no-knead triple batches in fridge?
This is my first posting. I must apologize for sounding like a newbie. I'm a mom to 3 kids under 5 and am interested in feeding them well-fermented bread, as whole-grain as possible. I have very little time to spend kneading (or mixing or cleaning, for that matter) and have been experimenting with a few methods. I have been following this forum for a while, but am somewhat unsure that what I am attempting to do will work. I've been using the no-knead method but making a double or triple batch. I want to bake one loaf and leave the rest of the dough in the fridge so that I can pull it out and make more later, like the "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day" method. I have been adding some kefir to the water to simulate a sourdough effect. I get good flavor but the dough spreads out a lot, and I would rather not be confined to using a pot, if possible. I read Reinhart's whole grain book and tried a few recipes from it, but I have so little time that I was pulled back to experimenting with the no-knead method. FWIW, I tried the AB in 5 recipe and found it produced a totally tasteless bread, even after making it two weeks in a row in the same container. I don't like white bread. Their version of whole wheat calls for sweetener, and I really want to avoid anything like that. Perhaps I need to move to sourdough starter instead of kefir? Decrease hydration and knead a little? I thought I would post in case anyone is trying something similar, or can tell me that what I'm doing is just pure craziness!
Hi,
I have also been working with the AB in 5 recipe, but I am beginning to change it up a bit. I have a sourdough starter in the fridge that I started about 3 weeks ago. I am just using 1 cup as if it were a 1/2 cup of water. This way I am trying to infuse the flavor of sourdough into the AB. However, I also was wondering about just making a HUGE starter in the fridge, and letting that be the bread dough. Pull some out, and bake a loaf as needed, and just keep feeding the large amount of starter. I am talking about a 2 loaf at a time in the fridge starter. I figure if you can do it with a few tablespoons, why not just make a huge batch? I am a newbie, and if anyone has any objections, please let me know what they would be.
Maddy
That's an interesting idea. I've got to get my head around the whole chemistry of it all. I see that there is a 'handbook' section to TFL, and i'm going to read it; I skimmed part yesterday and it looks very helpful. It sounds like we're on the same quest!
I don't really know why they call it "artisan" bread. Just seems like a free-form loaf to me!
So, I will post pics, but I have my dough in the fridge since this morning. It is quite the mixture, and I plan on baking it tomorrow. Here is the ingredient list:
1 pkg Hodgson Mill White bread
1 pkg Hodgson Mill 9 grain bread
3 tbs butter
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
about 2 1/4 cups warm water
1 packet yeast
I stirred it all till sticky and combined, then covered it and put it in the fridge. It has already more than doubled.
I wanted to use up the bread mixes I have, and it is kind of fun to get creative with them. I think they have gluten and possibly dough conditioners in them. Not sure, but we'll see what turns out! I'll post some pics when I finish.
M.
yes, I absolutely cannot claim to be making 'artisan' bread! I just browse here because I like a lean bread, with a crunchy crust and open crumb - or would like to make one, some day! I think perhaps I'll try the stretch and fold method, which sounds manageable, even with kids crawling around at my feet.
I played around with the folding technique after watching Mark's video, and it was SO much fun! Each time it really rose a bunch. And the gasses made noise as I stretched it. It seemed to make the dough much more elastic. Maybe it helps the gasses do their job better.
I posted the pics in the wrong thread! I put it under My Third Artisan Loaf, and they turned out pretty good considering I accidentally snuffed out the flames on my oven! So they sat in hot pans for about 18 minutes before I realized and cranked the heat back on. They amazingly enough turned out edible!
M.