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So!  This time there were numerous changes in my method.

1. Ingredients were weighed instead of measured by volume

2. The dough was kneaded longer

3. I paid strict attention to the time - 

   a.1.5 to 2 hour ferment

   b. 20 minute rest

   c. proof for 60-90 minutes

   d. bake for 35-45 minutes, rotating 180 degrees midway

4. Brushed the top with egg wash

5. Scored the loaf

Results: 

Today I baked my first loaf that came from a real recipe; Reinhart's pain de campagne. I had attempted a version of pain a l'ancienne before I had the book in my hands, but found it hard to shape. After reading the real recipe, I found that this is how the dough is intended to be --- pulled instead of shaped in a traditional way. 

The loafs made with the pain de campagne recipe were very easy to shape. I was able to tighten the skin quite readily and when I scored it, the bread peeled away from the cut nicely. The cuts are almost too deep.

Just got back from the suppler.

picked up everything but the shortening dam i forgot it ill get it in a week or so i do have enough on hand to het stared for the holidays

just so it was not a lost day i made these

I finally found time to make Maggie Glezer's levain challah, the taste is amazing, rich, creamy and seems the longer it sits the sweeter it becomes. I didn't get the crumb I had tried to achieve but this is the first attempt. The dough was easy to work with and it worked great with my motherdough levain. It has a very unique taste which I think may be a result of the sourdough and the honey.

This has to be my favorite for a natural levain Challah. The yeasted version is PR's Challah in Crust & Crumb.

Ihave tried several of the bread recipes in the Fr. Dominic book series with poor results.

 My most recent attempt produced a very dry, dense, tough bread which tasted OK but was very disappointing. I ate theree slices the rest went in the waste can.

 I must be doing something wrong because I can't believe that anyone could win a state Fair Prize with this loaf as claimed in the book.

 Can anyone share some comments as to why I seem to get such poor results?

   Bob F
 

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4 Pound Onion Rye

I'm on the Board of a local charitable organization, and last night (Oct 17), we had our annual gala, which includes a silent auction. As I do every year, I donated a bread basket (which, I'm happy to report, fetched a very good price).

Getting there was quite a challenge, since the basket, which was Jewish bakery themed this year, included a challah, a deli rye, a dozen bagels, a dozen bialys, a dozen onion rolls, and a Russian coffee cake -- six breads, six different formulas, one KA stand mixer and two GE electric home ovens.

Here is some of my recent baking, two of the batches are from the SFBI book and both are really good like alla formulas from that book. The first batch pictured is the whole grain bread with sesame- ,sunflower- and flaxsseds and also some oats. This bread is a really tasty hearthy whole grain bread wich I think should be made a bit larger than the ones pictured, they are about 2-2½" across and weights 450g each as suggested in the book. I do however think that a 2# loaf of this bread baked for a bit longer in the oven whould be perfect for making hearthy sandwiches.