Blog posts

Hi everyone,

Here's my response to the Community Bake - Rye Bread, the Franconia Crusty Boule  /  Frankisches Krustenbrot (Germany) from The Rye Baker by Stanley Ginsberg

I am quite pleased with this bake. I really enjoy the added bread spice called Brotgewürz however the next time I make this bread I'll increase the amount. I can see how this bread goes with savory foods and dark beers and veined cheeses.

An additional photo and the recipe and process for those interested.

Jan. 28, 2022. 83rd bake.  3rd take on Denisa's formula.  2nd bake for the Rye Community Bake.

Her formula is here: https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/67054/100-whole-grain-rye-sourdough-bread

1st take was in a regular bread pan that was too big. It used store-bought stone-ground whole rye flour, and no bread spice. https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/69634/78th-bake-01062022-100-rye

Otherwise known as South Tyrol Farmers' Bread

I made this a while ago but it wasn't entirely successful, turning out a bit "solid". The recipe calls for Austrian T960 flour which I think is the same as German T997.

The first time I made it I used home milled wholegrain rye sifted at #50. This time I had planned to use Shipton Mill T997 light rye, but it was out of stock and I was sent Doves Farm white rye as a substitute - a bit whiter, but close enough.

I had all of the best intentions of sticking to the recipe on this one but diverged. Caroline's "39% WW triple levain w/ Holy Trinity add ins Pullman Loaf" intrigued me and I had every intention to make one exactly the same, but then I thought.... well I've got some spelt sprouts growing, why don't I use those instead of the wholewheat? And when it came time to adding the ingredients I realized we'd run out of honey!

Having found a good source for solod (the fermented red rye malt), I have been baking several different rye loaves recently.  This one is a Lithuanian bread based on a recipe from Stanley Ginsberg (http://theryebaker.com/black-rye-breadjuoda-rugine-duona-lithuania/).

I'm going to be on vacation and away from my starter for almost a month.  So no baking while on vacation.  So this is what I am doing to ensure my starter, John Dough is healthy and ready to go when I return.

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

It must have been nearly a decade since I bravely "declared" to take up Michael's 100% spelt @ 100% hydration challenge. I haven't forgotten about it in all these years, but I haven't done anything about it either. Well, until now. 

Wow. I haven't milled anything since fall 2020. The pandemic, moving during the pandemic, and life's hassles.

Milling is currently a 2 step process for me:

1. Crack the grain in a hand-crank 3-roller Shule brand mill. 
2. Run the cracked grain through a Vitamix blender for 30 seconds.

If I don't crack the grain first, the grain scratches and clouds the plastic container, takes longer to grind, and heats up more.

Jan. 24, 2022.  82nd bake.

Denisa's rye, take 2.  First bake for the Rye Community bake.

Her formula here:
https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/67054/100-whole-grain-rye-sourdough-bread

My previous bake of it here:
https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/69634/78th-bake-01062022-100-rye

The goal is to divide her formula by 3 and make one loaf of about 835 g.

What can you do with brioche breads? Transform them into amazing desserts.

Last month I shared a bostock (brioche with an orange zest frangipane)

This month I share a dessert my wife remembered enjoying many times in her younger days with her sister in Japan. It's simple but the process transforms the brioche into something completely different. She had no name for this. If anyone does, let me know.

INGREDIENTS