Recent Blog Entries

Sorry about the pics but the camera I am using is only 3 Megapixels!!
Tried some spelt in my basic sourdough recipe and I am pleased with the result

It was time for hamburger night.  A little early really but Lucy says she might be from there and possibly was feeling a little homesick.  There was no time for SD so we went with a quick biga using a pinch of ADY.  It was ready to go in just 6 hours.

We did a 1hour autolyse, mixed everything together and did 10 minutes of slap and folds followed by 3 sets of S&F’s on 15 minute increments.  The dough felt much wetter than the hydration level would warrant.  We used sour cream in place of the cream cheese in the hit dog buns.

After proofing for 2 hours, the 4 buns were egg washed and then baked at 350 F convection, in the mini oven for 20 minutes, rotating them every 5 minutes.    They came out splotchy brown which was weird for egg washed buns.  We forgot to wash them with milk while still hot.  They were still fairly soft curst wise.

The crumb was soft and moist.   They tasted OK for white bread and when grilled with the hamburgers they went glossy dark brown on the crust and were much more tasty.  The fixings included caramelized; poblano peppers, onions and mushrooms, maple smoked bacon, home grown tomato, lettuce, pepper jack and brie cheeses.  Sides were the usual sweet and regular baked, seasoned steak fries.

All in all, it was a nice dinner where the buns stood up well to the piling on with the fixings and stayed together without falling apart while munching on them.

Even better 2 days later for lunch with the bun steamed in the microwave.  Daughter could only eat half of her hamburger the other night so it made a great lunch addition today.

Formula

Well since the last few bakes have been very white I started to feel the Force draining and I was being pulled towards the Dark Side!  This bread is a 70% whole grain power-house made with a soaker which I scalded to make sure it was nice and soft.  I used 5 different whole grains in the scald and 3 whole grain flours plus some French style flour in the double starters and main dough.

I also wanted to try something a little fancy for the shaping and placed a small ball of dough along with a double braid in the bottom of my basket before placing the rest of the dough on top of both of them.  This formed a nice hat on top of the bread.

The soaker was brought up to a boil and scalded for about 10 minutes until all the grains were nice and soft and then put in a bowl and covered for 5-6 hours until the levains were ready to use.

The end result of this bake was a nice wholesome tasty bread. The crust was excellent and the crumb was soft and chewy chock full of grainy goodness.

Levain Directions

Starter 1

Mix all the levain ingredients together for about 1 minute and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it sit at room temperature for around 7-8 hours or until the starter has doubled.  I usually do this the night before.

Starter 2

Mix all the ingredients listed with the levain from the first build and let it set at room temperature for around 7-8 hours or until the starter has doubled or before it starts collapsing on itself.  Either use right away in the main dough or refrigerate for 1 day.

 Main Dough Procedure

Mix the flours and the water except for around 75 grams, together in your mixer or by hand until it just starts to come together, maybe about 1 minute.  Let it rest in your work bowl covered for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Next add the salt, starter (cut into about 7-8 pieces), honey, and soaked grains and mix on low for a minute.  Add the rest of the water  unless the dough is way too wet.   Mix on low-speed for another 4 minutes.  Remove the dough from your bowl and place it in a lightly oiled bowl or work surface and do several stretch and folds.  Let it rest covered for 10-15 minutes and then do another stretch and fold.  Let it rest another 10-15 minutes and do one additional stretch and fold.  After a total of 2 hours place your covered bowl in the refrigerator and let it rest for 12 to 24 hours.

When you are ready to bake remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let it set out at room temperature still covered for 1.5 to 2 hours.  (I used my new proofer this time and it only took about 1 hour at 80 degrees).

Remove the dough and shape as desired.   Place your dough into your proofing basket(s) and cover with a moist tea towel or plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray.  The dough will take 1.5 to 2 hours depending on your room temperature.  (Again, I used my proofer set at 80 degrees and let it rise for about 1.5 hours).

Let the dough dictate when it is read to bake not the clock.

Around 45 minutes before ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 500 degrees F. and prepare it for steam.  I have a heavy-duty baking pan on the bottom rack of my oven with 1 baking stone on above the pan and one on the top shelf.  I pour 1 cup of boiling water in the pan right after I place the dough in the oven.

Right before you are ready to put them in the oven, score as desired and then add 1 cup of boiling water to your steam pan or follow your own steam procedure.

After 1 minute lower the temperature to 450 degrees.  I baked for about 10 minutes at 450 and then lowered the oven to 435 since this is such a large loaf.  Bake for around 50 minutes until the crust is nice and brown and the internal temperature of the bread is 205 degrees.

Take the bread out of the oven when done and let it cool on a bakers rack before for at least 2 hours before eating.

Loaf. 

I almost (almost) decided not to have this be my first blog. Then I thought... Perhaps there is someone else out there having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. We all know misery loves company, and since this day was actually yesterday I can now view it as amusing. 

First... see loaf above. Photo is worth a 1000 words, right? 

Second, I must note- from the get go this loaf has been destined for a amusing demise. The recipe I used called for a touch of added commercial yeast, as the author notes the addition of cocoa powder affects the rise. When I went to the store to buy yeast... They informed me they don't carry it anymore. What kind of grocery store (size of a walmart) that I have actually pirchased yeast from before, just stops carrying it?

the recipe I followed can be found here - 

 http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2010/07/chocolate_starter_bread.php

i have followed the recipe before, in modified form before I had a starter and was using a method similar to the Artisan Bread in 5 min a Day .  It turned out really well then. 

I finally find yeast. Prepare dough. Skip the overnight fridge step, as my fridge isn't set up at the moment. It may have risen too quickly, I realize that now. 

Husband sets his phone on top of the rising loaf (which is in a bowl and covered by a floured towel.)

i finally get to preheat the oven. Takes a good 35 minutes (thats a lot of gas!) ... And then our power goes off for 20 minutes. My oven shuts down (it is gas but electric controlled oven, GE Cafe) . When power comes back on, re-preheat oven. 

Place glass baking dish under loaf to prepare for steam. Allow to preheat with the baking stone and oven.  Put on long sleeved sweater and tell children to stand back - even take a moment to explain steam and its dangers etc etc. Open oven, pour water in baking dish. Room temperature water. Which shatters my baking dish into pieces.

I almost laughed at that point. Almost. Children amazed, and of course now CONVICNED at how dangerous "steam" is. I forge on. 

Slide dough into oven after a slashing reminiscent of Texas Chainsaw Murderer. 

Bake for 45 minutes. Completely , 100% forget to come back to the oven half way through to turn down oven.  Baked at 525 degrees for 30 minutes until my brain (and nose) tell me something has been forgotten. 

Turn off oven. Went to bed and cried to my two toddlers who told me my bread was still pretty. Stopped crying when I realized, its just bread.

My heart melted in the morning when they insisted on eating every last bite of the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad bread. I guess everything tastes ok with Nutella on it. 

(Editted to add- what a hilarious coincidence! I hit save without meaning toin the middle of my blog. Am editting to finish as you read. )