After last week’s 99% white bread, Lucy nearly went into shock with the Dark Side Heebie Jeebies. Yes, there is such a thing as fatal HJ’s but Lucy has an app for that. So, this week she went dark starting with prunes and Deshuette’s Black Porter, 61.3% wholegrain rye and 38.7% whole grain red and white wheat.
Well, we're on holidays again. I usually try to bake at least once during any week that we're away, and have to make do with whatever equipment is available. We're at our usual resort (nice units, good kitchens but a little dated now) and I was expecting a certain number of baking items to be available. Alas, it was not to be!
For the love of a simple sourdough. We have been gradually packing up our home for an interstate move next month and the baking has been neglected. Using up the leftover flour and sourdough starter this week. Looking forward to a new life and lots more baking.
This was a pretty simple bread for me, with 80% freshly ground whole flour between the spelt and the whole wheat.
The ricotta cheese added a nice softness to the crumb.
The bread turned out great with a nice whole grain flavor and made perfect grilled bread.
Formula
It's been a crazy month of chores at the farms, a couple of multi-day cross-country trips for family events, an unexpected minor surgery, and all of the usual stuff that we all deal with. As we all know, there truly are not enough hours in the day, and sometimes something just has to be neglected...
Foccacia di Recco - 58%, 62% and 65% hydration (front to back) - June 26, 2017
Where it all started - Lesson One
My attempt at Artisan Rosemary Bread June 18, 2017
…as the room fills with the acrid smell of smoke billowing from my oven.
Okay this may actually be a little dramatic, and perhaps not the entire truth... but the few attempts I've had to date at making bread have not produced anything I'm super excited to repeat.
It has been over 117 F 3 days in row and today was the first break from the usual Late June heat in Phoenix - only 113 F today. So …..we took the mini oven outside for today’s bake to keep the kitchen from going over 90 F.
Nothing puts blisters on white bread like the mini oven and this one had some beauties. The small space and ability to really crank up the steam is why we love the mini oven and look forward to summer patio baking even though it is so hot.
