Blog posts

I realized that I hadn’t made any pizza in quite sometime.  My working on baguettes over the past several months got in the way ?. So 2 days ago I put together my go to sourdough pizza recipe from the pizza Community Bake.  I haven’t really many any changes to that recipe except that I now give the dough after cold retard 2 hours of RT final proof.  This has helped with a more open cornicione.  I’m still making 9” personal sized pizzas in my cast iron skillet.

When I was in the 4th grade, my mother taught me how to make "butter horn rolls".  Later, circa 1968, when I was in high school, my father was traveling a good deal, often arriving home about 5 am. I established the routine of having fresh croissants waiting for him, then I would catch the school bus at 6 am. 

Time to put cranberries in bread. They actually taste awesome with Feta and toasted sunflower seeds. I got the inspiration from a little French lunch place in my home town. They use this combo in their house salad. Soooo good!

Recipe

Makes 3 loaves

Add ins:

150 g dried cranberries

75 g crumbled feta

60 toasted sunflower seeds (I buy raw and toast them in a dry frying pan)

Main dough:

700 g Strong Bakers Unbleached Flour

200 g freshly milled Spelt flour 

I feel like I keep going through Maurizio's recipes. They are so nicely written up and presented, it's difficult to avoid the temptation.

Blasphemy, I know what the Baguette Brigade will say about these, Blapshemy!!!  Oh well, I do not care.  I was in the mood to do something with chocolate and had started the mix for these Bouabsa baguettes.  I added 100 g of Lindt 70% dark chocolate which is always a good pick me up.  I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone add chocolate to their baguettes, but I have to admit I haven’t done a search.  In all likelihood it isn’t an original idea.

Since the baguette brigade has moved to blogging about bread I thought I should follow along. I have been making this bread for quite some time. It was one of the first videos that Trevor Wilson posted. He calls for pecans but I always use pepitas instead. I make it more often than any other bread because it is great for morning toast and is a good vehicle for Nutella. 

If finally feels like fall here on Long Island with temps in the low 50's today.  Perfect weather for a hearty nut and cranberry bread.  If you love nuts, this one is for you.  You get nuts and cranberries in every bite.

Feel free to vary the flours and porridge ingredients and this one will still turn out a winner.  I used yellow sweet potatoes but you can use any style you have on hand.  I like to roast them until they are super soft and sweet when they are at their optimal flavor.

Followed 100% whole wheat recipe from full proof baking.

Hard white spring wheat

I decided I’d try to apply some of what I’ve learned making baguettes to my hearth loaves.  One thing that has been in the back of my mind for a while has been whether or not my use of high protein Canadian bread flours 13.3% protein could be preventing my heart loaves from having a more open crumb.  I know that achieving an open crumb is multi factorial and for many not worth the trouble, but it is something I wanted to see if I could eventually achieve.

I threw together a formula with:

50% strong bread flour

30% low protein (10%) white flour