The bakers' thread

[Tom B]

I made some batons (can't really call them baguettes) to make garlic bread to accompany tonight's dinner.

I don't know if they'll last that long though!

View attachment 622833

Excellent "ears" in the crust.
Please share recipe for these.

Did you remember?

 

[figbat]

I know there are quite a lot of bread bakers on here. So I've been messing around largely unsuccessfully trying to make home made barm cakes.

Now there is a whole world of discussion about what a barm cake is and it's called different things across the country. Let's not get into that argument. I just go with whatever the locale preference is wherever I am.

I'm in Lancashire so it's a barm cake today...

It's a light floury fluffy bread bun, open textured inside, soft with a thin light crust, it will squash if squeezed. It cannot be described as crispy or having any sort of bite and only a light chew. They're a light golden on top and usually white at the sides. They can come stuck together but usually these days don't.

They're best bought daily from local bakeries and nothing from a Supermarket, Warburton's or large bakery gets near it. A propper barm needs to be kept covered or at least in a paper bag as it will dry out in a few hours.

Historically I think they was made from the yeasty foam from the top of beer brewing (barm), hence the name barm cakes.

I've tried several times to replicate them. But always end up with something too crusty, too chewy too dense.

I'm thinking they're going to have only a brief kneed, high water content, a long prove and a low temp cook but I can't get it anywhere near.

Any offers

This is something like...
View attachment 634014

Try using milk as well as water. Also, I would still knead them well and I would probably tend to a lower hydration, as more water tends to lead to a more open structure (eg ciabatta and baguettes use a very wet dough). You could try to bake with a foil cover (maybe for the last few minutes or so) and when they come out, cover with a clean tea towel or something so they they soften with the evaporated steam that comes off.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Did you remember?

Yes, although I’ve still to find it as I have been on holiday until today. Heading out again shortly for the rest of the day but I’ll have a look when I get back.

 

[Tom B]

Try using milk as well as water. Also, I would still knead them well and I would probably tend to a lower hydration, as more water tends to lead to a more open structure (eg ciabatta and baguettes use a very wet dough). You could try to bake with a foil cover (maybe for the last few minutes or so) and when they come out, cover with a clean tea towel or something so they they soften with the evaporated steam that comes off.

I think the covering bit is a good idea. I've tried milk and it just added more colour.

I'll grab one the next time the shop is open and take some images as I'm not sure I'm doing a good job explaining. But I want quite an open texture, not so much as a cibatta, and certainly not as resilient as a cibatta but more so than the commercial barm cake.

 

[figbat]

We found a pack of hot cross buns at the back of the freezer - they have probably been there for years! Anyway, they seemed Ok but a bit stale, and we had an egg surplus and some cream in the fridge…. so hot cross bun and butter pudding it is then!

 

[Cirrus]

Cinnamon and Apple Babka, I’ve done some chocolate ones in the past but really pleased with how this came out..

 

[IaninSheffield]

I know there are quite a lot of bread bakers on here. So I've been messing around largely unsuccessfully trying to make home made barm cakes.

Now there is a whole world of discussion about what a barm cake is and it's called different things across the country. Let's not get into that argument. I just go with whatever the locale preference is wherever I am.

I'm in Lancashire so it's a barm cake today...

It's a light floury fluffy bread bun, open textured inside, soft with a thin light crust, it will squash if squeezed. It cannot be described as crispy or having any sort of bite and only a light chew. They're a light golden on top and usually white at the sides. They can come stuck together but usually these days don't.

They're best bought daily from local bakeries and nothing from a Supermarket, Warburton's or large bakery gets near it. A propper barm needs to be kept covered or at least in a paper bag as it will dry out in a few hours.

Historically I think they was made from the yeasty foam from the top of beer brewing (barm), hence the name barm cakes.

I've tried several times to replicate them. But always end up with something too crusty, too chewy too dense.

I'm thinking they're going to have only a brief kneed, high water content, a long prove and a low temp cook but I can't get it anywhere near.

Any offers

Although the baker in the following calls her product 'Scottish Morning Rolls', I think they're more like the barm cakes you're looking for. Scottish Morning Rolls are rather different, to me at least.

Perhaps give her recipe a try?

View: https://youtu.be/CEyBxubfiZ8

 

[Tom B]

Certainly pretty different from what I've tried in terms of method and if not what I'm looking for will likely accommodate some bacon well enough.

I'll report back.

 

[figbat]

Cinnamon and Apple Babka, I’ve done some chocolate ones in the past but really pleased with how this came out..

View attachment 634110

Ooh, a fellow babka baker! Nice, I haven’t incorporated fruit yet, might have a think about how to do that.

 

[Tom B]

Cinnamon and Apple Babka, I’ve done some chocolate ones in the past but really pleased with how this came out..

View attachment 634110

I don't like cinnamon. I think years of being force fed apple and cinnamon xyz at primary school put me off it. I think the school cook only knew cinnamon based deserts (and Manchester tart with wholemeal flour pastry)

Babbka with raspberry or plum jam for me.... I've not had it for years. I think it's one of those things that tastes better when it's someone else's. Like cheese on toast, crisps and chips.

Jam babbka dusted with fine sugar is like a healthy doughnut.

 

[Tom B]

I'm on a baking spree.... Can you tell?

Does anyone have issues with Aldi dry Yeast? I keep it in the fridge, and it just seems slow despite having a 12 month date.

I'm sure it's just the same as any other prepack dry yeast and put in Aldi's box. But I'm starting to loathe it.

 

[figbat]

I'm on a baking spree.... Can you tell?

Does anyone have issues with Aldi dry Yeast? I keep it in the fridge, and it just seems slow despite having a 12 month date.

I'm sure it's just the same as any other prepack dry yeast and put in Aldi's box. But I'm starting to loathe it.

I always use Dove's Farm and it always does OK, straight out of the fridge too (and I never wake it up, but I do tend to do long prooves). My baking teachers advocate using fresh vs dried but I can't be bothered with the faff of it, finding a source, keeping it alive etc.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

... I can't be bothered with the faff of it, finding a source,

My local Morrisons bakery staff are happy to give me some if I ask, and usually for pennies.

 

[figbat]

My local Morrisons bakery staff are happy to give me some if I ask, and usually for pennies.

Yeah, I have heard such tales but also heard that recently some places have stopped doing this as there is the requirement to mark it with allergen information, which is an overhead that's not worth it.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Yeah, I have heard such tales but also heard that recently some places have stopped doing this as there is the requirement to mark it with allergen information, which is an overhead that's not worth it.

I've never heard of that. They weigh a lump of it on the scales and the machine prints the requisite sticky label identifying the contents to be attached to the clingfilm wrapping. I must admit I've never checked to see what it said, beyond 'x grammes fresh yeast : 30p'.