The bakers' thread

[CharlesF]

You kinda get used to planning ahead LOL

I love doughs I can leave overnight etc, as the yeast does all the hard work while I'm off in the Land of Nod.

Yesterday evening, I didn't have enough time to make a loaf, and remembering this advice, I put the dough in the fridge overnight. This morning I took the bowl out and left it in a cool place. Just got home and opened the bag up - what a sight. Well risen dough with lots of lovely a bubbles. The loaf is on the second rise and we can't wait to try it a bit later.

I'm a complete convert and will try to plan properly (PPPPP) so that all my bread does the first rise overnight.

Thanks Reynard for the tip!

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I didn't have enough time to make a loaf, and remembering this advice, I put the dough in the fridge overnight.

I don't know if you saw my link to the overnight recipe I use for sourdough. It gives great results every time and you can use the fridge too to extend the fermentation to suit your timetable.
Here it is: https://www.shipton-mill.com/baking/recipes/tom-s-overnight-no-knead-sourdough.htm

 

[CharlesF]

Thanks, I will try this at the weekend, I love new recipes..

 

[Reynard]

Yesterday evening, I didn't have enough time to make a loaf, and remembering this advice, I put the dough in the fridge overnight. This morning I took the bowl out and left it in a cool place. Just got home and opened the bag up - what a sight. Well risen dough with lots of lovely a bubbles. The loaf is on the second rise and we can't wait to try it a bit later.

I'm a complete convert and will try to plan properly (PPPPP) so that all my bread does the first rise overnight.

Thanks Reynard for the tip!

You're welcome.

If you plan on doing long bulk ferments, then maybe cut back a wee bit on the yeast to prevent escaped dough. My breads usually have less than a gramme in - a generous pinch in the poolish and then the same again in the final dough. (I use dried active yeast granules btw)

 

[Reynard]

Just about to pop a 3 grain with caraway seed into the oven - equal quantities of white bread flour, white oat flour and whole rye.

Now that the weather's somewhat milder, I'm finding I need to cut back on the yeast a bit to stop the dough from galumping away on the bulk ferment. Got a 12 hour poolish, plus it's done a 20 hour bulk ferment (part in the unheated hallway, part in the fridge) and it's about proved after just shy of 2 hours at room temperature.

Never ceases to amaze me how you can raise a loaf with 600g flour at 64% hydration with no more than two small pinches of yeast.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

This is another 1st attempt bread: baguettes.

My wife had bought me this silicone sheet for them from Lakeland so I thought it was time to try it out.
While I was happy with the result, I didn't achieve the airy crumb I'd hoped for, nor was the crust as crispy as I'd have liked.

Most importantly though, it tasted bloody marvellous and they were instantly demolished.

 

[Reynard]

Those look good, @glasgowcyclist - next time, I'll bring the Brie

Maybe try upping the oven temp?

When you say not airy enough, is the crumb too dense or are the holes too small? Perhaps upping the hydration a wee bit and being gentler in the knock back / shaping?

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Those look good, @glasgowcyclist - next time, I'll bring the Brie

Maybe try upping the oven temp?

When you say not airy enough, is the crumb too dense or are the holes too small? Perhaps upping the hydration a wee bit and being gentler in the knock back / shaping?

I'll need to dig out the recipe to check what the oven temp was at and the hydration level. As for the knocking back & shaping, I was very careful. The crumb wasn't too dense, the holes were small just like an ordinary loaf.
I'll definitely give it another go.

 

[Reynard]

I'll need to dig out the recipe to check what the oven temp was at and the hydration level. As for the knocking back & shaping, I was very careful. The crumb wasn't too dense, the holes were small just like an ordinary loaf.
I'll definitely give it another go.

Maybe it was the hydration then. Rule of thumb is more water = more open crumb, but then it's the trade off between a dough being easy to handle and having a sticky pile of goo that won't co-operate no matter what. I sort of run out of baking talent at around 65% hydration.

 

[CharlesF]

This is another 1st attempt bread: baguettes.

My wife had bought me this silicone sheet for them from Lakeland so I thought it was time to try it out.
While I was happy with the result, I didn't achieve the airy crumb I'd hoped for, nor was the crust as crispy as I'd have liked.

Most importantly though, it tasted bloody marvellous and they were instantly demolished.

View attachment 400166

Those look delicious.

The recipe I use has pan of water in bottom of the oven and after the first minute, open the oven door and mist the whole oven. Also they are baked for longer than seems right, but are crispy, and can't be kept, not that is a problem.

 

[CharlesF]

This is my sour dough loaf baked in a tin for a change, not such a good idea a it looks like a volcano about to erupt. Still 10 minutes remaining of the obligatory 20 minutes before we can taste.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Still 10 minutes remaining of the obligatory 20 minutes before we can taste. View attachment 400183
View attachment 400183

I could be there in ten! ....

 

[CharlesF]

You would have to get past the wife.. .

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Damn!

 

[Reynard]

This is my sour dough loaf baked in a tin for a change, not such a good idea a it looks like a volcano about to erupt. Still 10 minutes remaining of the obligatory 20 minutes before we can taste. View attachment 400183
View attachment 400183

I think your volcano looks rather fine