August 22, 2012 - 4:20pm
Pullman Loaf Form DIY
I just got this pullman pan the other day and want to use it for a loaf. I got creative with a little thread, needle, dish towel, and 2 plastic hangers (cut into sticks):
(I don't know what I'm doing but I'll give it a try lol.)
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Here is a pic I just now took of it with some dough in it -- I think this is gonna work out well.
This is some no-knead dough with about 20 hours of fermentation from a sourdough starter--70% hydration, 10% rye. I normally make sourdough boules with this dough using a banneton and a preheated covered cast iron dutch oven. I didn't have a banneton for this new pullman pan so that's why I got creative.
Are you baking the loaf in the Pullman pan? If so, why not just shape the loaf and let it rise in the pan before baking, rather than letting it rise in the towel and then dumping it from the towel into the pan for baking?
I don't care to oil and flour the pan for one and this is just how I'm used to baking this no knead bread. The loaf should just fall out when I open it--going to put cornmeal on the bottom before it is flipped in.
We'll see how this one turns out. I am going to put the pullman on a preheated pizza stone (450F).
I'm looking for a crackly crust like I get with my sourdough boules.
If this doesn't go as expected, I'll consider getting a terrine instead, and just use this pullman as you suggest.
So I let it rise, sprinkled some cornmeal on it, pulled a stick out, pulled on the towel rolling the loaf into the pan with a perfect 180 degree flip, scored it (not deep enough of a score though), covered it, put it on the 450F preheated pizza stone. Baked it for 25 mintues and then took the top off and threw it back in the oven for 9 more minutes [EDIT: I think I'll leave it in 11 minutes uncovered next time]. Pulled it out, flipped it upside down and the loaf fell right out by itself (no oil or flouring of pan).
It has the same crackly crust and texture as my sourdough boules baked with my covered cast iron dutch oven. The loaf feels lightweight and airy so I am sure it has a similar crumb--I'll post a pic of the crumb later. Anyways this is exactly what I wanted for sandwiches: A sour flavorul holy crumb with crackly crust. I knock on the bottom and it sounds nice and hollow.
I should of either let this rise a little longer and/or put more dough in the pan--just a bit more. I threw in 691 grams of 70% sourdough--I'll try 750 grams next time (this is a 9x4x4 pullman).
EDIT: I Imagine this loaf would make some pretty tasty french toast as well -- after sitting for a couple days getting more flavor/sourness.
Made a burger with it -- this slice had a couple holes in it as evidenced by the mayo coming through. I toasted this bread for about 5 minutes .. could of gone a little longer but it's really good like this too. Sorry for the blurry photo but not trying to win photo contest or anything :) (If I did I'd break out my lighting equipment and DSLR lol.)
The burger tastes as delicious as when it's on a slice of sourdough boule I make. Same textures (crumb & crust) and flavor.
The crumb is a little more dense then I'd like (but still tasty) -- I think because I didn't let it rise long enough.
Here's the crumb--of course I cut the loaf of bread like 23 hours too early.
The loaf looks good to me and I give you extra points for innovation. The loaf is dense, probably because of the whole wheat flour. I think the proofing is just about right, any more and the dough might fall during baking. My opinion from the pictures.
Ford
This loaf is better; its 750 grams and had a longer rise. I'll try 800 grams next time and an even longer rise.
Baked @ 450F on a preheated pizza stone for 25 minutes covered, then 11 minutes uncovered--I'm going to try 13 minutes uncovered next time.
Hi, when you say you covered it, do you mean with the Pullman pan lid? If so, was the lid slid on, or set on the pan? I am wondering how the loaf had room to develop a domed top. Nice pix. Thanks Ray
When I said I covered it, I mean I slid the pullman lid on the pan along it's rails and it snapped into locked position.
The loaf had room to develop a domed top because I didn't put enough dough in it for it to reach the top of the lid. Well the top center of the loaf reached the lid just not top corners.
Hi again, I had sent my question before re-reading your post, and considered it had to do with dough volume. I am realizing that the lid is more useful than I had previously thought. The steaming effect by covering helped produce the nice crust, and the open crumb would not have happened if a larger dough amount allowed it to press all the way to the top. I like the effect that you achieved with more room in the pan. Ray
I have just unpacked my Pullman Pan from the box it shipped in and have my sourdough starter warming up to attempt my first-ever sourdough bread. Would you please let me have your recipe as your pictures show exactly the loaf with which I want to make my debut.
Many thanks
And can you provide me the full recipe? I have the same pan.
Wow I am sorry Nominingi, I must have missed your reply two years ago. Ryebreadasa has the same question now -- I noticed that email.
So I'll do my best to answer now. Let me think it's been a while and I haven't baked bread in like 8 months either (because I am now Type 2 Diabetic unfortunately).
Let me find my recipe.
Okay my dough bin recipe (70% hydration assuming starter is 100% hydration but doesn't really matter) :
Okay, take a clean food friendly plastic bin and pour in 200 grams of sourdough starter. Then pour in 900 grams of distilled/filtered (chlorine free) water. Stir that up well to disperse starter into the water evenly. Stir in 15 grams of salt to the water dissolving it fully. Start adding in 650 grams of bread flour while stirring. Then after that, stir in 650 grams of all purpose flour. Stir until just combined. This makes 2400 grams of dough -- enough for like 3 loaves in this pullman. Let that rise at room temp covered with bin lid (I believe slightly ajar if I recall to let gases escape). It takes like 12 hours to rise or something? Once risen, I then store in fridge. Letting it sit in the fridge a couple days lets it develop more flavor and sourness, but you can bake with it immediately if you want it less sour. Pull the dough you need from the bin and weigh it, shape it (no kneading just a couple folds then pull into a ball), let it rise, flip it in, score it, then bake.
You can sub in say 10% rye or whater you like. just take out the same number of grams of flour from the bread flour or all purpose flour. I can't recall but I might have even made dough bins entirely with all purpose flour.