Blog posts

I made this same bread before some months ago combining Jeffrey Hamelman’s method and Bourke Street Bakery recipe (not entirely). This time I followed Bourke Street Bakery’s recipe closely. Umm, closely, I actually increased the amount of both soy beans and linseeds substantially (double the amount for both soys and linseeds), upped the amount of water a little (hydration percentage) and replaced 10% of bread flour with whole wheat flour.

After nearly two good years at my local Great Harvest, two weeks ago I packed up, called it good and moved to a new venture down the road. It was hard to leave good friends and a great boss, but after talking to my Chef/Professor at college and my fiance, I decided I had hit the wall, learned everything I could at the bakery and because of that, it was time to move on from my current bakery. In order to grow and develop I needed to start working on other skills and making different loaves daily.

Specially rich CHALLAH (Jewish bread)

Specially rich challah, yet soft and fluffy as a challah should be

One Pound Pullman Shorty

A one pound loaf is just right for me. I can comfortably go through two loaves a week, without getting too overweight...

After years of baking bread I started making fun shapes.  My first attempts were using the entire batch of dough to make one large "Fun Bun". 

I made a frog for the neighbor girls.

Then a mouse for my backdoor neighbor.

I tried a pig next.

by George, I think I've got it!

A lot has been said regarding using the liquid wild yeast or water yeast for sourdough and thought I would give you an idea of the results that I have been getting.  I use a double feed for my bread  and by that I mean that I refresh the yeast water routinely and when I am ready to bake, I take 1 part yeast water and 2 parts flour, or there abouts.  I don't really measure to the inth degree just generally use a 1/2 cup measure and fill the container and add that to my yeast water and stir.

I started baking bread in 1969.  As a new bride I wanted to continue the family tradition of making Swedish Rye Bread.

A few years ago I was looking for ways to share my love of baking with my grandchildren.  Here are some "fun buns" I have created.

Simple Multi Levain Builds for SD &or YW

 [Updated: 110519-0940]

A great deal has been written about methods to build, or refresh, leavains. It is not the purpose of this posting to say here is a “better way”. The sole purpose here is to say here is a very simple way, if you want to build any desired amount of levain for a loaf you wish to try.

After realizing that we preferred tangy sourdough breads to milder fruit yeast loaves, I banned my apple yeast water into the no-see area of my refrigerator - the place where stuff goes that is hardly ever used. Bad conscience made me feed it together with my other two starters before I went on my trip to Germany, but after I came back I forgot all about it.