way they make it. I will definitely be making this again and again. I used the 1/2 tsp yeast and didn't get much rise in the  fridge over the 24 hr period. I was a little worried but it did great in the oven. Here are pics.

pasta making: Photobucket fresh tomato topping for pasta and baguette: Photobucket finished with some lovely aged parmesan and a chunk of bread...broken  not sliced :Photobucket

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