Blog posts

Am still loving the yeast water! This was a repeat of Hamelman's "Swiss Farmhouse" from the community bake - used the same formula but with some minor tweaks. Said tweaks being that I used apple yeast water (fed using Granny Smith apples, originally started as a raisin yeast water); and replaced the raisins and walnuts by cranberries and pecans; the cranberries were soaked in boiled water for 20 minutes and so were slightly more hydrated than the raisins usually are.

It's been a busy summer and haven't had time to post much.  Have still been baking though.  Have tried a number of different breads, but I keep coming back to my stand-by.  Buckwheat and oat.  

I've done numerous variants, but this is one of my favorites.  I think the maple and toasted buckwheat make a nice combination.

Since this is a process of discovery more than an exposition of well understood science, the update number in the title will change when enough significant changes have accumulated that you might want to re-read from the top. At some point it will stabilize but in the beginning it is somewhat volatile as I discover/uncover truth and apply a dope slap for what proves to be erroneous. 

Hello everyone,

Last week, I wanted to bake a few things but I never got to stay home long enough to entertain the mixing bowl or spatula! I believe I was beginning to feel a baking withdrawal* even.

Since the demise of my KA mixer and indecision on a replacement. I thought I'd experiment with hand mixing.

This bake is the White-Wheat Blend (Ode to Bourdon) from Tartine - Book No. 3 by Chad Robertson with a couple of substitutions.

59th bake. 96.5% Stone ground WW.

First loaf in the big oven since spring.  During summers I just use the toaster oven or use a griddle/pan on the stove-top.

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110 g SG WW durum, Patel brand.

330 g SG WW red wheat, Bob's Red Mill.

8.8 g salt.

330 + 22 + 22 g H2O = 374 g.

32 g of 100% hydration starter, bread + AP flour, last fed 6 days ago, kept in fridge.  Adds 16 g of white flour for 456 g total flour.

16 / 456 = 3.5% pre-fermented flour (PFF).

44 g roasted (in oil) sunflower seeds, un-salted.

This is a modified bake that I last did in the winter and wanted to do again now that I have a good pH meter.  40% whole Kamut, 40% whole spelt and 20% bread flour, so lots of whole grain.

I’ve made this recipe for baguettes before with the seeds on the crust, this is the first time I’ve made baguettes with inclusions, so black sesame seeds in the dough.  It is a much tidier way to add the sesame seed flavour so you don’t cover your floor with sesame seeds when slicing the baguettes.  

To learn more about concentrated lactic acid sourdough (CLAS), please see here and here. 

Posted before as big batards, so first time out of the chute as baguettes.  

We were eating grilled pork chops with polenta a few evenings ago, and that reminded me of this bread that I'd made twice in succession back in Feb. for the first time.  

This time, aside from the baguette shape I rejected using the mechanical mixer instead opting for a hand mix.