Blueberry Pie with Lemon, getting my Starter back in shape, Pizza, not today!
I finally dug my starter out and brought it up to smelling good and looking strong. So now, it was time to bake a few loaves...though I'd rather be making pizza's.
It has been a while since I've turned my oven on. Now the weather has cooled a little, it was nice to turn on the oven and not have the kitchen feeling to warm. I would even make a pie today.
Mike was happy to hear there would be some nice sourdough bread to eat and a few loaves to stock up in the freezer. I also would make his favorite pie, Blueberry. I had a nice bunch of fresh blueberries. This time I would add a little extra lemon. Last night I prepared my lemon wheels, as I refer to them, in a simple syrup. It turned out it was an interesting and delicious addition to my BP. I will definately do this again. The added candied lemon wheels tasted wonderfully lemony, not bitter or to sweet, just a nice balance of pure lemon flavor added to the not to sweet blueberry filling. I added 3 of the thinnest wheels on top of the bb filling, just enough I think.
I baked six loaves of bread. They were very flavorful with a lovely just enough sour and wheat flavor notes. The smell is wonderful. It was just a few changes to my usual all white sourdough. 20% organic whole wheat flour, a little agave syrup, a little grape seed oil and scaled to make enough loaves to fill 6 of my banneton baskets. Mixed by hand and a long overnight ferment.
I also mixed up a batch of pizza dough with Caputo Tipo 00 Italian Flour and placed it into the freezer...just in case I decide to fire up the wfo this week and a gentle breeze comes to the neighborhood.
Not the most attractive pie I've made but it timed perfectly with the last loaf of bread coming out of the oven. So Mike could enjoy a slice, heading off to work, it was sliced a bit warm before setting up properly cooled. The texture was just right..not runny, wet, resulting with a nice crispy tender bottom crust. To much sugar in your filling is one of those things that will make for a very runny pie and soggy undercrust! The crust was a combination of butter and crisco, salt, sugar, water. My old standby, favorite, flakey, tender, flavorful crust. We also enjoyed a cuban style pork shoulder roast and fresh roasted brussel sprouts for dinner.
This was earlier prep for dinner's pork shoulder....
Overnight soak of organic lemons in sugar syrup
Sylvia
Comments
A great day of baking Sylvia!
Very tasty
Best wishes
Andy
I'm gradually getting back in the swing of baking now the fall is upon us. I guess I will have to refer to myself as a 'fair weather baker', especially when it comes to firing up the WFO 'lol'.
Much success to you Andy and your hard very hard work. Say hi to your dad for me..I sure miss my dad and his handwork. The last thing he made for me was a breadboard.
Sylvia
I have been MIA for a while on the forum...life. I made your semolina formula yesterday after the double build. They turned out so beautifully. I will make it again as soon as these loaves are gone.
I have 50# of the caputo 00 that I bought in Atlanta at a pizza restaurant. They were kind enough to sell it to me at their cost. I think I noted in an earlier post of yours that you were using the flour to make other things than pizza crust. Was I mistaken ? Did you use it for pasta ? I have to find some ways to get it used up :) Thank you and your posts are always such a pleasure to the eye. c
It has been awhile. Always great to hear from you.
I'm so happy you are enjoying the semolina loaves and thank you for trying them. The loaves pictured above also used the double build levain.
You really made a nice score on the caputo 00 :) I bet the resturant has some great tasting pizza's!
I did make some butternut squash ravioli http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/29999/butternut-squash-ravioli-and-dill-pickles. I have to say I absolutely love the texture of the ravioli pasta's made with this flour. I did make it without the addition of durum flour. I wouldn't hesitate to bake most anything with this flour...other than I tend to save it for pizza's or anything pizza related and pasta because it is expensive for me to obtain for now. The bags I have are labeled Chefs Flour and picture breads, pizzas, pannettone on the front photo. I was very tempted to use it for my pie crust...maybe next time. I hesitated because I think this flour works so wonderfully for browning in the high heat of the WFO. I wasn't sure how it might work for a plain crusted pie dough.
Sylvia
ps..I just made ravioli with the caputo flour a couple of days ago and froze them.
Beautiful baking, Sylvia! The pie in particular is making it hard to concentrate right now. The lemons are a brilliant idea, I'll have to pass that one along to my wife, the pie baker in our family. Thanks!
Marcus
for stopping by and leaving a such a nice comment. I'am into lemon's. Especially having a nice lemon tree that puts lemons out year round..I'm always looking for someway to enjoy it's lemons.
Have you checked 'Tartine's Shaker Pie out?" A nice recipe in the book I baked a while back. I couldn't help but think about this pie as I added the lemon wheels. Maybe your wife might like to bake it. I can say it is delicious..especially if you are into lemons ;#
Sylvia
sorry only sometimes my links work and just search works better :/ Tartine's Shaker Pie sylviah
Hi Sylvia.
I think your blueberry pie looks wonderful, and your sourdough loaves as well, with such an inviting crumb and crust colour to them. Your just teasing me ;^) though with the mention of the Cuban roasted pork shoulder and not showing a photo of it. A very tasty looking feast Sylvia!
All the best,
Franko
One day I hope to make my favorite pie ;) Thank you for the very nice comments and the Cuban pork roast was pretty tasty...the down side of it was a very small roast, just enough for the two of us. Guess what, it was only a crock pot roast...hey, I had my oven and hands full making pie and bread : ). It did keep things a little cooler in house too.. 'lol'. My dream would be to have a Cuban guy cook a whole piglet in the WFO...In the recipe I used, I don't think they really add all those spices.
Nothing that a proper WFO roast wouldn't improve upon. But I have another one in freezer.
Sylvia
Thanks for the photo Sylvia, it's as mouthwatering as I'd imagined!
my apprentice likes better than bread in order are :
1. Pies, tarts, flans, galettes 2. Pizza 3. Cake - especially cheesecake 4. Ice Cream - especially chocolate mocha 5. Cookies - especially chocolate ones 6. Chocolate anything (even though dogs should never have chocolate since it is poisonous to them -dogs just don't know it) 7. Ribs 8. Chicken - Any kind 9. Fresh Fruit 10. Fresh Veggies.
Sometimes, we never know when or where, she just has to blurt out as a scream..... KUCHEN!!!!! We don't know why this happens either but, this can be embarrassing - especially at funerals and silent prayer vigils among others like men's bathrooms.
If you really care about what other baking apprentices think of you, and she does, these outlandish outbursts and blurtations (a new word) should be pure nightmares. But, being a founding member of the 'I Couldn't Care Less Society' (quite true but not at all what you think it is) it dosen't bother my apprentice in the least. She just hopes someone will forgive and forget and give her a piece of pie just like yours - even if it only comes her way out of pity. Sad really.
Well, I've been thinking that in order to get a piece of that blueberry pie of yours, I too would scream PPIIIEEEE!!! at the top of my lungs where ever you want if that is what it would take. Well, maybe not, but it is the thought that counts :-)
The bread, the pies, the lemons and pork shoulder just look and sound delicious (even though we didn't see the pork shoulder). The crust and crumb of your bread is just great and the open crumb is really outstanding since you have 20% WW in the mix. I can't get a crumb like that with 15% Whole Grains - even when adding Yeast Water to SD Levain :-( Just fantastic!
I do share your apprentices enthusiasm for all things good to eat...especially pie! The problem is I like to eat what I bake or feed it all to Mike...neither is a good. I do sympathize with your chocolate loving apprentice. I have one too :) What's a baker to do!
Thank you very much for your nice comments.
I cheated on the whole wheat addition and upper my hydration to 68% it did help the crumb. Thank you for the compliment!
My simpler roasted Pork shoulder up above..pretty tasty, but I most enjoyed the roasted brussels.
Sylvia
I have the pizzeria flour from Caputo which is why I was hesitant. My husband made fettucine with it tonight using your formula on the butternut squash post. It came out like silk and a gorgeous yellow. So I have a pasta fresca all ready macerating and we will have it tonight with some of the semolina bread. I looked up all the Caputo flours and there is only a 1% difference in the protein between the different types so nothing that can't be dealt with. I am so glad as I have a LOT of this flour and no WFO :( Wish we lived closer !! Thank you for your posts. c
same thing I noticed : ) using this flour for pasta. I think you will go through it a lot faster than you think. Being neighbors would definately call for some wonderful meals together. Thanks again ;)
Sylvia
So much good food!
A very busy day in the kitchen producing wonderous delights ... my perfect kind of weekend :)
That pie looks amazing ... and the lemons are such a great idea.
Cheers,
Phil
I won't say I'm not taking it easy today..just housework and simple meals. Thank you very much for stopping by and your comments are very much appreciated :) I thought my lemon wheels which switch up this BP.
Sylvia
Hi Sylvia,
Sure do love the way you use citrus in your cooking and baking - everything must have tasted just wonderful.
The lemon wheels, peeking out from your perfect lattice pie crust, hint at the flavor inside - lovely!
And, your bread looks fantastic - really nice baking and cooking, all the way around.
:^) breadsong
Sylvia
Glad to see your post! I absolutely love your idea to add the candied lemon wheels to a blueberry pie, and the way you've tucked them under the lattice is very appealing. Gorgeous boules, too, really tip-top. I'm also working on pies today ahead of a big family gathering this weekend- making concord grape and Italian plum, and if have time I may also do an apple crisp.
Pastries, I have such a weakness for pastries. It's fun to add and try new things no matter how small and when they please me, it's responses like yours that puts a really big smile on my face.
Your pies and apple crisp sound very delicious and I'm sure a real crowd pleaser. Have a wonderful time baking them and lot's of big smiles to also enjoy as they are consumed!
Sylvia