Homemade Bread

[Tmaximusv]

Originally Posted by UngaWunga

you guys really need to post some recipes.

5 tsp yeast with 1tsp sugar and 3/4 cup water
1 cup multigrain cereal plus 2cup water. Microwave 6 minutes
3 cups white flour
3 tbsp gluten
1 1/2 tbsp salt
1/4 cup veg oil
1/4 cup honey
2 cup water

Let yeast get started
Miix everything else
Add yeast to rest of dough.
Add white flour until it is workable and knead a while.

KEY STEP: place dough in refrigerator 24 hours. Beat it down several times.
Pan dough. I use approx 560g per loaf. Let rise in pans.
Bake 10 min at 425, then 25 min at 350.

Turn out onto cooling rack.

Makes about 5 one lb loaves.

[levain]

We get blueberries from a local farm and make turnovers every year. The first blueberries came in, and DAMN! Norm did it again!

Yield is low considering Norm's 82 yr. old wife does all the picking, but the berries are amazing!

[MGB]

I feel in love with that during our annual trek to Vermont last May, and way too many mornings picking up freshly baked items at King Arthur Flour.

That slice looks perfect, I need a ride to RI.....

Marc

Originally Posted by levain

Scenes from my bakery

Cross section of some of our breads.

[noshoes]

Originally Posted by Omi

I like to make a simple dough with flour, eggs and water. Roll out the dough into 4-5 inch circles, toss some shredded mozzarella in the center and fold it into the shape of an empanada. Fry it up in a pan with some canola oil, scooping the hot oil and pouring it on top of the dough to help it rise and cook evenly. When it gets nice and brown, put on a paper towel and top it with some powdered sugar. It takes some practice, but get it right and oh my god they are so good!!!

Pix. Need pix.

[snakebit]

Thanks to everyone, especially Jim for this great thread. I made my first loaf using the NY Times method this weekend.

Nice crust, good taste but the loaf didn't rise much in the oven and wound up about 2 1/2" tall and 10" in diameter. Holes were small, nothing like, for example, the pics of Jims breads. Used 1/3 ww flour, 2/3 W Cnadian high gluten. ( happened to be on hand )

I've read the entire thread and my head is spinning with the variables.

I'm baking in a crappy electric oven and using an aluminum dutch oven at 425.

I let the dough set 12 hours at 75 degrees, folded three times, shaped and moved to a towel after 15 minutes, final rise was 1 /2 hours.

Any ideas? More water? More or less time in steps? Pizza stone or something in oven?

Thanks again.

[levain]

Originally Posted by snakebit

Thanks to everyone, especially Jim for this great thread. I made my first loaf using the NY Times method this weekend.

Nice crust, good taste but the loaf didn't rise much in the oven and wound up about 2 1/2" tall and 10" in diameter. Holes were small, nothing like, for example, the pics of Jims breads. Used 1/3 ww flour, 2/3 W Cnadian high gluten. ( happened to be on hand )

I've read the entire thread and my head is spinning with the variables.

I'm baking in a crappy electric oven and using an aluminum dutch oven at 425.

I let the dough set 12 hours at 75 degrees, folded three times, shaped and moved to a towel after 15 minutes, final rise was 1 /2 hours.

Any ideas? More water? More or less time in steps? Pizza stone or something in oven?

Thanks again.

sounds like the dough was either not strong enough, it was over fermented or your oven wasn't hot enough. I always suggest getting a home oven as hot as possible for a minimum of an hr. to preheat. If you're using the dutch oven, it needs to be in the oven the entire time as well to preheat. In a good oven, 425 isn't hot enough. I'd suggest cranking it up as hot as it'll go. Forget about what the thermostat says. Just turn it up all the way.

I'm baking tonight. If I get around to it, I'll take some pictures from tonights bake.

[levain]

Originally Posted by MGB

I feel in love with that during our annual trek to Vermont last May, and way too many mornings picking up freshly baked items at King Arthur Flour.

That slice looks perfect, I need a ride to RI.....

Marc

Let me know if you make it to RI. I'd be happy to take you on a bread tour

[aceluck]

Originally Posted by snakebit

Thanks to everyone, especially Jim for this great thread. I made my first loaf using the NY Times method this weekend.

Nice crust, good taste but the loaf didn't rise much in the oven and wound up about 2 1/2" tall and 10" in diameter. Holes were small, nothing like, for example, the pics of Jims breads. Used 1/3 ww flour, 2/3 W Cnadian high gluten. ( happened to be on hand )
...

I let the dough set 12 hours at 75 degrees, folded three times, shaped and moved to a towel after 15 minutes, final rise was 1 /2 hours.

Any ideas? More water? More or less time in steps? Pizza stone or something in oven?

Thanks again.

The NYTimes recipe calls for a 2 hour final rise. That's probably your problem. It also says the first rise should be between 12 and 18 hours. I've been using the NYtimes recipe to bake two loaves every other week for almost a year, using an 18 hour first rise and a 2 hour final, and the bread alway rises nicely, very consistently, with nice bubble structure.
Good luck!

[snakebit]

"final rise was 1 /2 hours."


Opps, that was a typos I meant 1 1/2 hours. I'll try your suggestions. thanks

[snakebit]

Originally Posted by levain

sounds like the dough was either not strong enough, it was over fermented or your oven wasn't hot enough. I always suggest getting a home oven as hot as possible for a minimum of an hr. to preheat. If you're using the dutch oven, it needs to be in the oven the entire time as well to preheat. In a good oven, 425 isn't hot enough. I'd suggest cranking it up as hot as it'll go. Forget about what the thermostat says. Just turn it up all the way.

I'm baking tonight. If I get around to it, I'll take some pictures from tonights bake.

, I'll try the higher heat. I'm not sure what you mean by "dough was either not strong enough" . Needs more folding? Less water?

Thanks for the help Jim.

[pacman1]

My wife whipped up this lovely concoction last week. Made a dense, heavy loaf. It turned out very good, Crust tasted slightly sweet, but not over the top. Her only word of advice was to not let the ice cream melt all the way. Use it when it's just gotten soft. We used Blue Bell Dutch Chocolate ice cream.

[Heyload]

There aren't many things better to wake up to than the smell of fresh homemade bananna-nut bread coming out of the oven.

[pacman1]

Sandwich loaf we made today. Went great with mesquite smoked turkey, muenster, cole slaw and mustard.

[facetjoint]

Originally Posted by Omi

My mom was complaining about what crap they were passing off as flour now a days, so last time I went back home I got her a bag of Bob's Red Mill. She was so happy with it, she hasn't used anything since! I've been using Bob's flour, vital wheat gluten, the pancake mix as well as some other products for years and swear by it! It's fantastic stuff!

I bake a lot of stuff, fruit breads and muffins. I use Bob's myself. All whole wheat to be precise. I love the stuff. I load up when it is on sale. But 4 bucks for a 5 lb. bag off sale is a little steep. My best close second is Trader Joe's. I find King Arthur's to have to much of a bold over powering taste that I was not able to tame down.

[facetjoint]

Originally Posted by Heyload

There aren't many things better to wake up to than the smell of fresh homemade bananna-nut bread coming out of the oven.

Made 6 loaves yesterday!