Blog posts

So, I threw in an unweighed glob of soaked flax seed in addition to the toasted sesame the recipe calls for. I had intended to mix the dough last evening, bulk ferment for a couple of hours and then cold proof the loaf (another ginormous boule) at bedtime, and bake in the caldera this morning. Except I completely forgot my patiently waiting levain until bedtime rolled around.

I was planning on a bake free day. But early in the morning I was asked if I could come up with loaf of bread.

I knew I had about 250 grams of whole wheat flour so that was my starting point. I let the whole thing ferment most of the day and just about time to bake and I was called away. So I threw it in the fridge overnight. Next day I wasn't around to pull it out when I had hoped, but pulled it out late turned it into a loaf and baked. It worked.

71% hydration

Baked French bread and came out great except the crust just wasn't crunchy enough.

The oven was set at 425 F .  25 to 30 minutes

Pizza stone and baguette pan used.

I had a small amount of water in a pie pan at the bottom of the oven.

The oven was preheated and the temperature checked.

Any Advice would be appreciated

Thank You

Jim

jimcornwall57@yahoo.com

As a moderately experienced baker with instant yeast, but an utter beginner at sourdough, my experiments so far extend only to this. If you’re a person who thinks it’s simply not worth baking with sourdough unless you’re going to do a long ferment, slap and fold, and aim for a beautiful free-form artisan loaf, look away now:

200g starter (100% hydration, before feeding)

400g strong white flour

275g water

5g salt

On Saturday 1-17-2015 I baked this loaf. As I've mentioned previously I've been tinkering with Reinhart's BBA Basic Sourdough recipe. For this bake I aimed for 77% hydration:

10.2 oz preferment, 70% hydration

20.25 oz flour:

   1.5 oz Arrowhead Mills Rye flour

   1.5 oz Arrowhead Mills Sprouted Wheat flour

   5 oz KAF AP flour

   5 oz KAF White Whole Wheat flour

   7.25 oz KAF Bread flour

16 oz water

0.5 oz salt

Hi :

I am starting to bake and do so awhile back.  I want to do some sourdough breads that use starters from various places.  In looking at the recipes some same use unbleached bread flour others say bleached is ok. I don't want to waste money buying the wrong kind. Thanks for any advise

Jim Cornwall

jimcornwall57@yahoo.com

a simple, very clean, 4-ingredient pancake. it is wheatfree and perfect for those who are into clean eating and health.

1 cup sourdough (mine is a rye, hence wheatfree. sometimes i take two weeks of feeding to convert it fully to buckwheat for gluten-free option)

2 cups wholegrain buckwheat flour

2 - 3 cups of milk (depending on consistency of pancake that you like0

just a small dash of agave nectar. (or omit this if you like)

i mix them up, keep it overnight, and cook as you would any pancake!

A long weekend means just that much more time to experiment with intimidating techniques!

This weekend, I have baked two two-loaf batches of sourdough, using a formula that involves a short bulk fermentation and a long cold proof. 

Levain

50 g starter (I have a rye and a white, and either will work great)

75 g AP flour

75 g water

(200 g total)

Final Dough

Levain

700 g AP fl

100 g WW fl

560 g water (water #1)

20 g water (water #2)

10 g malt/sugar

19 g salt

Any "mix-ins" imaginable, really!