Blog posts

So my rye starter from almost 2 years ago is going strong. I did a 1:2:2 feeding and it doubled in 6 hours so I decided to bake a 1-2-3 loaf with it. The dough was super sticky, like octopus sticky (https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/60884/sticky-shaping-sticky-dough-or-when-it-too-sticky). I first tried wetting my hands, but that only worked a little bit, so then I had to just use flour, about 1/4 of a cup and it still stuck (like chewing gum, #3 on the link) to my Silpat.

TFL'er Wish List bake #6...  Followed this one pretty close with a couple small deviations and one addition.

https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/68285/wild-blend-rice-sourdough-onions

I used a RYW and SD culture combination for the initial levain and then RYW instead of water in the 2nd levain build.  Other than that, the only change I made was adding some Vegemite.  Gave the bread kind of a French Onion soup smell while it was baking.

Made a couple of sandwich breads this week. I'm quite new to this style (mostly or all white flour with light enrichment with milk, a little butter and sugar). It seemed like an easy style to figure out, but interestingly both breads came out with (rather minor, but still) defects.

This recipe is from Jon (Golgi70). I changed the quantities to make 3 loaves and added honey upon his suggestion as well as my usual bit of yogurt to tenderize the crust. Original recipe is here: https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/35320/farmers-market-week-17-raisin-levain

I changed a few things in the method and those are noted. 

To learn more about concentrated lactic acid sourdough (CLAS), please see here and here. 

I saw a post that Maurizio made on his IG feed about basil pesto knots that he made, this was my inspiration for these sun dried pesto knots.  I used his recipe for the dough, although I had to decrease the hydration because his hydrations are always higher than I can do for my flours and conditions especially now that the high humidity is back in Toronto.  Also, as I have been doing lately, I am developing all my dough, even the enriched ones by hand rather than using the stand mixer in order to extend the life of my KA mixer.

So I still do not have my new pH meter but I’m calibrating my old cheap one now since I have the pH solution.  Based on my last bake I know that I have been way overproofing in recent weeks while trying to push fermentation and have allowed the pH to get too low resulting in proteolysis.  I measured rise by aliquot jar and any comments on rise refer to the aliquot jar not actual main dough rise.  So as not to damage the aliquot jar dough or the main dough, I create a second aliquot jar that I use to measure the pH from.  The dough started with a pH of around 5.74.

Almost any bread flour, from white to whole wheat will do.

Here's where I got my inspiration, but exact measurements/weights are not given: https://madhurasrecipe.com/breads/how-to-make-chapati

For a variation, see: https://madhurasrecipe.com/breads/plain-paratha-marathi-recipe

(Chapati / paratha, to-may-to / to-mah-to.) There is a video in each one too.

Here are some formulas I've worked up:

06/01/2021.

Mix flours. Autolyse/soak, bulk ferment.  Proof overnight.

I've been working on getting a more consistent crumb and this is my latest attempt. Would you say it is consistent crumb or do I still have a way to go? Thanks!