Blog posts

I've a lil' free time so I'll post something for your eyes to feast on. Plus, I promised to put more effort into posting. Apparently, a handful of you are keen to read about my progress.

Several weeks ago I attempted rustic-style ciabattas. Repeatedly. In the photo above, that particular ciabatta contained a bit of durum semolina (pasta flour), about 30% baker's percentage. Absolutely gorgeous, nutty, buttery aroma, I remember, but too chewy crumb.

I'm a long time stalker to this site, and I finally made an account to see if I can get some advice about rye breads. A local bakery has an amazing "German Beer Bread" which I have been yearning to duplicate. In Germany, I picked up a book called "Rustikale Brote aus deustchen Landen" by Gerhard Kellner, or better known as Ketex. Below is the recipe, and I explain how I baked it. Ultimately, I have a question about the rather dense crumb. But don't let that discourage you from baking this thing- it is insanely delicious.

Steel-cut Oat Bread

Makes two large loaves. 

Steps1  evening before bake day

1. Refresh 100% starter to yield +200 grams for the next morning.  Overnight room temps can be 60F.  Use 50 gm whole wheat, 50 gm AP, 100 gm H2O and 30 gm natural leaven at 100% hydration.

Steps 2 - 12 , bake day AM.  Work at 70F

2. Pour 600 gm boiling H2O over 300 gm steel cut oats in a pot or bowl with a lid or cover.  Stir the oats once and  cover. Let steep 45 minutes.

I've been experimenting with some different biscuit recipes. They're not something I've every really had the urge to make before but we harvested our pigs and my family wanted biscuits and gravy! The three recipes I've used so far were for a plain buttermilk biscuit, a sourdough biscuit, and a buttermilk sourdough. So far the buttermilk sourdough is the crowd favorite but I recently found a recipe that requires an overnight proof of the buttermilk+sourdough+flour so I'll be trying that next.

Made with tangzhong. Add butter, a little maple syrup and a frothy coffee.

It has been such a long time since I've posted on Fresh Loaf.   As some of you may remember, I went very gradually from baking for fun to baking for fun and profit.    Over that time, the business has steadily grown, but was limited by the fact that it was based in my home kitchen.   Over a year ago, my business partner and I started looking for a place to rent.   It took longer than I could ever have imagined to find a place that we could afford in a reasonable location, but finally we found a place last summer.   Then it took longer t

This weekend I made some of my best loaves yet.  I actually made enough for four boules, and had proofed them and intended to bake all four, but something came up and I baked only 2.  I stuck two in the fridge and baked them up the following morning. Those are the two that are pictured here. No crumb shot for these but I did eat from one of them.  The verdict -- one of my best breads to date.  

It has been more than a year, I believe, since I last tried my hand at an enriched bread.  For this one, I pulled out my trusty 13" USA Pullman Pan, and used the recipe that came with it.  Reproduced here:

PULLMAN SANDWICH BREAD

Pan: Pullman Loaf Pan - Large

Ingredients

This week's bake is a side by side comparison of the two heirloom varieties of wheat Red Fife and Turkey Red. The procedure followed closely the epoxy method Peter Reinhart uses in Whole Grain Bread. A soaker was made of half the flour, water and salt which was left at room temperature.  The other half of the flour was mixed with starter and water then put in the fridge after sitting for an hour or so. All amounts, mixing techniques and temperature were exactly the same and both flours were freshly ground.