I just wanted to say hello, and mention what a great site this is (as everyone else knows). Also, the quality of content on here is superb, with more hints and recipes, etc, than I can use for a loaf of bread.
After recently travelling in France on my bicycle and eating a baguette a day, sometimes two a day, I was inspired to learn to make bread a more 'traditional' way, rather than with a bread machine. So now that I'm back in Canada, and in between jobs, I thought it would be the perfect time to start.
Below is a picture from the first dough that I have ever made at home (have worked in kitchens where dough/pastry was required). Since I don't like taking small steps and learning the basics first, I decided my first hurdle would be to make a 100% hydrated starter and use it in a Pseudo- Norwich Sourdough (thank you wildyeastblog.com). I figured I could always cover up the mistake if it didn't work (ie. throw it out), so it was worth a shot. Well, after a couple weeks of having said starter going I decided it was time for it to be used. The result being: (I know it is small, but that's because it would be easier to hide the evidence if it didn't work)
I'm fit to be criticized, so don't worry.
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Wow, that looks very good! Way to go! I have been making SD sandwich loaves for a long time and I really should venture out of my comfort zone to try something new. I am in Canada too. Welcome to TFL. I love it here.
Is that seriously your first loaf? If so, that is incredible. Even if you've been baking for a while that is impressive.
Welcome to the site!
glad you did not get run over in France. Sorry that I cannot provide critism here, it looks very good for a first sougdough. Very crusty, which I personaly like as well.
Cheers (and welcome as well).
Jw.
Wow - I can't believe that's your first loaf of bread! It's absolute art!
really, really amazing! Well done! I see the crumb is darker than the one of commercial breads...just like mine! cheers from Quito, Ecuador
pd: help me...I follow daily this wonderful website but have some probs posting an article...once again cheers. Paolo
Thanks for the positive comments/welcome, but in all honesty I really relied on luck for the thing to even rise. It was perhaps a little bit over done on the bottom, but that may be helped by moving the corning ware up a shelf (?), or baking on the fire bricks I purchased (?). The reason the crumb is a little darker is most likely down to using some dark rye flour in the mix, once I get to using more than two flours for a bread it may be possible to make it 'whiter'.
Seth
- No need to worry about biking in France, it was the journey from Cambridge to Portsmouth that was more of a pain, they have no shoulders in England (and few campgrounds)
Very nice loaf of bread. Don't concern yourself with whitening the crumb in your bread. I use only unbleached/unbromated flour, so all of my bread is a little off color. On the plus side, my flour has not been chemically altered, so I know I'm gett a product with no enhancements.