The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Developing Flavour

Ayaz's picture
Ayaz

Developing Flavour

Hi all,

This is my first post, and I know this topic has been posted in the past, but the one thing I don't get is that no matter what I try (from what I have read from previous posts), I can't get the desired results.

My problem is that I find that my breads completely lack that wonderful "fresh-baked" flavour you get when you walk into a bakery. I have tried prefermenting. I have tried long cold rises in the fridge too. Is there something I am missing? I know that salt contributes to flavour, and sugars can help in the maillard reaction, but there is only so much of those ingredients that can go into a loaf, and the effect is subtle at best.

I am totally baffled as to why my bread almost totally lacks any smell/flavour at all ...

Is it because I am a home baker and my oven just doesn't get as hot as a hearth to get that flavour going?

Every day I walk by a bakery on my way to work, and it just tortures me because their baguettes and artisan loaves smell soooo good.

Many thanks for your help,

Ayaz

 

 

gerhard's picture
gerhard

The other thing is that the smell at home creeps up on you slowly so your brain may not alert you to it. I smoke meat and often when I smoke ribs or pork shoulder I find I can't taste the smokiness where guests will comment on the flavour. My thinking is I smelled the smoke for 6 plus hours and so lost my  ability to taste it. 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

outside upwind from your kitchen while the bread is cooling.  Get some good old fashioned clean air (if possible) and then walk back inside.  Just opening the door should let you know there is a great aroma in there!  :)

Ayaz's picture
Ayaz

I will give the salt a try. I think I have been using too little.

As for the fresh air suggestion, I think you may be on to something I never thought of... I will definitely give it a try.

Thanks all for your suggestions.

 

 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

in a can to simulate a lot bread being baked in a bakery.  Here are a couple of posts '.

https://www.amazon.com/Bread-Smell-Fragrance-Sensory-Decisions/dp/B00CCO3L6W

http://www.compoundchem.com/2016/01/20/bread-aroma/

I have the opposite problem.  My wife hates th smell of bread baking so I can't bake when she is home and need a spray to mask the smell of just 1 loaf baking .  Sourdough smalls way differen than yeast breads as well.

lizzy0523's picture
lizzy0523

She hates the smell of bread baking?? You learn something new everyday - I never imagined such a thing was possible! Is there anything specific about it that turns her off?

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

which tend to max out the smell department.  I also bake a lot of pizza and the corn meal and semolina that keep the pizza from sticking to the peel burns and smells when firing up the oven for the next bread bake because I am too lazy to clean it out first.  Since it is preheated to over 500 F, it smells like the oven is in self cleaning mode.

What you definitely don't want to do is say something like..... it smells better than your feet or it smells better than the perfume you are wearing:-(