The bakers' thread

[Dave 123]

My first sourdough. Looks a bit flat...

 

[C R]

My first sourdough. Looks a bit flat...

View attachment 474218

It is the taste that matters.

 

[Bazzer]

This afternoon's effort;

What is left (for the time being) of a spelt loaf.
I made one for the first time about a month ago. I thought at the time as sandwich bread a bit meh, but had potential with soup. So this afternoon I made mushroom soup (from the BBC web site) a spelt loaf. Terrific combo if you like mushrooms.
In the background is a cheese and onion white loaf made yesterday.

 

[Dave 123]

It is the taste that matters.

Hard and bitter crust....

 

[EltonFrog]

Not baking but I’m making gooseberry jam. I’ll keep ya posted.

 

[C R]

Hard and bitter crust....

That may be because of overbaking, sourdough is a bit hit and miss, you just need to keep trying until you find the method that works for you.

 

[EltonFrog]

...and done

 

[Dave 123]

That may be because of overbaking, sourdough is a bit hit and miss, you just need to keep trying until you find the method that works for you.

I stuck to the instructions, though our oven is good....

I will keep trying!

 

[C R]

I stuck to the instructions, though our oven is good....

I will keep trying!

That's the spirit!

 

[Reynard]

Hard and bitter crust....

Overproved perhaps? You didn't get much in the way of oven spring.

Sourdough is less predictable than yeast, so the adage "watch the dough, not the clock" is even more relevant.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I haven’t made sourdough for a while now but my wife asked for one. This is a 75%/25% white and dark rye mix with some caraway seeds thrown in, fermented overnight.

It is proper tasty

 

[Dave 123]

Overproved perhaps? You didn't get much in the way of oven spring.

Sourdough is less predictable than yeast, so the adage "watch the dough, not the clock" is even more relevant.

Oven spring?

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Oven spring?

The oomph that the sudden high temperature gives to the gas production of the yeast.

I bake directly on a stone or in a preheated pot with a lid (Dutch oven) and both are far better than just a thin tray on the oven shelf. You want to replicate, as far as possible, the effect of the real baker's hot oven floor.

 

[Reynard]

^^^ this.

I also bake in a clay pot (I have one of those oval mason cash ones), but that's in part because I can't steam my oven as there are vents in the door. A pot or cloche keeps the moisture from the dough contained and stops the crust from forming too early, therefore allowing maximum oven spring to take place.

If the crust forms too early, you end up with a burst, misshapen loaf...

 

[Dave 123]

@glasgowcyclist and @Reynard

Every day is a school day! I will now bore everyone with my tales of oven spring!

I do use a pizza stone, and when I did my sourdough I had a tray of water in the oven.

I’m still learning !