Blog posts

It's been fun to keep at a single loaf for an extended period. I've been making Chad's basic loaf nearly every week for over a year, experimenting with different fermentation temperatures so that I can bend the formula to fit my always changing farming schedule. Here's what I got from delayed fermentations both at the first stage (stretched it from the recommended four hours to eight), and at the final stage (fermentation overnight in my root cellar, 45 degrees). 

For the last four years my wife and I have joined neighbors for Thanksgiving. Everybody makes something. Each year I make this large Challe. Probably why I keep getting invited back.

Some advice please.  I want to bake a bread that is 60% rye and 40% bread flour.  In order to achieve a good lift and open crumb, I propose to add a binder of the type used in gluten free baking.  I am thinking,  Psyllium at about 30% of the rate I would use in a gluten free bread ie for  450 grans total flour- 10 grams of psyllium husk.  Thoughts, comments, advice?

Thanks, RB

Going on year nine of making bread. 2000 grams a week, roughly. One batch. Each time during the week I bake from the batch it has a new flavor.

      Today I'm documenting this sour rye bread so I can remember what I did and not have to look back thru multiple threads to find my way. My last sour rye came out really well, but today I wanted to add in a few more ideas culled from various posters. From ehanner: using water from rehydrating onions as part of the dough water. From Norm: going all the way to 100% with the rye sour component, and bulk fermenting in a wet wooden box (well, I used a salad bowl).

So, I've been absent from my blog, but it doesn't mean I haven't been baking.

Lately I've been baking almost exclusively the Rustic Bread by Floydm. I never made loafs with preferments, so it was new, but I liked doing it.

I also recently acquired a Le Cruiset pot, so I baked in it for the first time. And I have to say, it was the most beautiful bread I have ever baked!

I made half a recipe, I thought it was too much. But now I'm doing the whole one! It's very good.

First attempt at 100% whole grain bread. Only 2 tablespoon starter required and 9 hours to a nice loaf. Very happy with the results!

After several weeks of whole and sprouted wheat, I needed a break and was seeking middle ground between the Multigrain SD breads I prefer and the soft sandwich type breads my husband prefers. And I missed including rye in the mix, the flavor it brings and even didn't care if the dough is kind of sticky. I wanted a soft, yet open crumb and rich flavor. So, what's in the kitchen to contribute? Rye (25%), of course, cornmeal (12%), caraway seed, a touch of molasses and an extra baked potato (15%).

Cari Amici,

questo Pane è stato messo in produzione tante volte proprio perchè il suo gusto, i suoi profumi rievocano in me i ricordi più belli della mia infanzia, quando accompagnavo la nonna al Forno del paese per cuocere il pane che aveva lievitato lentamente tutta la notte sotto una calda coperta.

Quante volte lei mi ha regalato un pezzetto di impasto e mi ha insegnato cosa fare per ottenere un buon pane.

Quanto mi piacerebbe che i bambini di adesso avessero la stessa fortuna.........

The prep schedule got messed up when i had to drop everything and go marketing with a friend. Ended up with the autolysed dough which was slapped and folded about 2 mins on the counter and hurriedly thrown into an oiled bowl, bagged and immediately refrigerated. Came back more than 6 hrs later and started to do the first SF. Left dough on counter and did 2nd SF an hr later then refrigerated again another 3 hrs. Shaped and couched then went into fridge again overnight. Slashed and Baked this morning after 12hrs proof. There is no magic protocol here. Just a play with time and temp.