Blog posts

This bake was done almost exactly as the last boule bake with a couple of exceptions. I upped the hydration to 77 from 75% and compensated by autolysing for 40 minutes and proofed for 50 instead of 45 minutes.  I also increased the bake time in the covered cast iron DO from 10 to 11 minutes and finished with 10, convection, turning often.

I just returned from my trip back East.  It was a great trip, we saw all kinds of wonderful things, and the fall colors were amazing.

Definitely one of the highlights of the trip was getting to try real Montréal bagels.

Lucy is so excited in finding out that her Mice and Pumpkin won runner up in the Arizona Republic’s Halloween Baking Contest.  She won a gift card and this Wednesday she has her entry featured in the Food and Drink section of the newspaper along with the winner and the other runner up.

Unfortunately, the site will turn my photos upside down.  I think there is a Mac issue.  This is my 5 AM Double fed sweet Levain.  It is a 9.5 hour retard compared to a 12-14 hour.  The crumb is very moist and airy

Warning...if you don't like the flavor of coffee you will not like this bread.  I have used coffee in my breads before and usually it is very subtle since I use a higher percentage of whole grain flour and add-ins but since most of the flour in this bake was on the white side the coffee flavor was very strong.

I would like to make a big shout out to dabrownman for pm'ing his detailed for producing and maintaining a YW starter. I have tried and failed twice and this time I was anal: boiled the glass jar, boiled the Brita filtered tap water and sat in the sun in a glass jar for the day to fully eliminate the chlorine. Next as per dman, 1/2 un-washed organic apple cored and minced and half crushed, ditto 20 organic raisins ditto. I am going to follow the dman's instructions to the tee and post daily photos. Another new fun project.

Thanks again dab, you are DMAN!

Regards, Brian

Yep, thats right!  ....Don Corleone...

I love Don Corleone...Not Micheal so much but I digress...

What does the Godfather have to do with bread?

Sicily...

Pane di oggi e' dalla Sicilia.

Stupendo, Bellissimo, Sfarzoso.....

amo questo il pane.

Che e' giusto, amo, amo, amo il pane dalla Sicilia.

Urgh my Italian is very very RUSTY!!

Another trip is needeD soon!!

I just posted the Sicilian Lemon Orange Sweet Bread that I made for dessert for my husband's birthday.....the main course was pizza (with salad made from lettuce and vegetables from the farmer's market.

When I was in the UK lfor a wedding around Easter time, I made this Paul Hollywood traditional Sicilian lemon orange sweet bread for my husband's family at Easter.  I didn't do the best job as I never made it before, but it tasted great and everyone liked it.  My husband requested it for his birthday yesterday, so I made it.  It turned out well.

When I made it earlier, it didn't rise very much and was more like cake.  This time, it got huge!  Live and learn.  I've attached a link to the recipe below: