OP
OP
glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
- Location
- Scotland
The bakers' thread
- Thread starter glasgowcyclist
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
OP
OP
glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
- Location
- Scotland
Now *that's* classy
I wasn't expecting that response!
It was a cottage loaf, which should have looked like this
but my top ball of dough slid off to the side and produced, well, *that*.
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
LOL!
You could've tried a million times to get that deliberately and failed rather miserably...
P.S. Thanks for the good laugh
Made an accidental sourdough a couple of days ago. I made some bolas (the French call them boules) using the bread maker to mix, knead and prove, and then refilled the machine to make some half and half rolls. When it came to take the dough out for shaping it became apparent that I hadn't added any yeast. As the weather is quite warm I thought that there was a chance that the dough may ferment on its own, so left it in the machine, and baked it the following day.
That was the result. Quite stodgy, but it did ferment a bit. It could probably have done with a couple more days to raise, but I was concerned it might go off.
That was the result. Quite stodgy, but it did ferment a bit. It could probably have done with a couple more days to raise, but I was concerned it might go off.
Last edited:
Very nice. .Pah, you call that rustic?View attachment 422966
No more baking this week. It is too hot in the kitchen.
They always taste nice, but I am absolutely useless at presentation. I have tried to follow instructions from books and youtube, but I always make a pigs ear of it. Yours do look very good, and I bet they taste even better.
That looks like something I could put to good use, thanks.
OP
OP
glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
- Location
- Scotland
I haven't posted in a while but I haven't stopped baking, just the standard sandwich loaves though.
Recently I had a succession of poor results, which took a few days to figure out. Bread didn't rise properly and had a wet, tacky crumb. When toasted it was useable but for sandwiches it was awful. You could roll a bit of the bread between your fingers and it would almost go back to being a dough, eurgh.
Using new yeast made no difference so I tried a different flour and bingo!, great bread. The original flour was still well within date and I'd used it previously without a problem. What went wrong with it? Who knows.
Today I'm having another go at baguettes for lunch and some pizza for dinner.
I discovered that the Aldi near me is selling T55 flour and 00 flour so had to have a go with them. Pictures will follow soon, fingers crossed!
Recently I had a succession of poor results, which took a few days to figure out. Bread didn't rise properly and had a wet, tacky crumb. When toasted it was useable but for sandwiches it was awful. You could roll a bit of the bread between your fingers and it would almost go back to being a dough, eurgh.
Using new yeast made no difference so I tried a different flour and bingo!, great bread. The original flour was still well within date and I'd used it previously without a problem. What went wrong with it? Who knows.
Today I'm having another go at baguettes for lunch and some pizza for dinner.
I discovered that the Aldi near me is selling T55 flour and 00 flour so had to have a go with them. Pictures will follow soon, fingers crossed!
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
I've noticed that atmospheric conditions can make a big difference to the same formula. It's gone from a long period of being very hot and dry to being cooler and damper - wouldn't surprise me if that didn't have something to do with it.
OP
OP
glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
- Location
- Scotland
I've mentioned before that I use a couple of Lidl casserole pots as dutch ovens, well the good news is they're back in the store from Thursday 20 September. The big oval one (4L) is £24.99 and the round one (2.8L) is £19.99. I use the former for the bloomer shaped loafs and the latter for my sourdough boules.
I'd post a link but strangely they're not on the site, yet they are on p19 of this week's in-store brochure.
Ah, I'd accounted for that by baking a loaf with the old flour and a loaf with the new flour at the same time and the old flour one failed again. Still no idea what spoiled it.
I'd post a link but strangely they're not on the site, yet they are on p19 of this week's in-store brochure.
Ah, I'd accounted for that by baking a loaf with the old flour and a loaf with the new flour at the same time and the old flour one failed again. Still no idea what spoiled it.
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Thanks for the heads up @glasgowcyclist 
