A Bread Thread

[kinglukas38]

Was a bit worried about overproofing this set, needed to push room temp bulk as I wasn't going to have the long stay in the fridge like they normally would. Ended up ok, baked at lunchtime today and really went for an A+ crust.

 

[user 16756]

Was a bit worried about overproofing this set, needed to push room temp bulk as I wasn't going to have the long stay in the fridge like they normally would. Ended up ok, baked at lunchtime today and really went for an A+ crust.
View attachment 286187View attachment 286188

Given the color of the crumb, that crust looks just right to me. I tend towards bien cuit with my own loaves as well.

On my end I ran out of Central Milling Type 80/Old World Bread Flour (more arriving later this week) and am making loaves with a KA AP/whole wheat blend. Flavor is good but damn do I miss the workability of the T80. Absolute game changer for me; it just absorbs water and stretches so amazingly. Kind of expensive given that a 25lb bag is still running me 2 dollars a lb which isnt any better than KA 5lb bags despite the bulkness of it, but I really love the flour. I would put the loaves Ive made with the T80 against any I've ever had anywhere.

 

[RamDashi]

Given the color of the crumb, that crust looks just right to me. I tend towards bien cuit with my own loaves as well.

On my end I ran out of Central Milling Type 80/Old World Bread Flour (more arriving later this week) and am making loaves with a KA AP/whole wheat blend. Flavor is good but damn do I miss the workability of the T80. Absolute game changer for me; it just absorbs water and stretches so amazingly. Kind of expensive given that a 25lb bag is still running me 2 dollars a lb which isnt any better than KA 5lb bags despite the bulkness of it, but I really love the flour. I would put the loaves Ive made with the T80 against any I've ever had anywhere.

Have you tried Cairnspring flour?

I’m a big Central Milling fan, but find Cairnspring to be superior in elasticity and taste.

Also have had great results with KA bread flour mixed with WW milled fresh with a mockmill attachment.

Here’s a recent 60% KA bread, 25% Einkorn, 15% Spelt, 10% Khorasan @ 80% hydration

 

[user 16756]

Have you tried Cairnspring flour?

I’m a big Central Milling fan, but find Cairnspring to be superior in elasticity and taste.

Also have had great results with KA bread flour mixed with WW milled fresh with a mockmill attachment.

Here’s a recent 60% KA bread, 25% Einkorn, 15% Spelt, 10% Khorasan @ 80% hydration

View attachment 286208

I have not but mostly because getting 50lb bags to Massachusetts costs an arm and a leg and they dont have any flours that tick all the boxes for me. They seem to have both ~10-11% protein and 13+

If you look at the description of the Old World Bread Flour:
Protein / 12.5%
Ash / 0.80%*
Variety / Organic Hard Red Spring Wheat
Treatment / None

*This flour is milled 100% whole and sifted to an ash level of 0.80%, commonly referred to as Type 80.

This seems just perfect to me.

 

[ian]

I have not but mostly because getting 50lb bags to Massachusetts costs an arm and a leg and they dont have any flours that tick all the boxes for me. They seem to have both ~10-11% protein and 13+

If you look at the description of the Old World Bread Flour:
Protein / 12.5%
Ash / 0.80%*
Variety / Organic Hard Red Spring Wheat
Treatment / None

*This flour is milled 100% whole and sifted to an ash level of 0.80%, commonly referred to as Type 80.

This seems just perfect to me.

Do you buy your flour locally? I’ve been buying big bags of wheat berries online but shipping always doubles the price….

I know there’s Elmendorf in Cambridge, but it’s too far away from me to bother.

 

[user 16756]

Do you buy your flour locally? I’ve been buying big bags of wheat berries online but shipping always doubles the price….

I know there’s Elmendorf in Cambridge, but it’s too far away from me to bother.

Nah, Im ordering direct from CM unless it's KA that everyone around here has.

And yes, shipping a 25lb bag of flour basically doubles the price. I'm... man I hate the current state of things re shipping and food availability but if we get into it I would likely say something political. So I just deal with it and enjoy a different flour that works out to the same price as KA.

 

[RamDashi]

Nah, Im ordering direct from CM unless it's KA that everyone around here has.

And yes, shipping a 25lb bag of flour basically doubles the price. I'm... man I hate the current state of things re shipping and food availability but if we get into it I would likely say something political. So I just deal with it and enjoy a different flour that works out to the same price as KA.

There’s also Ground Up Grain in Western Mass, a little more rustic in the grind, but absolutely great flavor especially in their whole wheat. They mill on an Elmore Mountain Bread stone.

I hear on the shipping…

 

[Jovidah]

Nah, Im ordering direct from CM unless it's KA that everyone around here has.

...horse-grater milled flour?

 

[kinglukas38]

Given the color of the crumb, that crust looks just right to me. I tend towards bien cuit with my own loaves as well.

Can't be afraid of the dark when baking bread, lots of flavor to be had when you really push the crust.

 

[ENK]

yeah I also struggled with this at first.

your starter does not have enough yeast in it (unless you're going off time and proofing at like 65F) most likely. daily 1:2 probably wont cut it, you likely need about a week of really juicing it up I'd guess. I'd give this video a watch:

this is how I got my starter up to being pretty strong. I feed twice a day, usually 1:4. though Im using 5g of starter, 20g of flour and 20g of water and if I want to bake a loaf Ill just make a bigger one that day. other than that I stick to the Tartine stuff.

Im getting 4 or 5x volume on my starter, personally.

I’d like to increase my starter strength but I don’t bake that frequently so i currently only feed 1-2x per week.

If I follow the method in that video and feed 1-2x daily to build the strength, would I then quickly lose the strength if I returned to 1-2 feedings per week?

 

[user 16756]

I’d like to increase my starter strength but I don’t bake that frequently so i currently only feed 1-2x per week.

If I follow the method in that video and feed 1-2x daily to build the strength, would I then quickly lose the strength if I returned to 1-2 feedings per week?

seems likely.

I recently had to move my twice daily feeds to keeping more old starter just to deal with the lower temp in my house.

you can refrigerate though, in which case, you should be fine if you do 3 tight feedings to wake it up.

 

[Michi]

you can refrigerate though, in which case, you should be fine if you do 3 tight feedings to wake it up.

That’s been my experience, too. I feed once a week. Whenever I forget, it’s once a fortnight

The starter springs right back to life once I start feeding. Three feedings (or even two) prior to baking work fine to get it back to super active.

 

[Seemore]

Do you buy your flour locally? I’ve been buying big bags of wheat berries online but shipping always doubles the price….

I’m in Connecticut. I buy whole berries from Barton Springs Mill (many products) and Janie’s Mill (especially their Durum berries, which I mill several ways for pastas, pizzas, and breads). I rarely use more than 25% white flour, so I use KA bread flour. Then there’s Caputo “00” for pizza blends and pasta blends.
Checking quickly, shipping from both of these seem less prohibitive than CM, but some prices are higher.

 

[Dan-]

I make this bread once a week for the kids. It’s just a straight dough with KA Special Patent, whole wheat, and some rolled oats. Each loaf weighs about 2lbs.

 

[Seemore]

81% hydration
76% whole grain (yecora rojo, spelt, einkorn)

 

[user 16756]

anyone got suggestions for wood pulp bannetons that are particularly narrow/tall? I have a couple, rn the bulka is the best Ive got in that regard but I would love one that's even narrower.

 

[Hanmak17]

yeah I also struggled with this at first.

your starter does not have enough yeast in it (unless you're going off time and proofing at like 65F) most likely. daily 1:2 probably wont cut it, you likely need about a week of really juicing it up I'd guess. I'd give this video a watch:

this is how I got my starter up to being pretty strong. I feed twice a day, usually 1:4. though Im using 5g of starter, 20g of flour and 20g of water and if I want to bake a loaf Ill just make a bigger one that day. other than that I stick to the Tartine stuff.

Im getting 4 or 5x volume on my starter, personally.

Thanks for that video, I'm naming my new(old) starter Johnny Utah!

I'm curious if anyone has experimented with starter ingredients (flour types) for flavor of final product? I've done some reading and understand the tradeoffs chemically (gluten development etc.).

Found an old starter in back of fridge given to us last year by a local baker friend that I assumed was long dead and divided into two batches earlier this week. Poured off the dark colored hooch, and did a 1/5/5 feeding regiment, every 12 hours.

#1 I fed a mix of 40/40/10 (AP, WW, Dark Rye)
#2 I fed a mix of 70/30 (AP, Dark Rye)

Both batches took about 3 feedings to really get going again. Clearly the addition of rye helped, as the 70/30 came to life fastest and had the largest percentage growth vs the 40/40/10.

Both batches are now tripling in size every feeding.

I'm assuming by the level of activity and growth they are ready to go. Will be baking with them this weekend. Love to get some feedback from more experienced bakers here on favorite starter combos, any other thoughts.

 

[kinglukas38]

I'm curious if anyone has experimented with starter ingredients (flour types) for flavor of final product? I've done some reading and understand the tradeoffs chemically (gluten development etc.).



I'm assuming by the level of activity and growth they are ready to go. Will be baking with them this weekend. Love to get some feedback from more experienced bakers here on favorite starter combos, any other thoughts.

I used to mix a 70/30 split of bf to some local half sifted ww, ended up getting lazy and went back to 100 bread flour. Might be a flavor impact but I'm pushing for flavors with my add in flours more than flours used in my starter.
That said I do mix a rye starter for Rugbrød that starts with 5g of my main white starter and 50g of water and rye flour, couldn't tell you if it makes a big flavor impact though

 

[kinglukas38]

Big Holiday Bakes

 

[AT5760]

Got a Lodge combo cooker for Christmas and took it for a test drive today. I like the shape of the loaf better than what my 5.5 LC gives me. And bonus it won’t blacken the enamel over time since there is no enamel!

Did 80/20 Wh/WW with a hybrid recipe out of FWSY since my batch of levain was smaller than what I needed and I didn’t want to wait another day of feeding.

I like the ease of the overnight proof recipes, but I’m getting a little better flavor out of shorter counter proofs. Progress. Maybe in a few months, I’ll start playing with some other grains.

 

[ethompson]

Baker on the schedule called in so I got to do it for the first time in awhile. Rust shows on my ability to divide well lol.

55% whole wheat, 72% hydration
2kg / loaf

About half todays batch

 

[Jaeger]

Sourdough, because I love it

 

[Seemore]

Rotis for eight

 

[ian]

Today’s loaf. Bout 70% freshly milled ww (spelt and soft white) + KA bread flour. Bout 85% hydration.

 

[Hanmak17]

Question for you guy's. I'm not getting the kind of results I'm looking for with my first forays into SD bread.

I'm using a couple of recipes which are essentially similar, 80/20 AP-WW @ 75% hydration. Using KA and Central Milling flour and have my oven setup for proofing at 80'. The recipes are both variations of the Tartine recipes (The Perfect Loaf & BASIC SOURDOUGH (tartine country bread) — THE REGULAR CHEF). The only real difference is the proofing process and application of salt.

My starter is super active, healthy and ready to go. It easily triples in size when its fed.

Problem I'm finding is that my dough is very wet and sticky even after 4 hours of bulk proofing and folding. The dough produces a lot of big bubbles so it appears the fermentation process is going well. But I'm not seeing much if any rise during bulk proofing and only small rise when retarding in the fridge over night.

The other thing I'm noticing is that the dough after proofing is still very soft and pliable and doesn't seem to have the strength to hold its shape. My batards effectively become rounds when I put them in the oven.

Once in the oven, I get good oven spring. The taste is outstanding, so I'm happy with that.

Curious where I should focus to resolve these issues.

 

[Seemore]

Question for you guy's. I'm not getting the kind of results I'm looking for with my first forays into SD bread.

I'm using a couple of recipes which are essentially similar, 80/20 AP-WW @ 75% hydration. Using KA and Central Milling flour and have my oven setup for proofing at 80'. The recipes are both variations of the Tartine recipes (The Perfect Loaf & BASIC SOURDOUGH (tartine country bread) — THE REGULAR CHEF). The only real difference is the proofing process and application of salt.

My starter is super active, healthy and ready to go. It easily triples in size when its fed.

Problem I'm finding is that my dough is very wet and sticky even after 4 hours of bulk proofing and folding. The dough produces a lot of big bubbles so it appears the fermentation process is going well. But I'm not seeing much if any rise during bulk proofing and only small rise when retarding in the fridge over night.

The other thing I'm noticing is that the dough after proofing is still very soft and pliable and doesn't seem to have the strength to hold its shape. My batards effectively become rounds when I put them in the oven.

Once in the oven, I get good oven spring. The taste is outstanding, so I'm happy with that.

Curious where I should focus to resolve these issues.

Are you baking in a vessel of some sort (i.e. dutch oven), or just sliding them onto a stone to bake open? If you’re using a dutch oven, and the diameter is quite larger than your loaf, then it might be spreading out a bit before it springs up.
Your loaves look good to me by the way, but my ratio is reversed - 80% whole/20% white and thus higher hydration - so I’m accustomed to a little less loft like that.

 

[Hanmak17]

Are you baking in a vessel of some sort (i.e. dutch oven), or just sliding them onto a stone to bake open? If you’re using a dutch oven, and the diameter is quite larger than your loaf, then it might be spreading out a bit before it springs up.
Your loaves look good to me by the way, but my ratio is reversed - 80% whole/20% white and thus higher hydration - so I’m accustomed to a little less loft like that.

I use a 10" dutch oven, with lid.

 

[Michi]

Curious where I should focus to resolve these issues.

Looking at those pictures, I'd say that you are a hard man to please Most people would be more than happy with that kind of result!

Looking at your bread, I don't think there is anything wrong with the recipes (your sources are beyond reproach) or with your starter or dough. If your loaves don't hold their shape well, I'd say it's shaping technique. The trick is to get enough tension into he dough while shaping so the gluten strands stretch and align, making for a stronger support network.

Have a look at the ChainBaker and the Foodgeek channels on YouTube. Lots of good info on technique in both, as well as a loads of recipes, most of them really good.

 

[kinglukas38]

sounds like a strength building issue to me, either during s&f, pre/final shape, or both. I would also skip using the oven for proofing, might be moving things along before you can build that strength.

 

[More_Gyutos]

Ciabatta. First time I used this recipe from Bread Baker’s Apprentice. Crust is not great, flavor is quite nice (I changed and used about 20% whole wheat used in the poolish). Crumb is a bit tight.