Blog posts

I have been maintaining two active levains. One white at a 1:1:1 feeding ratio and one Forkish style, 1:1:4:5 levain, ww flour, strong bread flour and unlike KF I like to go 100% hydration as it lends more to the sweet lactic acid side of the flavour spectrum. I like Ken's discussion on tailoring the flavour profile of your levains.

The first week or so with my new levains I fed daily. Then they both lived on the counter for 24 hours after feeding, then into the fridge for two days. I think my Forkish style levain is ready. I feed at 4 - 5 pm and in the morning this is what I had:

I just got a request from my daughter for some bread to take back to her compatriots at PA school at UTMB.  She said nothing fancy with olives figs and raisins since she hated all of them.  She likes the whole grains and seeds and some nuts but hasn’t had a chance to taste any sprouted grain bread.

Hello, Fresh Loafers! I haven't posted a formula in awhile, and I think that this one for 76% hydration batards with rosemary and cream cheese is nice and reliable. 

This baby kept on rising and threatened to invade the kitchen. Delicious bread.
I found the recipe here:

http://weekendloafer.com/category/bread/

Something about using some durum flour keeps me coming back, and I tried to improve upon the flavored boule from my last/first blog entry.

Now enamored with stiff levains (until the next thrill comes along), this adventure had me bake a batch of SJSD dough.  But instead of as baguettes, I am also somewhat enamored with batards these days (until the next thrill comes along).

Simit is so much more than a bread ring.

Taking some risk of increasing dough hydration, even if it's only by a small margin has finally paid off. As a result, better oven spring, moist and chewy. Couldn't be happier! 

Happy Baking to the TFL community!

Regards,

FrugalBaker

Baker/author Ken Forkish, in Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza, makes an impassioned and compelling argument for home- baking in Dutch ovens.

Well with a couple of fresh levains to bake with and feed, I thought I would try and use some of the natural starter discard in a traditional naan recipe. I LOVED the results!!! The recipe is super easy and with a little baking powder, you can enjoy the results fairly fast.

Formula:

1/2 cup whole milk, scalded and cooled to 90F

1 tsp sugar

30g sweet levain, 100% hydration

285g AP flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 Tbs canola oil

31/2 Tbs full fat plain Greek yogurt

25g beaten egg