“Bread and Roses” – Artisan Baking, Training and Consultancy in Northumberland
“Bread and Roses” – Artisan Baking, Training and Consultancy in Northumberland
I hadn’t baked for over a fortnight; very unusual. I didn’t have any plans to bake either. But, early on Thursday morning I knew I needed to bake. Alison and I are following quite a strict diet, so we are not eating grains at the moment…quite a tough call. I had made 4 Brazil and Hazelnut, Raisin and Apricot Scones on Tuesday as samples to celebrate the arrival of 1kg of the best commercial baking powder available in the UK today from my colleague at Kudos Blends…thank you Dinnie. So light! These are English Tea Scones, somewhat different to the US concept, I believe, and much-loved here in the UK. But I wanted to bake bread, and I wanted to fire up the oven; the winds have finally subsided, and today was cold, but beautifully still and sunny.
I built both the wheat levain and rye sourdough over Thursday afternoon and night, so I could start very early this morning. This is what I made:
1. “Rossisky” using the Auerman Method
One Pullman Pan
Rye Sour build:
Day | Time | Stock Sour | Dark Rye | Water | TOTAL |
Thursday | 15:00 | 80g | 160g | 160g | 400g |
Thursday | 20:00 | 400g | 120g | 120g | 640g |
Material/Stage | Formula [% of flour] | Recipe [grams] |
1a. Rye Sourdough |
|
|
Bacheldre Organic Dark Rye Flour | 30 | 300 |
Water | 30 | 300 |
TOTAL | 60 | 600 |
|
|
|
1b. “Scald” |
|
|
Sifted Bacheldre Organic Dark Rye Flour | 15 | 150 |
Red Malted Barley Powder | 5 | 50 |
Boiling Water | 35 | 350 |
TOTAL | 55 | 550 |
|
|
|
2. “Sponge” |
|
|
Rye Sourdough [from 1a.] | 60 | 600 |
“Scald” [from 1b.] | 55 | 550 |
TOTAL | 115 | 1150 |
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|
|
3. Final Paste |
|
|
“Sponge” [from 2] | 115 | 1150 |
Bacheldre Organic Dark Rye | 30 | 300 |
Gilchesters’ Organic Pizza/Ciabatta Flour | 20 | 200 |
Water | 20 | 200 |
Salt | 1.5 | 15 |
TOTAL | 186.5 | 1865 |
|
|
|
% pre-fermented flour | 30 + 20 = 50 | - |
% overall hydration | 85 | - |
% wholegrain flour | 75 | - |
FACTOR | 10 | - |
Method:
- Build the sour as described, make the Scald at the same time as preparing the final refreshment of the sour. Cover and cool to room temperature overnight. Make the Sponge first thing in the morning and ferment this for 4 hours.
- Mix the Gilchesters’ Pizza flour with the water for the final paste and autolyse for 1 hour. Add the salt, remaining Dark Rye and the sponge to the autolyse in a mixer, and combine with the paddle beater to form a paste.
- Bulk proof for 1 hour.
- Line a Pullman Pan and other bread pans neatly with silicone paper and scale the paste into the pans, neatening off carefully. Top with some freshly crushed coriander seeds. Attach the lid.
- Final Proof 4 hours. Bake a minimum of 4 hours in the “dead” wood-fired oven.
- Cool on wires
Photographs below; no crumb shot, sorry. I took these photographs straight after the loaf emerged from the oven and Alison came downstairs mesmerised by the aroma and, frankly surprised bread was emerging from the oven so late at night.
Chocolate...Dark Chocolate!
2. Gilchesters’ Miche/Boules
Makes 6 loaves: 2 Boules @ 400g, 1 Boule @ 800g and 2 Miche @ 1200g.
Levain build:
Day | Time | Stock Levain | Strong White Flour | Water | TOTAL |
Thursday | 15:00 | 40g | 100g | 60g | 200g |
Thursday | 18:00 | 200g | 500g | 300g | 1000g |
Thursday | 21:00 | 1000g | 250g | 150g | 1400g |
The leaven was then allowed to prove slowly overnight in the fridge
Material/Stage | Formula [% of flour] | Recipe [grams] |
1. Wheat Levain |
|
|
Marriage’s Organic Strong White Flour | 25 | 750 |
Water | 15 | 450 |
TOTAL | 40 | 1200 |
|
|
|
2. Final Dough |
|
|
Wheat Levain [from above] | 40 | 1200 |
Gilchesters’ Organic Farmhouse Flour | 75 | 2250 |
Salt | 1.8 | 54 |
Water | 56 | 1680 |
TOTAL | 172.8 | 5184 |
|
|
|
% pre-fermented flour | 25 | - |
% overall hydration | 71 | - |
% wholegrain flour [approx 85% extraction] | 75 | - |
FACTOR | 30 | - |
Method:
- Build the levain, see description above.
- For mixing, first of all mix on first speed for 3 minutes with a hook attachment, then autolyse the Gilchesters flour with the water for 1 hour.
- Add the levain and the salt. Mix on first speed only for 10 minutes. Dough Temperature Calculation worked out as follows: WT = 3[DDT – FRH] – Leaven Temp – Flour Temp. 3[84 – 1] – 18 – 20 = 45. Water temperature required at 45°C. The gentle nature of the mixing action is evident here with just 1°C rise in temperature due to friction!
- Bulk prove the dough maintaining DDT of 26°C for 2 hours.
- Scale and divide as above. Mould round and rest for 15 minutes. Prepare bannetons, re-mould dough pieces and set to final proof.
- Final proof DDT maintained at 26°C, for 3 hours.
- Tip each loaf out of the banneton onto a peel, score the top and set to bake on the sole of the wood-fired oven. Small loaves bake in half an hour, next biggest takes 40 minutes and the biggest loaf took around 50 minutes. The oven was fiercely hot!!!
- Cool on wires.
There is stacks of flavour in this bread. It’s not sour, but the crust is dark and well-fired, and the crumb as moist as could be, nicely gelatinised, soft and very tasty too. Photographs below:
- 3. Brazil and Hazelnut, Raisin and Apricot Scones
On Tuesday I had arranged for the local Food Safety Officer to come and visit to look over my operation and food safety systems. She used the visit to scrutinise all my traceability systems and to go through all the baking operations thoroughly, ending up listing the visit as a full inspection…which I passed, with just some bits of advice how I can build on the work already in place. So I made these Scones just before she arrived using the paperwork trail I had devised, in order for me to test the systems and her to verify them. Here’s the recipe and formula:
Material | Formula [% of flour] | Recipe [grams] |
Marriage’s Strong Organic White Flour | 40 | 64 |
Gilchesters’ Pizza/Ciabatta Flour | 60 | 96 |
Pell Opti-Scone Baking Powder | 5.6 | 9 |
Organic Slightly Salted Butter | 25 | 40 |
Full Fat Milk | 50 | 80 |
Free Range Egg - Beaten | 6.25 | 10 |
Caster Sugar | 18.75 | 30 |
Chopped Brazil Nuts | 6.25 | 10 |
Chopped Hazelnuts | 6.25 | 10 |
California Raisins | 6.25 | 10 |
Chopped Dried Apricots | 6.25 | 10 |
TOTAL | 230.6 | 369 |
Method:
- Pre-heat the electric oven for ¾ hour to 210°C, then turn down to 190°C and use the ordinary fan-assist setting.
- For such a small mix, I made these by hand. Weigh the milk and add the required beaten egg. Dissolve the sugar into this and set to one side. Sieve the flours and baking powder well, then add the butter cut into cubes, and crumb carefully. Add the prepared fruit and nuts and bring the mix together carefully by adding the liquids.
- Roll out the scone paste and cut out 4 scones using a fluted cutter. My scones weighed 75 – 80g, and I had a small piece leftover.
- Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with silicone paper, and brush the tops with beaten egg. Rest the scones for 15 minutes, then bake for 15 – 18 minutes in the pre-heated oven; I baked them on top of a baking stone for maximum lift.
- Cool on wires
I kept the small scone, and found good homes for the other 4 on condition of getting feedback. Very positive on 2, still waiting to hear back about the other 2. Here are a couple of photographs:
The New Year has been all about developing the new business. I have a website but it just has the bare essentials of a frontpage and a bit more besides. I have a food safety system approved, but still to be completely perfected and implemented…nearly there though! Trading Standards have confirmed my retail plans are all compliant and I have an Insurance Policy in place too! Best of all, I’ve been accepted onto the Local Farmers’ Market at Alnwick, taking place on the last Friday in the month, every month…just 2 weeks to get ready for this now. And, I have an up and running financial package on my pc to take care of the accounts too. I had a meeting on Monday afternoon with a Community baking group and have some consultancy work with them commencing a week today, Friday. I am also in negotiations with the soon-to-be ex Chief Exec at Allied Bakeries Gateshead. We are looking at training packages to sit alongside the Management Consultancy project he is setting up. I also have a timetable to work to of 2 days a week baking and gathering wood; 2 days for study and the remainder for training and consultancy work. Busy and exciting too; sufficient to mean I can delay preparing the Business Plan for a few months all being well. The plan in my head is working out sufficiently well so far.
Happy New Year to you all
Andy
Comments
" Not eating grains" ? OK who are you, and what have you done with Andy?
That must be a tough one all-right, but I'm sure you have compelling reasons for it...just hard to imagine being without bread of some kind.
Lovely loaves Andy, especially the Rossisky, and as you say fantastic colour! Your scones look like the ones we used to get from our neighbourhood bakery when we were kids. Run by a wee Scot, it was called the Tam O Shanter and his scones were the lightest I ever had. These ones of yours are dead ringers for them, although he only made his with currants or cheese, not with the bounty of nuts you've included in these beauties. Congratulations on the Farmer's Market acceptance, that could turn out to be fairly lucrative as well as open up other possibilities through the regular exposure to the public. It all sounds good though and here's to your success with each of your projects in the New Year.
Best Wishes,
Franko
Hi Franko,
Thank you as always for your generous and thoughtful comments.
Fruit scones over here are probably most commonly found with sultanas. Cheese scones are ever-popular too.
The Farmers' Market in Alnwick is designed to do exactly as you say; regular exposure. Now I have to reach the immediately local people in a more direct way.
All good wishes
Andy
Andy,
Exciting news about your business taking shape! Sounds like the red tape part is coming to an end...
A question on your miche leaven builds. The times are very close together....did the leavens have time to ripen in that time frame or did you keep them short intentionally? Reading the figures for the 3 build I would think that would ripen very quickly due to the small amount of fresh food compared to the amount of seed (1000g)
Makes sense that the loaf would have a mild sour based on the first 2 feeds but that long overnight one seems like it would become more sour due to food supply running low by the end thus creating more of a sour flavor.
Sorry to hear you are off of grains. If it helps any, I can't eat anything I bake but that doesn't stop me from baking and enjoying the heck out of the aromas.. THe hardest part is I have to rely on others to tell me how the flavors etc are...not a reliable way to do things as all have different tastes.....my daughter and several of my friends are my best info. sources but my daughter is VERY tired of me asking her for her detailed analysis of the loaves I bake.....' Mom, just pay attention to what I eat. It is ALL good :-).' Pretty simple solution.
Take Care,
Janet
Hi Janet,
Well yes we may not be eating grains, but I still sneaked a taste of the Gilchesters bread, and a bit of scone. I have to; I want to sell these items, so they have to be what I want them to be.
But, generally I am supporting Alison, and the diet is for health reasons. Let's leave it there, but it would be really hard to give up grain altogether, permanently. I guess it becomes easier if you know it's going to make you feel poorly.
Red tape never goes away, of course. But if I do the job correctly, then the red tape won't seem like the bind that many make such a big deal of. If you want to sell food to the public, then isn't it reasonable to demonstrate it's safe? Many do protest too much, methinks!
On the build, yes you are correct to note the short amount of time between the feeds. I kept the fermenting culture near the multi burner to encourage activity, as I hadn't baked bread fornearly 3 weeks. But my leaven is strong, so it always comes back well. Actually, I pushed the rapid feeds so the leaven was slightly green, and easily able to withstand the overnight treatment. I held the chiller about 8*C. This is cool enough to slow down both bacterial and enzymatic reactions as well as the wild yeast; they all respond to temperature change. Of greater impact, to be honest, is the high ash content of the Gilchesters flour. That really can speed up the proteases. So 25% pre-fermented flour here is great, as that is the white flour portion.
Very best wishes
Andy
Andy,
Thanks for the explanation. I am so used to seeing you use Loooooong fermenting time with your leavens that this one caught me by surprise :-)
What you did with this recipe looks more like what I do with my whole grains to keep 'things' in check and on the mild side although my 3 leaven builds are completed within about a 9 hour time frame...each build taking about 3 hours to ripen at approx. 75°F/23°C. I have found that keeping my total pre-fermented flour within a 15%-18% range works really well when I include a long overnight bulk retarding time.....works well with my schedule...I keep my hydration level a lot lower than you do though - usually at 60%....took awhile to figure it all out but now that I have things work a lot more predictably which feels nice :-) (Took ages to grasp that my freshly ground whole grains need to be treated very differently than 'store' bought flours....)
I envy your ability to be able to taste what you bake...but then if I could taste mine I would probably drive myself nuts trying to replicate flavors and textures :-0....this way I bake and people tell me what they like and then, when I bake for them again, I simply recreate what I did before :-)......keeps me a bit more sane.....I hope!
Take Care,
Janet
Hi Janet,
Yes your fresh grain will behave very differently to all the flours I use...and I use quite a range, and they all behave quite differently to each other too!
Do you keep your leaven hydrated at 60%? You may note that's the level of water I use in my wheat levain..although that is an industrial strong white flour.
The production schedule I'm envisaging for my regular bakes moving forward will involve producing about 20 loaves. I'll probably do one dough on overnight retard so that will be ready to bake first. Then follow it up with another 12 loaves before loading the rye sour loaves last of all.
If you look over most of my leaven schedules you'll see it's only the rye that gets the looooong fermentation usually. I'm happy to describe the rye as a sourdough, but don't like to think the breads produced with my wheat levain will be in any way sour; that's not what I'm looking for at all.
Good to read about the detail you use in your breadmaking; it all makes good sense to me
Best wishes
Andy
Looks like everything is rolling right along. Congratulations on the Farmer's Market! Your bakes are wonderful looking and very nicely written up. The scones are delicious looking. I have been craving a good scone.
How about that 'dead' wfo...it's storing up the heat nicely for your 4 hours of baking....it did a wonderful job by the looks of your lovely loaves and probably could have done some extra scones too. I just finished raking out some cold ashes from my wfo. I sure disliked wasting that stored heat but we did enjoy pizza, pasta, cinnamon rolls and I roasted bell peppers on top of the coals, for us and a few of the neighbors, they always appreciate having my extra's sent over. I had plenty of 10" round ones.
Funny little story to put a smile on your face....I planned on one hugh rectangle pizza. Then it hit me, just before bake time. After having all prepared and planned how I would slide it into the oven, how would I rotate it in the oven..it would have to be rotated..I know I could have put it in a pan..but my pizza's, I want only cooked right on the oven floor. Not impossible but requires a little more planning. Maybe next time.
So you are watching the diet too! I'am too, in moderation..I eat my whole nuts and grains in a small bowl ' not in my bread for now, and nuts..well only a few for health. Have a healthy, happy, prosperous New Year, Andy!
Sylvia
Yes, I'm rolling along here, although a couple of more lucrative consultancy opportunities would be useful right now!
I only baked 6 loaves this time in the hot oven. Ideally, I'll be aiming for 3 runs through...so 18 loaves. Then I'll load the panned rye sourdoughs to bake overnight. But I hadn't planned to bake, so I didn't have sufficient leaven to make enough dough for 18 loaves! Regarding efficient use of heat....I'll get there. I'm still glad to say I haven't paid anything for the wood so far burnt in the oven!
The solution for your pizza slab is simple; use a tape measure when rolling out the base and you'll be fine. I know if I made a pizza 65 x 25cm and I'd be fine; any more and I'd have the problem you came up against!
The diet is for Alison's health. But I have issues to deal with too, and if I lost 12 or 13kg I'd be doing myself a lot of favours.
Lovely to hear from you
Best wishes
Andy
Hi Andy,
Nice bake and report, I am glad to hear that life is on track.
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
Good to hear from you and thank you for your kind words
All good wishes
Andy
Andy, very best of luck with your new venture. The scones look delicious, too. That must be good baking powder.
Hi Louie,
Thank you very much!
Regarding the baking powder, I did a research project on chemical aerating agents for my Baking Tech quals. My tutor put me onto a colleague of his who had set up Kudos Blends. I went off to Kidderminster for the day, was well-looked after and given access to any learning materials imagineable. The support has just kept coming, so I wouldn't want to use anything else.
Very best wishes
Andy
to hear about your business. Everything looks great, and I particularly have my eye on the scones. They are different from what you find around here - at least in shape - I'm used to flatter and triangular. I have been trying to learn how to make croissants lately and found a great video that you posted from a course. It has been very helpful. So thanks for that. -Varda
Hi Varda,
We make scone rounds in the UK. These are cut into quaters, which are then baked on the hot plate [known as a "girdle" in Scotland] These are much closer to the ones I've found described by US TFLers.
Croissants...did you see the full tutorial, here:
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/16082/laminated-yeasted-dough-construction ?
Many thanks for all your kind words
Best wishes to you
Andy
I have tried three times so far - getting better each time but it's not that easy. -Varda
Hi Varda,
we'll know you're happy about croissant making when you post on it...I'm looking forward to reading that one day soon!
All good wishes
Andy
Hi Andy,
Great news to hear about the Farmers Market and new things you are trying. The scones look so great! I can't get the kind of special ingredients like you use, but I want to try. :)
I laughed when I read " Who are you..."that Franko left a comment for you. That reminds me of the move " Megamind" Although I understand of such a strict diet... Cheers,
Happy New year,
Akiko
Hello Akiko, and a Happy New Year to you too!
Yes, an assurance to you and Franko, and everyone else who posted on the thread...it's still me and my abstinence from grains is temporary for sure.
You can make scones with baking powder, or, even self-raising flour. They'll not be as light as mine, but they'll still be lovely if you use the formula above. The flour mix is usually 40% bread and 60% soft to give a medium strength and no more.
The business venture is moving forward.
Best wishes to you
Andy
Andy,
Happy to hear about your ventures, and always pleased to see your breads. I wish I could try some, some day.
But you know, if/after you go 'commercial', remember this site is:
"Amateur bread bakers..."
Oh wait, it says too: "Artisan Bread Enthusiasts". :)
I guess you still qualify. :-) (joking -- I would take your breads any day over the garbage in my neighborhood..)
---
Hoping to still see your good breads here. Please keep posting.
Cheers!
-gvz
Hi gvz,
Fair comments, of course. I'll always be an "artisan bread enthusiast"...in abundance.
My feeling is that, as when I was lecturing, the work I do at home will be crucial to the business. For teaching it helped me drive forward practical teaching, and for a commercial bakery it will be crucial for new product development.
So that should mean those reading TFL will be ahead of the game and be looking at ideas and breads only in the pipeline.
I'm not planning on stopping posting, although I appreciate the focus of the posts will need careful direction to continue to enthuse the readers. So long as you all like the breads, that's the first thing!
Many thanks for your generous comments, much appreciated
Best wishes
Andy
Hello Andy
Lovely bread and thank you for the formulas. I am happy to hear your plans have worked out well. good luckwith the venture.
I know it will be a sucess.
Take good care of yourself
Albert
Hi Albert,
Many thanks for your supportive comments.
I'm looking forward to meeting up in February at the Event!
Did you perfect the bread formulae I gave you some time ago?
All good wishes
Andy
Lots of exciting things happening for you, Andy, that's great news! And a beautiful bake on top of it all. Now, I've learned to brace myself for the great breads in your posts (don't read while hungry), but the scones have caught me off guard. I'll be daydreaming about those all afternoon, they look amazing! Thanks for ever more inspiration.
Marcus
Hi Marcus,
So glad you like the scones. And thank you for your enthusiastic remarks, they are very much appreciated
All good wishes
Andy
Just great to watch vicariously from the sidelines!
Seems you are moving things along nicely. Farmers Markets should be a hoot ... and monthly is not too much of a drain to begin with either.
I hope the grain free period does the trick. It can work wonders for some ... I did it a few years ago and it was hard for the first week but you settle into it. Grain free is kinda hard now with grain mill sitting on the bench :)
All the best,
Phil
Hi Phil,
There is something so uplifting about knowing that there are bakers all over the world watching in on tiny local ventures and willing them to succeed. Many thanks for continued support.
Well, all of our resources are so stretched just now so doing one market is all that is possible.
We're trying to do a "paleolithic" diet, although given we don't eat meat, that is somewhat of a deviation in my opinion. So, it's fruit, veg, fish, nuts and seeds with water and fruit/herb teas to drink. OG live natural yoghurt is about the only concession. For me, no beans and pulses and no grain is ok in the short term, but not possible as a diet I could sustain. I just want this to work for Alison really, and lose a bit of weight myself, so I can get back some lost fitness.
Good to hear from you Phil
Best wishes
Andy
No probs Andy,
Really do wish you all the best with your plans. I am not sure what it is like over there but cooking schools/classes are very popular here.
Yeah, I went paleo too ... . It does work but it was not sustainable for me. I don't think I would like to live without good yoghurt and wholegrain wheat/rye breads :) ... too much a part of me now.
Cheers,
Phil
Nice collection of breads, Andy. The Rossisky is really appealing!
As to the upcoming career, i wish you the best of luck. You must be very busy now! which explains why your postings have been elaborate, yet erratic.
Hi Khalid,
Yes busy of course, as you noted. If the posts are elaborate, then I'm very happy, as it probably means I'm covering the ground I need to.
Yes, posts will be somewhat erratic at this point. Not baking for a fortnight has impacted just now! Moving forward? Well, I'm keen to stick to keeping the focus to a home baking audience, in the sense I'll still be baking from home. But there's also a link from my website to my blog here, so I guess I also want to build up a "wow" factor too, if that's an honourable aim?
Many thanks for your positive words, especially about the bread, of course
All good wishes
Andy
Dear Andy,
Very glad to hear all your plans are coming to fruition (almost there!) and that things are looking up for you. Alas I am more than halfway across the world so trying one of your breads is out of the question.But I've always admired your generous sharing of formulas here and your detailed and helpful guidance. Hope the health issue is only in passing. (I take my hat off to all of you who abstain from bread. Janet, do you really not eat anything you bake??? Is it a gluten allergy? Yet you continue baking for your family, kudos to you.)
Just wanted to let you know I used one of your scone recipes once, the one with light rye flour, just because I've never come across rye flour in scones (rye and scone seem like antonyms!). It turned out light, really tender and better than any I've tasted and made. I wanted to do a better job of it, and maybe take a photo or two, before posting to tell you, but here you go. So I expect this scone featured here to be really nice too.
All the best with your various endeavours! Oh and did you know that Bread and Roses is also the name of a famous bakery/café in Paris? Happens that one of my friends is interning there.
Hi ww,
sorry to be a bit late getting back to you, and it's a bit of a rush as Floyd will be just about to turn the lights out in support of an internet protest...good on you Floyd!
I really wasn't sure about rye flour in scones, but when I tried this I didn't have any soft flour in the house and didn't want to make the scones with strong flour only. I was quite surprised how nicely they turned out too. However, the ones posted here are a lot better, for sure!
"Bread and Roses" is a highly political choice of name. Originally coined by Rosa Luxemburg a Communist activist in Germany, it was used by the women factory workers in the industrial north of the US in the early 20th Century as a slogan to express their struggles to live on the wages earnt, and with the rigours of the tasks they endured at work; "We demand bread, and we demand roses". I want to offer bread which is both sustaining and a bit special. Additionally my wife and I have plans to break into courses which offer self-improvement and better lifestyle, and the "Roses" aspect of the slogan is crucial to this. That's the explanation for the choice of name. I'm aware I'm not the only person using it.
Very good to hear from you and I really appreciate your generous words of support
Best wishes
Andy