The bakers' thread

[stoatsngroats]

Your tiling is exactly how I want mine done!

.
😀 it’s been done well, and looks great![/QUOTE]

I am in the middle of a Napoletana pizza-making course;

Definitely this is a little too early for me!

Thanks for the info, I’ll keep checking back to this thread as we progress, it has been a help so far!
👍

 

[Colin Grigson]

My colleague’s wife makes these iced gingerbread at Christmas, Valentines etc..., she’s very clever to do such intricate and delicate work. I always think it’s a shame to eat them.

 

[figbat]

Your tiling is exactly how I want mine done! The bread looks good too.

I am in the middle of a Napoletana pizza-making course; made the dough last night and we‘ll be shaping, topping and baking later today. There were lots of hints and tips about dough last night though, and even though this is a pizza course, it was stated that this is just dough - use it however you wish. Anyway, a couple of things:

- salt should be 2% of the flour by weight. If you have to correct a wet dough by adding flour, don’t forget the extra salt!
- the water/flour ratio largely defines the bread type. Typical loaf ~65-67%, ciabatta ~70-75% and focaccia at a wet 80%
- the higher the protein level (‘strength’) of the flour, the longer it needs to autolyse (absorb the water). 12-14% ideal for pizza (mine is at 15% so a little high but with a long overnight prove should be ok).
- longer time, cold water and low yeast level is best; the use of lots of yeast and warm water allows a rapid result at the expense of structure and flavour.

And here‘s the money shot

 

[stoatsngroats]

@figbat looks like a proper Neapolitan! 👍👏👏👏👏👏

 

[Colin Grigson]

And here‘s the money shot
View attachment 573747
View attachment 573748

That’s one of the best pizza I have ever seen

 

[figbat]

That’s one of the best pizza I have ever seen

It’s the best I’ve ever eaten - amazing to realise I made it! I used the recipe and techniques posted upthread somewhere, with live advice, tips and guidance. This was achieved in a conventional oven on a regular baking tray using no special equipment or ingredients; the dough is just flour, water and yeast, the sauce is tinned tomatoes, olive oil, salt and sugar, the cheese is M&S cow mozzarella and the basil is... well, basil. All prepared by hand, no machines or mixers needed.

 

[jayonabike]

And here‘s the money shot
View attachment 573747
View attachment 573748

That looks wonderful

 

[jayonabike]

My favourite, a simple white loaf. Kneaded by hand, proven 3 times (twice in a bowl then again once shaped in the tin)
In the oven on its highest heat for 10 minutes with a tray of boiling water underneath then lower the temperature to 180c till it’s done. I make this 2 or 3 times a week.

 

[figbat]

My favourite, a simple white loaf. Kneaded by hand, proven 3 times (twice in a bowl then again once shaped in the tin)
In the oven on its highest heat for 10 minutes with a tray of boiling water underneath then lower the temperature to 180c till it’s done. I make this 2 or 3 times a week. View attachment 573756
View attachment 573755

Can’t beat a classic farmhouse loaf! I have been making more of these recently which has exposed the limitations of my ageing, cheap bread knife which struggled to start cutting a hard crust so I have a new Robert Welch one on order.

 

[Colin Grigson]

It’s the best I’ve ever eaten - amazing to realise I made it! I used the recipe and techniques posted upthread somewhere, with live advice, tips and guidance. This was achieved in a conventional oven on a regular baking tray using no special equipment or ingredients; the dough is just flour, water and yeast, the sauce is tinned tomatoes, olive oil, salt and sugar, the cheese is M&S cow mozzarella and the basil is... well, basil. All prepared by hand, no machines or mixers needed.

If I could produce that, I would eat it everyday for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the rest of my life - what more could a man want ?. Well done to you, you have my upmost respect

 

[Reynard]

My colleague’s wife makes these iced gingerbread at Christmas, Valentines etc..., she’s very clever to do such intricate and delicate work. I always think it’s a shame to eat them.
View attachment 573707

I make proper Lebkuchen (various varieties), but man, I've no patience to decorate them like that. Mine are a bit more, euhm, agricultural when it comes to the decoration Basically, just a glaze and hundreds & thousands...

 

[Reynard]

Your tiling is exactly how I want mine done! The bread looks good too.

I am in the middle of a Napoletana pizza-making course; made the dough last night and we‘ll be shaping, topping and baking later today. There were lots of hints and tips about dough last night though, and even though this is a pizza course, it was stated that this is just dough - use it however you wish. Anyway, a couple of things:

- salt should be 2% of the flour by weight. If you have to correct a wet dough by adding flour, don’t forget the extra salt!
- the water/flour ratio largely defines the bread type. Typical loaf ~65-67%, ciabatta ~70-75% and focaccia at a wet 80%
- the higher the protein level (‘strength’) of the flour, the longer it needs to autolyse (absorb the water). 12-14% ideal for pizza (mine is at 15% so a little high but with a long overnight prove should be ok).
- longer time, cold water and low yeast level is best; the use of lots of yeast and warm water allows a rapid result at the expense of structure and flavour.

Yup, so right about the 2% salt per flour weight.

Basically, the salt, as well as adding flavour, acts as a "handbrake" for the yeast. Too much salt and your bread won't rise because the salt will kill the yeast, and not enough, and it will take off at a gallop. The 2% gives you just the right balance.

A bread-in-a-hurry (which for me uses 5g of yeast for 600g of flour) is still going to taste way better than bought. Most recipes on the side of a flour bag want 14g i.e. 2 tsp for 500g flour. That's a dough you want to be watching like a hawk!

 

[figbat]

If I could produce that...

If I can, I’m pretty sure you and anyone else can!

 

[figbat]

I make proper Lebkuchen (various varieties), but man, I've no patience to decorate them like that. Mine are a bit more, euhm, agricultural when it comes to the decoration Basically, just a glaze and hundreds & thousands...

Same here - my bakes tend to be functional but not pretty. I make a Lebkuchen recipe most years around Christmas and having experimented with chocolate and icing variations have settled on the simple, classic thin icing glaze. One of the companies I work with send us Lebkuchen at Christmas and they are delicious - slightly spongier than mine with chopped nuts in. 😋

 

[Reynard]

Same here - my bakes tend to be functional but not pretty. I make a Lebkuchen recipe most years around Christmas and having experimented with chocolate and icing variations have settled on the simple, classic thin icing glaze. One of the companies I work with send us Lebkuchen at Christmas and they are delicious - slightly spongier than mine with chopped nuts in. 😋

A thin glaze works best IMHO - unless you are making a house, and then you really do need the thicker icing that uses egg white. I use a mix of brandy and lemon juice and just a little water in the glaze.

I have at least a couple of hundred different recipes for Lebkuchen btw, some of them going back to the 19th century. It never ceases to amaze me how by varying the proportions of the ingredients, you can get so many different flavours and textures. I make one type with candied ginger in it, and it's lush

Although most of them *don't* have ginger in them at all. The flavour comes mainly from a mix of cinnamon, clove and black pepper.