Blog posts

I was planning to make a "field blend #2" bread, using starter and the directions for the overnight country brown.  However, I started earlier in the morning and by the time the dough was tripled, it was very much over fermented.  I knew this because the dough was much more fragile than usual.  I could see the gluten web being fully developed as it poured/pulled out of the bucket.

Here is the pic of my other loaf for this bake, Frisian Black Bread.

While these are not perfect, at least they do not have an overpowering yeast flavor.  I increased the lemon zest by 50%, and changed the process point when it was added.  The flavor is light and subtle.

The prior formula used 3.4% compressed yeast, and took about 2 hours in bulk ferment. This formula took 3.5 hours to reach the same gas:dough ratio of 0.9, almost a doubling.

Summer is slowly on its way here in Wellington and after a recent bake I thought I would share some photos for those interested in wood fired oven baking, as an amateur baker any hints and tips from experienced bakers in this craft would be much appreciate.  After a few pizzas the bread went in, the bread pictured is a mixture of white and seeded loaves. The oven was a tad hot 260C but thought I would load it anyway.

Far from perfect, but significantly improved over last week, this week's bake is not a brick, but a bread!

Basic ingredients remained the same, BF, WW (this week Red Fife from Grist & Toll, in Pasadena), some wheat germ, farro berries (cooked, not sprouted - wanted to keep things simple), about 85% hydration, which should have been higher.

This is the third recipe I have been asked to test from the upcoming Rye Bread baking book by Stan Ginsberg.  The beer is not too overpowering and the crumb is fairly moist for this hydration level of bread.  Overall a nice rye bread that makes a nice sandwich with some pastrami or corned beef.

Easy dough to work with, very good flavor, tender crumb and crust. I'm going to try Reuben sandwiches with it.

David G

I happened across a formula for " Buchteln", and decided to try it, but I have to avoid milk and dairy (including butter) as it's poison for me, and the formulas for Buchteln always seem to have milk. My first attempt needs some improvement.

This was an "off-the-cuff" see how it comes out creation and the first time using a soaker for me.  Probably should have picked an established recipe but overall it came out ok.  More hydration would probably have given a better, more open crumb, but I wasn't sure how the soaker would fare.

Recipe

Here is my first bake of week two recipes, Milwaukee Rye. Very good bread. Nice soft crumb and a chewy crust.