Blog posts

So this is my first post on this site. First I just want to say this site and all the members of the community are awesome. I am a school trained pastry chef and things have changed quite a bit sense I was last in the industry. Things like stretch and folds and autolysing were not used a decade ago when I was in school or in a commercial kitchen. This site has brought me up to date on quite a few things and for that I am thankful.

A variation on a Tartine formula......

Decided to try my hand at a Baguette, even though I have never really had much luck with them. 

Not bad, but my scoring need work.....

Formula:

KAF-Lancelot 100%

Water 77%

Levain (100% hydration) 25%

Salt 2%

Polenta 60%

I have baked a bread once every two days, so I’ve got solo many things to tell you, but the day is just not long enough.

Need to spend it with our wonderful 7 months old daughter, as well as baking bread, cooking some food and working on some exciting things that involve yarn and crochet, but more on that at the right time.

This is yet another bread, and one still to go,  that resulted from the panettone bake where huge excesses of levain waste was required to build the Italian starter.  In this case we had some YW and SD levain hanging around in the fridge.  But the first thing we did was boil the scald for 5 minutes stirring all the time before covering and allowing it to cool on the counter.

my colorful sourdough breads...  using charcoal powder, goji berry, blueberry, japanese pumpkin.

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There's lots of discussion and great information about starters on TFL. Everyone does things a little differently, and what works for you is best. Here's what works for me.

I typically make two sourdough loaves a week. Sometimes more, and sometimes I miss a week, sometimes two. Sometimes I make more than two loaves.

Made a batch of hoagies this morning. I have baked these many times. Recipe is from http://www.pizzamaniac.com/archives/2005/08/10/grinder-hoagie-roll-recipe/

I mix, rest 20 min, add salt and OO, knead in Bosch compact 10 min, mostly on 2. Rise about 90 min (room temp 66 F)