The bakers' thread

[glasgowcyclist]

Here's the cheese & jalapeño sourdough loaf I baked late last night:



Recipe >> https://www.shipton-mill.com/baking/recipes/jalape-o-and-cheddar-sourdough.htm

 

[CharlesF]

That looks delicious, and have had a quick look at the recipe. It talks about 200g starter.

How long is that left for, prior to combining with the rest of the ingredients? Could you use a sour dough starter instead.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

That looks delicious, and have had a quick look at the recipe. It talks about 200g starter.

How long is that left for, prior to combining with the rest of the ingredients? Could you use a sour dough starter instead.

I'm not sure what you mean by use a sourdough starter instead, the one in the recipe is a sourdough starter but one made with white flour. My starter is always fed with rye and I used that without a problem.

I've gotten to know how my particular starter behaves so I'll typically feed it (up to the required amount) about 6 - 12 hours before I want to use it in a recipe. It depends on weather, humidity, room temp etc but you eventually get a feel for the right amount of time.

 

[CharlesF]

Aha! Thanks for clearing that up; I thought that was the case and then wasn't sure.

My sour dough starter lives in a jar and I feed it twice a week by getting rid of half and adding 250g flour and water. I started it by following Hollywood's directions but I used organic rye flour as I had read somewhere that rye was the best flour to use. I now vary between white and wholewheat.

I will try it this weekend.

 

[Reynard]

It turns out to be a little disappointing in the flavour department. Texture's lovely but there's not much lemoniness to it. I blame myself for buying the limoncello from Sainsburys as it turns out it's not Italian but made in France. I really should have known better. I've tried the limoncello and it's harsh with little flavour.

Here's the recipe I followed (just make sure you use a decent limoncello): https://www.shipton-mill.com/baking/recipes/lemon-limoncello-cake.htm

I'll need to buy some proper stuff when I'm in Italy next month...

Mmmmm, it's always a pain when that happens... Have looked at the recipe, wonder if it's worth trying using the alternative of lemon zest instead of the liqueur. I'm teetotal, so no point my buying the Limoncello. Other option is maybe to add a few drops of lemon extract and / or some extra juice...

 

[glasgowcyclist]

My sour dough starter lives in a jar and I feed it twice a week by getting rid of half and adding 250g flour and water.

Crikey, that's a lot!

I keep mine at around 60 - 75g (combined weight of flour and water) then boost it to the necessary amount the night before I need to bake with it.
Remember, you can leave yourself with just the scrapings in the bottom of your jar and still be able to refresh it to a decent starter in one day.

What do you do with the all the discard? Please don't say it goes down the drain!

 

[Reynard]

I have a 1/4 cup scoop that I use to measure out the flour to refresh my starter. One full (packed) scoop, and then about 2/3 that of water. Gives me (more or less) a 100% hydration mix. Usually I take about 50g of that and use it to build however much of whatever sort of levain is needed for the bake.

Excess (beyond the cup I keep in my jug) either gets put into whatever bread I'm baking or turned into waffles.

P.S. I feed mine with tescos stoneground wholemeal.

 

[C R]

My children have been complaining that I haven't made bread rolls for some time, so I made some half and half. I wish I could make them look as professional as you guys manage.

Also, I cheated, and used the bread maker for kneading and proving, but did the second kneading and shaping by hand.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Also, I cheated, and used the bread maker for kneading and proving, but did the second kneading and shaping by hand.

That's not cheating, that's resource management. I'm sometimes doing four different breads in one day and I'll be doing two with the stand mixer, one by hand and, like you, using the bread machine to knead and prove the fourth.

And as my wife says, "If you want it to look as if it came from M&S you might as well just buy it from them."
She'd also describe your lovely rolls as artisanal.

 

[C R]

... I'm teetotal, so no point my buying the Limoncello. Other option is maybe to add a few drops of lemon extract and / or some extra juice...

Wouldn't the alcohol evaporate during baking?

 

[Reynard]

Wouldn't the alcohol evaporate during baking?

I would imagine so. But what am I going to do with a bottle of something that I might not use ever again?

 

[C R]

I would imagine so. But what am I going to do with a bottle of something that I might not use ever again?

Make more cake, until you run out?

Amazon sells small bottles, though it is probably anyone's guess how good it is:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Limoncello...F8&qid=1525113219&sr=8-15&keywords=limoncello

I was going to say that it may be good enough for baking, but perhaps not given @glasgowcyclist's experience.

 

[Reynard]

Make more cake, until you run out?

There is that. But then I'll be the size of a small house.

I have heard it said by my friends who do drink, that you shouldn't cook with anything that you won't drink.

 

[C R]

There is that. But then I'll be the size of a small house.

I have heard it said by my friends who do drink, that you shouldn't cook with anything that you won't drink.

You just need to put in a few more miles in the bike! In any case, you don't have to eat it, send it my way. I hate when food goes to waste.

 

[Reynard]

You just need to put in a few more miles in the bike! In any case, you don't have to eat it, send it my way. I hate when food goes to waste.

I'd have to build a trebuchet though - I can't throw that far.