The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

The Provincial Italian baker feeds the goats, then he starts the bread

The Roadside Pie King's picture
The Roadside Pi...

The Provincial Italian baker feeds the goats, then he starts the bread

Stamattina, ho voglia di fingere di essere un panettiere di provincia di un paesino di montagna del sud Italia.

(This morning, I feel like pretending to be a provincial baker in a mountain village in southern Italy)

Please excuse the thin natural preferment. Smile...#NOBIGATODAY

"T" minus 60 minutes until frementolyse completion. 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

if not some kind of cultural experience.  Then sit in the shade with a cool glass of wine while the bread rises. Set a timer or you'll overproof while wiggling your toes in the sunshine.  Happy ❤️ Day!  

The Roadside Pie King's picture
The Roadside Pi...

I like the way you think! A nice cool glass of orzata (Almond syrup drink,) alcohol is optional, would also hit the spot! So what are you baking these days? You know, for better or worse you were my first friend here! Back then it was a bit more clicky I think? You helped me fit in! Imagine that me, the quintessential misfit, fitting into a club! Smile. Enjoy the special day! Oh, by the way, update. The baguettes are in the cooler. So far so good. The special thing about this bake follows.

AP flour - 600g

Pastry flour - 145g

Rye flour - 81g

The Roadside Pie King's picture
The Roadside Pi...

I never lose patience and rush the endgame (anymore.) Well, I did this bake. After the room temperature bulk with nary a rest, I proceeded to scale, preshape, and shape. 

When I checked in on the cool-proof progress, I found the fledgling baguettes had shrunk. (Not unlike in the Seinfeld episode) Well since I like a baguette as long as possible, I rolled them out again! This is the result. Still very tasty still a bit under proofed. I have to figure out the proper cold proofing time for the new refrigerator. Oh, also my new method of using an ultra-sharp paring knife as a lame gone crazy! Smile, Have a nice day. 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Mine are tasting good but not yet ready for prime time viewing.  I picked up a baguette baking pan. The recipe that came with it leaves a bit to be desired.  So I'm finally working on "baggies."  Yup.  After all these years!   Mostly two at a time with a little steam trough between the two when baking.  The last two got cut up into cubes for dressing.  I need to get my fermenting times down and set a timer.

Do you think baguettes open up better baking on a flat surface or a round one?  (Like the baguette pan?)  Right now, after shaping, they do the final rise in the curved pan.  My imagination has them rising, rolling happily in floured dish towels instead, all billowy and ready for scoring.  Na ya.

I made a rye loaf and tossed in pine nuts.  Lined the pan with them too and some over the rising top crust.  Don't ever let me do that again!  I turned some wonderful buttery nuts into something else.  They don't stick well falling off at the slightest touch.  Their flavour changes from day to day.  The ones inside the dough are fine. But just not as good as the raw ones.  Printing out a warning sign (for inside my baking cupboard) as I write.  

I bought the pine nuts to traditionally decorate the gingerbread cookies which still need to be made.  Fermented the dough now 4 months.  Dough might start crawling to the oven on its own soon.  I thought about groundhog's day cookies but funny, no groung hog cookie cutter.  Cut the ears off a bunny?  Missed my big opportunity with  Valentines Day. Lots of heart cutters. ..... ❤️ day came and went.  Nobody here needs the calories.  I will come up with something.  Then give most of them away.  

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Yes, i do see your cute pannatonies hidding there next to the wall.  So subtle!  Looking good too.

The Roadside Pie King's picture
The Roadside Pi...

Definitely a result I can build on. I have done the poof in the baguette pans and in a flat pan in a floured couche. I did not notice any significant difference. That being said, I am not the most alert to detail person. I now exclusively proof in a couche, because the flat pan takes less room in the refrigerator. I bake in the baguette pan because I find it easier to handle. That rye bread of yours sounds amazing! I bet the cookies will be well worth the long wait! 

 I had 190g of 125% hydration liquid leaven left over. I took 120g of it and today's bake will be a naturally leavened "Falzon Filone" that will weigh in at a little over 500g (pre-bake)I tried to keep the ratios the same as in the last Vermont sourdough bake. This photo is the commercial yeast Falzon Filone. 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

WHAAH !  That looks so GOOD!  and with sesame seeds too!