Blog posts

....but at least the photo seems the right way up!

The clocks have gone back, the weather is definitely cooler, and I’m not sure if I should adjust my schedule. I usually start between 1 and 2pm with a short autolyse, develop dough with slap and fold and then do 2 or 3 lots of stretch and folds depending on how the dough feels. I’ve been shaping about 6pm before putting bannetons in the fridge at some point before bed and baking straight from there in the morning

I finally had a chance to sprout some grains and mill them with my new Mockmill II.  I bought some Einkorn a while ago and was saving it to sprout.  I love the nutty flavor that the einkorn flour imparts and the sprouted and sifted flour is amazing.

I decided I needed to stock up on some rolls and wanted to add some creamy grits to the mix along with some fresh high extraction rye and whole wheat.  Just to take it over the top some Greek yogurt was added to give it an even softer crumb.

This recipe was from The Rye Baker by Stanley Ginsberg.

I made this Monday, but haven't taken the time to post. Ultimately, it was pretty unexciting. But these are the dues I've got to pay if I'm going to get a great loaf out of this massive tub of Rye flour before it goes bad...

The rise sucked and the crumb is super dense. But it does smell nice and rye-y. Actually, now that I'm trying it again (I've been eating walnut wheat all week), I sort of like its chewiness. I think it'll be good with a smear of cream cheese and some pickled herring.

2 Chacons the square one is a 6 stand braid and the other is a knot and ball and then a large batard with oats on top.  The 3rd batch is one huge miche that has 6 sprouted grains on the inside

These 3 are different shapes but the same recipe.  12% 6 grain sprouted levain SFSD.  75% hydration all baked at the same time on two levels on stones with Mega Steam except the boule was in a combo cooler.  It was a singele stage levain of 20 hours using up the end of the NMNF starter.  The 6 grains were red and white wheat, rye, spelt, Kamut and oat and they were all in the levan.  The rest of the 88 % was La Fama AP

 Interesting, the difference between these two olive thyme loaves is that the one on the left rose in a banneton proofing basket and was baked in a cloche. The other rose on a flat surface and cooked on a baking stone. 

I'm just learning about sourdoughs so any suggestions are welcome. 

How do you get multiple breads properly baked? Do you have lots of cloches and bannetons? Or do you have a different system?

Sourdough Italian Bread: A SJSD Variant 

David M. Snyder

October, 2017

 This is one of my favorite breads. It uses the San Joaquin Sourdough method but a different flour mix and enrichment with a bit of sugar and olive oil. The dough is lovely to work with, and the flavor is scrumptious - both very tangy and rich. I have made a variety of breads with differing proportions of fine durum flour - from 10% to 100%. So far, I like the breads with 20-40% durum best, and this one best of all.

Made this morning after an all night rise. The house smells lovely!