Mended Nose Bread and SJSD

"That's the sort of nonsense I loathe!" cried Irma, suddenly becoming passionate.  "Are we going to talk about the party, or are we going to listen to your silly souffles?  Answer me, Alfred.  Answer me at once!"
"I will talk like bread and water.  What shall I say?"
He descended from the chairback and sat on the seat.  Then he leant forward a little and, with his hands folded between his knees, he gazed expectantly at Irma through the magnifying lenses of his spectacles.

Gormenghast - Mervyn Peake


And so it came to pass that, having properly knackered his face in a spectacular fall, The Husband was due to have a quick operation to set it straight.  I also felt that it would be "right and proper" to have a bread ready and waiting for him when he got back.  I have to say, at the risk of making myself even more unpopular at home, that menfolk do look particularly silly in a hospital paper gown and compression stockings.  When I went to collect him, the doctor gratefully delivered him to me with a look of sheer relief - The Husband was commenting that he still didn't look like George Clooney.  "I'm afraid that kind of operation isn't available on the national health service yet," she says and smiles wanly at us.  And so, he returns home with a splint on his nose, looking rather like Tycho Brahe (only this one isn't silver, gold or brass - depending on who you believe as to Tycho's prosthetic nose) and, luckily, he also doesn't climb up on the roof to observe the night constellations.   "Let's watch something fun!" he says, as he whips a DVD into the machine.  This one is a Ukrainian film about a fallen Orthodox priest who is seeking redemption.  This is when I go and pour a glass of wine and sit down with TFL to contemplate what I might make next.  At this point, I notice that the add banners on TFL are inviting me to explore financially friendly funeral arrangements.  Hmmmm.  Someone is trying to tell me something? 

1.  Karin's Einkorn & Hazelnut (this time properly)

To fortify said schnozz'd up Husband, it was only fitting that I make him Karin's (Hanseata) Einkorn & Hazelnut bread, but this time with hazelnuts instead of my prior unfortunate attempt with macadamia.  Here is the link http://hanseata.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/einkorn-hazelnut-levain-pinched-not.html.   I followed a slightly different timing by doing the BF on the counter for about 4hrs and then overnight retarding in the fridge, as this suited me better to allow me to bake first thing in the morning.  Otherwise, ingredients and method were entirely as instructed!!   Just do what she says, this was by far The Husband's favourite bread ever.  It really is outstanding.  I discovered something that passes for "cool" in our house (the bar is pretty low).  If you have a piece of this bread with some fresh butter and solid honey (eg. not the amber runny type, but the more set blonde honey), then the overall flavour you get is nutella!  I did a blind test with a friend who immediately identified nutella, then was surprised to find nothing of the sort on opening his eyes!  It is also fabulous with stinky runny cheeses and on its own with a glass of dry Rieussec.  I should warn you that this bread, however, does nothing to improve a film about redemption in which there is no daylight other than snowstorms, no smiling, lots of long silences, lots of dramatic cymbalum music which is accompanied by the sound of howling wind.  This is not a problem with the bread.  This is because not even a general anaesthetic could improve this film.  The bread, on the other hand, is glorious.

2. David's San Joaquin Sourdough

As The Husband was busy nixing his brain cells with said depressing film, I went off in search of my next bake.  This was to be my "starfish" bread.  I finally tried to make David Snyder's San Joaquin Sourdough (based on his 26 June 2011 version)!  No crumb shots as this was devoured before I could get to take a shot - suffice to say that it had a lovely open crumb, evenly distributed holes but not too big.  

Bread Flour   450g
Rye   25g
Whole Wheat  25g
Water 360g
Salt 10g
Levain  150g

Levain was 100% hydration with 95% bread flour and 5% whole wheat, fermented for 10hrs.

1. Autolyse with all flour, 320g water and all Levain for 45min.
2. Mix in salt and 40g water.  If you're watching a depressing film, just cry into a glass for the water & salt mix.
3. S&F 4 times every 30mins, then fold twice at 45 and 90 mins. Have a glass of wine.
4. Bulk ferment was a total of 3hrs.
5. Set in fridge for 20hrs.
6. Remove from fridge, preshape and bench rest for 20mins.
7. Shape and proof for 1hr15mins.
8. Bake in DO, oven at 250C.  Remove lid after 30min, reduce oven to 230C and finish bake for another 15-20mins.

This had amazing oven spring and was finally the first bread where I managed to score it (razor blade) almost successfully.  EVERYBODY loves this bread, it has a lovely mellow flavour and is a "universal" bread - scientific testing shows that this bread pairs perfectly with all accompaniments.  Please note that this scientific testing is a peer reviewed test with a number of highly trained bread testers (The Husband, the children, friends, the neighbour and me…..)!!  Ahem.  Anyway, thank you David, we love this and will make again and again……

The Husband has fully mended, the little nose bootie came off and he still doesn't look anything like George Clooney, but he looks more like himself and has gone back to his fandangled ironman training again.  More bread is being made as I write this.

Irma felt that for the moment she had a certain moral ascendancy over her brother.  The air of submission which he had about him gave her strength to divulge to him the real reason for her hankering for this party she had in mind…..for she needed his help.
Gorgmenhast - Mervyn Peake