Blog posts

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!

It's been a while since I had a chance to post. Spring time clean-up has taken up a lot of my time and I'm almost finally caught up. Still have to get the veggies planted if it will ever stop raining. We went from 90 F last weekend to barely 50 F this weekend on Long Island, New York. At least we didn't have any hail or snow:).

I was looking for something different and I stumbled on this recipe: https://bewitchingkitchen.com/2012/07/22/there-will-be-bread/ I had saffron sitting in a cupboard so this was a good opportunity to use some up. I expected my dough to be bright yellow like in the original recipe but that did not happen. I wonder if it was because I’ve had the saffron for a while. 

400g Strong Bread Flour

100g Plain Flour

45g Sugar

10g Salt

25g Milk Powder

15g Fresh Yeast

100g Starter - (100% Hydration)

225g Cold Water - 5c deg

40g Butter

250g Butter For laminating

9cm x 13cm @ 3.5mm - 4mm thick

Makes about 18 

Method:

Mix everything except butter

Add butter gradually

Mix well, knead by hand after

Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours

Next day Make your butter block do 3 layers lock in

Suppose to be Benny’s “Furikake and Miso” sourdough but missed sesame seeds! Overall amazing flavour but can’t really taste the full flavour having to missed one of the most important ingredients! Definitely making it again without missing ingredients 😂 @bread_md 

340g Strong Bread Flour

60g Whole Wheat

312g Water

7g Salt

86g Starter(12% of total dough weight-100% Whole wheat-mature)

40g Miso

3 tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds

Inspired by “Trevor Jay Wilson’s Open Crumb Mastery”

Always trying to make it better the second time around.

Recipe:

320g Strong Bread Flour

80g Whole-wheat flour

320g Water

8g Salt

90g Starter(White Starter - 100% Hydration) 12.5% of total dough weight 

10 hours Autolyse @ 14-16c Deg

Starter PH - 3.8 (not sure how accurate, not a semi solid ph meter)

20c deg IDT

3 minutes mix

30 minutes rest

2x Stretch and folds with 30 minutes interval