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SylviaH's blog

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SylviaH

A lot of TFLoafers have been doing pizza's.  Hopefully you are like me and never tire of pizza photos : )  It must be the weather.  It rained so hard water ran inside my WFO and now I can't fire it up until it dries out.  I learned my lesson.  Not all storms are the same.  So from now on the oven front gets covered for storms.  It just makes me want pizza even more not being able to fire it up.

The very thinned crusted pizza's where made with the Neo Neapolitan pizza dough recipe from P. Reinhart's 'American Pie'  I like this recipe because at least for me it can be shaped for either a thin or thick crust.  I used ADY instead of IADY and that helps the dough to stretch nicely or become a little more extensible.  I make up several pizza balls and freeze them for quick night pizza dinners. 

I made a white sauce that was very delicious.  It was made with heavy cream, cream cheese, fresh basil, EVOO, sea salt-pinch and garlic.  Then the pizza's where topped with the sauce, mozzarella, parmesean, jumbo chopped fresh raw shrimp, fresh lemon thyme leaves, lemon wedge and a lemon thyme stem for garnish.  The pizza's where baked on stones at 550F in a pre-heated 50 minutes oven.  My husband said the pizza's where very delicious and he loved the sauce.  I almost didn't get the photos.

 Joey Boy, checking out the fresh Lemon Thyme!

 

 Placed upon a perforated pan to keep

crisp while being sliced.

                                                                 Super thin crust.

 

                              Crumb of the Crown : )

Sylvia

 

 

                                                                                                

 

 

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SylviaH

Freezing bread can be a very good thing!  We loved the P Reinhart's Panettone so much at Christmas, I made another batch for New Years. Knowing we would enjoy this bread anytime, I carefully wrapped one up in foil and plastic wrap.  What a treat. We had it this morning with Mascarpone cheese.  Some breads really are so good it's understandable why they are kept for that special time.  Though still delicious. It was a tad dryer and is best enjoyed freshly baked while still very moist and tender.   

 

 

Sylvia

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SylviaH

My daughter, her husband, 3 children and Moochie, one of their dog's just returned back home here in San Diego from a 4 day sightseeing trip to New Orleans.  This was one of their many stops.  Moochie goes everywhere..see his little ear and foot in the photo!  I bet he even got to enjoy some Beignet!

 Beignet at the Cafe Du Monde

Sylvia

 

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SylviaH

This is my first time making and eating Panettone.  It was a lot of work but enjoyable.  This is my version of P.Reinhart's recipe in BBA.  While mixing this dough I couldn't help but to say to myself how it appeared like cake batter one minute and then dough the next!  I made adjustments in hydration and added some stretch and folds adding a longer time to the proofing.  I had ordered some paper bread molds two sizes.  I decided not to use the small ones.  They were so very small looking.  The large ones where a little to large so I didn't get the nice big ballooned top on my panettone and that was a bit of a disappointment, next time I'll know better.  I rigged up a cardboard box to hang my panettones..out of reach from my 3 always hungry dog's.  I used the lovely chocolate glaze from wild yeast's pannetone recipe and it is delicious.  It's basically just egg white, oil, coco powdered, corn flour, almond flour and sugar whipped.  My husband and I both loved the tender moist crumb and flavor and the crunchy coco topping sprinkled with swedish pearl sugar and almond slivers.  I will be making this bread again it is delicious and the aroma filled the house and my hands smelled lovely all day.

Happy Holiday!

Sylvia

 

 

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SylviaH

This recipe is from P. Reinhart's BBA.  I only changed the soaking of the fruit and extract amounts.  I thought I would give my first attempt at a stollen a trial run before making one to take as a gift.  There will be some changes made in the next one I make...it will have marizpan and a few other adjustments in handling.  I mixed this batch all by hand and the only candied fruit I used was a few candied red cherries because I like their bright color.  We really enjoyed the flavor and this is my results.

Lot's of the freshest dried fruits. Apricots, apples, cherries, cranberries, peaches, dates, golden and dark raisins and a few candied red cherries for their bright color.

 

One Large Loaf

 

Fresh sure beats that dried up purchased one I remember from Christmas past.  I'm looking forward to making another one or two loaves!

Happy Holidays!

Sylvia

 

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SylviaH

I love challah and have never tried Glezer's sourdough version.  I don't have her book.  I was so inspired by David's post I thought I would attempt it.  I added some golden raisins because I knew my husband would love them in the loaf so I added some to the 3 braided challah.  The round 4 strand loaf is plain but my favorite shape.  I only did a couple of things different.  I used the lesser amount of starter 200 gms.  I hand mixed everything and didn't use a rolling pin in the final shaping..I guess that comes from not ever wanting to use one on my pizza dough.  It took them nearly 6 hours to proof.  It's pouring cats and dogs here and pretty cool in my kitchen today.  I've been out most the day running some errands so the long proofing time worked out perfect.

Here's what I got and I will post a crumb shot a little later when they are cooled.

I also posted J. Hamelman's Country Bread..I think it has a wonderful flavor..maybe it's all that pre-ferment..but it's delicious! 

The Crumb and tasting!  This is a very, very delicious Challah.  The addition of the golden raisins complimented and added to the complex flavor of this bread that my husband and I both love..that little burst in your mouth really is great.

to add the raisins with my hands I shaped the dough into a round flat circle and laid them on top and then rolled the dough up firmly and then rolled and lengthened it into the rope.  When I do this it keeps my raisins from going on the outside of the loaf and burning. 

Sylvia

Jefferey Hamelman's Country Bread   I will definately make this bread again...and with a little more patience..the flavor is very nice!

Sylvia

 

 

 

I

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SylviaH

This is Rose Levy Beranbaum's Pugliese recipe from her book 'the bread bible'.  I hand mixed this recipe.  I made them once before ' photos are posted on my blog' http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/11681/pugliese-loaves  and in a little lighter roast.  This time I did a little darker roast...simply because I loved the aroma!  The flavor starts with a great aroma and is delicious, creamy, nutty, buttery with a nice little chew.  Just what you expect from Duram flour!  I made these with a 17 hour biga that was kept cool and unrefrigerated for the ultimate full flavor.  They are made with Duram flour..this recipe is not suited to the semolina pasta grind..it will not work with this recipe.  I triple the recipe and it makes two nice sized loaves.

Sylvia

 

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SylviaH

 P.R. new book 'artisan breads every day' just arrived and I have 3 lbs. of wild rice and plenty of organic dried onions.  So what better reason to bake this bread.  I added a little extra hydration for the dried onions and changed only one ingredient ..the salt I used is Italian sea salt and summer truffle.  The aroma from this bread was intoxicating as was the flavor.  I over proofed the batards but they baked up without deflating.  I froze some extra wild rice so it will be ready for my next batch of maybe some rolls, they would be delicious with Thanksgiving dinner!  The recipe was very easy to make and I retarded the bulk dough for a little more than 24hrs. though it will keep longer.  Recipes like these that are bulk retarded make my wood fired oven baking so much easier.  Timing bread and oven to ready at the same becomes so much easier.  These batards were not baked in the wfo. 

    

Sylvia

 

   

 

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SylviaH

This is from Peter Reinhart' BBA book.  Ciabatta, Poolish Version.

I used 6 oz. half water and whole milk also added 1 TBsp. Olive Oil and KAAP Flour.

I mixed by hand and did stretch and folds and did my shaping different and some adjustments in temp. with my convection oven.  I think I got about the same results with crumb not being as open as bakers here have posted about on TFL.  More liquid can easily be added as the dough at this hydration was easy to work with for a ciabatta dough.  The bread was still very tasty with a nice crust and perfect for sandwiches.  If I remember correctly I got 2 nice large loaves each weighing very close to 18oz.

Sylvia

 

 

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SylviaH

Getting ready for some Italian hoagies!  This is the recipe from the King Arthur bread recipes  http://kingarthurflour.com site type in scali bread in the recipes search box.  I hand mixed and did stretch and folds.  After my biga or starter they call it 'which can also be made with a 'biga naturale' for a little more chew...it was ready from a long night in my cool bathroom..this morning the starter looked perfect and I cut it up into the room temperature water, mixed it real good to start it dissolving added the olive oil and about a 1/4 cup flour from the pre measured flour.  In a separate bowl I wisked my all the rest of my dry ingredients..If you use the King Arthur Dry Milk powder..which I do..be sure and push it through a sieve..because it does not dissolve easily and can make lumps in your crumb if it's not sifted and mixed in good with the dry ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix till moist and let it autolyse for about 40-50 minutes then I did 3 stretch and folds about 40-50 min. apart..until I had a good gluten formation.  Pre-shaped them and rested about 5 min. and shaped them into rolls..I had a double batch..let them rise till very puffy..washed them with egg white and water, sprinkled with a few sesame seeds and washed them again.  Baked in a pre heated 450°F convection oven on parchment lined trays for exactyly 20 mins.  No need to steam them.

Crumb shot....these are my favorite italian sandwich rolls.

Sylvia

 

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