calling all bakers ...
- Thread starter Phil Pascoe
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D_W":2jlkgkjn said:
Same for about 5 years since someone left a copy of Flour Water Salt Yeast on their front wall (the way things get recycled round here). Transformative.
Looks very good! A slash or few with a lame just before the lid goes on will get more rise out of that.
I usually head much darker with the crust, lid off for the last 25 or so minutes (having been prompted to do so by above book) but that's personal taste. All real bread is good bread.
unfortunately, one of my dutch ovens doesn't go higher than those loaves. Much agree on the darker crust, but the spouse objects.
I have a breadmaker, too, and will allow it to do its thing in a bind, but I already refer to the loaves on the oven there as utility loaves. They're funny around the edges because I let them do their second rise in the dutch ovens in parchment paper (instead of dropping them into pre-heated dutch ovens). No change in the bread, but the edges are unsightly from forming against crinkled parchment paper.
The bread tastes divine, though. I found this (easy) method by youtube long ago and can no longer find the video as I was in the early part of harrassing myself making "regular" quick bread in a kitchen that is never the same temp or humidity and wanting to make bread more often than I wanted to necessarily knead it.
Presume your recipe is the same - the ingredients from the title of your book, yeast is sparing (it's got all night to do its thing), one punch down the next day, reform the loaf, let it rise until it's the size you want and then bake. the overnight slow rise does something to the flavor that I can't match with bread made the same day, and that's OK, because the overnight rise is the easiest - it's totally tolerant of forgetting about it for 6 or 8 hours the next day, too, before going to the second rise because the yeast is working slowly and doesn't burn itself out.
I have a breadmaker, too, and will allow it to do its thing in a bind, but I already refer to the loaves on the oven there as utility loaves. They're funny around the edges because I let them do their second rise in the dutch ovens in parchment paper (instead of dropping them into pre-heated dutch ovens). No change in the bread, but the edges are unsightly from forming against crinkled parchment paper.
The bread tastes divine, though. I found this (easy) method by youtube long ago and can no longer find the video as I was in the early part of harrassing myself making "regular" quick bread in a kitchen that is never the same temp or humidity and wanting to make bread more often than I wanted to necessarily knead it.
Presume your recipe is the same - the ingredients from the title of your book, yeast is sparing (it's got all night to do its thing), one punch down the next day, reform the loaf, let it rise until it's the size you want and then bake. the overnight slow rise does something to the flavor that I can't match with bread made the same day, and that's OK, because the overnight rise is the easiest - it's totally tolerant of forgetting about it for 6 or 8 hours the next day, too, before going to the second rise because the yeast is working slowly and doesn't burn itself out.
In my limited experience, usually the starter is fine and it's the baking process that goes wrong. There's a lot of info out there and different flours and climates mean outcomes can be pretty variable until you get to know your way around. Ideally it's better to learn to bake with normal yeast first but in these times, needs must.
Marcros, I can certainly get some starter to you, but it should be straightforward to make your own. 100g wholewheat flower and 100g water, mix, leave for a day. Chuck out half and add 50g white flour and 50g water, mix, and repeat daily for a week or so. It's ready when you get a good bubbly mixture after 6-8 hours or so.
Marcros, I can certainly get some starter to you, but it should be straightforward to make your own. 100g wholewheat flower and 100g water, mix, leave for a day. Chuck out half and add 50g white flour and 50g water, mix, and repeat daily for a week or so. It's ready when you get a good bubbly mixture after 6-8 hours or so.
Thanks. Having read your post though I am going to learn to bake first with some bought yeast. When I can also locate some flour!
Thanks for the offer though, I will be back to sourdough at some point.
Thanks for the offer though, I will be back to sourdough at some point.
ScaredyCat
Established Member
My "Dutch Oven" is a large Le Creuset casserole dish. Bung it in the actual oven for 20-30 minutes to get it up to temp (with the lid on). Take it out, dump the dough in it. Bung it back in the oven for 50 mins with the lid on. Take lid off and leave in over for another 10 minutes.
I've got really lazy with my bread making, I'm just throwing the ingredients (flour, water, yeast, salt) in a bowl, adding a dash of milk and mixing it up. 5-10 minutes of kneading and I'm done. 3.5 hours later I'll come back and poke it about a bit, folding in from the bottom then I'll leave it on baking paper until the oven is ready.
I prefer making ciabatta really, or pretzels .. make those too I can't get enough of those.
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I've got really lazy with my bread making, I'm just throwing the ingredients (flour, water, yeast, salt) in a bowl, adding a dash of milk and mixing it up. 5-10 minutes of kneading and I'm done. 3.5 hours later I'll come back and poke it about a bit, folding in from the bottom then I'll leave it on baking paper until the oven is ready.
I prefer making ciabatta really, or pretzels .. make those too I can't get enough of those.
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Phil Pascoe
Established Member
u38cg":2wjjfoxi said:
Between my neighbour and me we have tried probably forty or fifty times with zero success. I've tried bought Bread Matters and SanFransisco starters, I've been given a good starter that worked well ... twice, and then infected. I have one now that's refusing to go wrong ............ but it's refusing to go right, as well. Good wholemeal organic wheat or rye flour, nothing artificial.
gregmcateer
Established Member
I'm only new to it, Phil, but I'm learning (with my brother, who's a few steps ahead of me).
What's actually going wrong with yours?
What's actually going wrong with yours?
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
they just don't work. 
gregmcateer
Established Member
:lol:
Not rise?
Not cook through?
Not crust properly?
Not rise?
Not cook through?
Not crust properly?
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
No, the starter cultures don't work. Only the twice have I ever got to baking.
gregmcateer
Established Member
Gotcha.
Take a look at that Chef Rachida on YouTube. Really straightforward and no kneading - just a stretch and fold technique. I've been adjusting down the hydration a little at a time, as she must be in drier conditions, so needs a wetter mixture. My loaves don't hold their shape well enough yet.
If you want my brother's adjusted method, PM your email and I'll send it over
Take a look at that Chef Rachida on YouTube. Really straightforward and no kneading - just a stretch and fold technique. I've been adjusting down the hydration a little at a time, as she must be in drier conditions, so needs a wetter mixture. My loaves don't hold their shape well enough yet.
If you want my brother's adjusted method, PM your email and I'll send it over
That would work
Established Member
On the subject of yeast, I fancy going back to fresh, is it available on line anybody know?
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
gregmcateer":2sntimkc said:
I meant I only got to baking sourdough twice - I've baked hundreds of normal loaves.
