The bakers' thread

[Reynard]

That's exactly how I like them.
I burnt myself on the first one though, that sticky apricot jam glaze gets really hot. A piece of that and a superheated raisin stuck to my finger as I pulled the bun from the toaster. Flippin' sore, even after I plunged my hand into a basin of cold water.

Ouch!

I find using the grill helps prevent the "getting out of the toaster" ouchies...

 

[C R]

That's exactly how I like them.
I burnt myself on the first one though, that sticky apricot jam glaze gets really hot. A piece of that and a superheated raisin stuck to my finger as I pulled the bun from the toaster. Flippin' sore, even after I plunged my hand into a basin of cold water.

We have wooden tongs like these for that purpose.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Ai..._QL65&keywords=wooden+tongs+for+toaster&psc=1

 

[benb]

I got this beauty for Christmas.

So far I've made 2 batches of chewy double chocolate cookies which have come out really well, and one loaf of wholemeal bread.
The bread had a really nice flavour, but it lost its shape - the dough had puffed out the top of the tin during proving, but when it came out of the oven the bulge collapsed, leaving a flat or even concave top. Maybe I left it too long proving and it over-rose?

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Maybe I left it too long proving and it over-rose?

I'd say that's exactly what's happened. The loaf has become so big that it can't support its own weight and collapses.

If I suspect my dough has reached that stage, I can save it (sometimes) by gently knocking it back and reshaping it again, keeping as much gas in it as possible. Then let it rise again but keep a close eye on it and get it into the oven while it's still got some rebound.

 

[benb]

I'd say that's exactly what's happened. The loaf has become so big that it can't support its own weight and collapses.

If I suspect my dough has reached that stage, I can save it (sometimes) by gently knocking it back and reshaping it again, keeping as much gas in it as possible. Then let it rise again but keep a close eye on it and get it into the oven while it's still got some rebound.

I went out, so it was proving for nearly 2 hours instead of the 1 hour in the recipe.
I'll keep a better eye on the time when I try again!

Anyone got some good sites for bread recipes?

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Anyone got some good sites for bread recipes?

I generally use books for my recipes but there are lots of good ones on www.bakingmad.com , where you can apply filters to narrow down your results.

 

[Reynard]

I went out, so it was proving for nearly 2 hours instead of the 1 hour in the recipe.
I'll keep a better eye on the time when I try again!

Anyone got some good sites for bread recipes?

Watch the dough, not the clock xxx

If you know you're going to go out, either a) stick the dough in the fridge, b) reduce the amount of yeast or c) both

www.thefreshloaf.com - one of the best bread baking resources online. Some cracking tutorials and some lovely recipes.

 

[benb]

Watch the dough, not the clock

OK, what would I be looking for to know the optimum state to put it in the oven?

 

[Reynard]

OK, what would I be looking for to know the optimum state to put it in the oven?

Hard to say - it's a "feel" that comes with experience. But certainly you don't want it to quite double in volume for the final proof. You can also do the "poke test" - you want the dough to indent and spring back slowly.

But better to underprove a loaf slightly than to go the other way. At least a burst loaf is better than a frisbee...

 

[EltonFrog]

I got this beauty for Christmas.
View attachment 450875

So far I've made 2 batches of chewy double chocolate cookies which have come out really well, and one loaf of wholemeal bread.
The bread had a really nice flavour, but it lost its shape - the dough had puffed out the top of the tin during proving, but when it came out of the oven the bulge collapsed, leaving a flat or even concave top. Maybe I left it too long proving and it over-rose?

Got one very similar to that too, make about two loaves a week, plus other stuff, a marvellous bit of kit.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Watch the dough, not the clock xxx

If you know you're going to go out, either a) stick the dough in the fridge, b) reduce the amount of yeast or c) both

www.thefreshloaf.com - one of the best bread baking resources online. Some cracking tutorials and some lovely recipes.

As you say, great recipes and tutorials. The one thing that drives me bonkers about it is the volume measurements. How much is a cup of flour? What size of cup? A stick of butter? Grrr! Give me proper weights every time, I don't care whether they're metric or imperial.

 

[Reynard]

As you say, great recipes and tutorials. The one thing that drives me bonkers about it is the volume measurements. How much is a cup of flour? What size of cup? A stick of butter? Grrr! Give me proper weights every time, I don't care whether they're metric or imperial.

It *is* an American site...

But once you start delving below the surface, most of the recipes in the threads and blogs are given in bakers' percentages, which assumes weight, and with 100% being the weight of the flour used.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

OK, what would I be looking for to know the optimum state to put it in the oven?

Are you using a tin?

I generally make my bread in a 2lb tin and when the dough is shaped and placed in the tin, it is usually around half to two-thirds the height of the tin. I cover that with an oiled sheet of clingfilm and it's ready to bake when the dough has crested the top of the tin and the clingfilm has started to bow upwards.

As has already been said, you'll get a feel for it the more you bake. Timings in recipes are just a rough guide as people's kitchen environments can vary enormously.

 

[Reynard]

As has already been said, you'll get a feel for it the more you bake. Timings in recipes are just a rough guide as people's kitchen environments can vary enormously.

And it can vary day to day as well, depending on temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity...

+1 for using a tin as it's easy to see where you're at in terms of volume. Otherwise, break off a bit of the dough when shaping the loaf, put it in a straight-sided glass, pop an elastic band where the top of the dough is, another at double that, and voila - instant visual guide to how your dough is behaving.

 

[Asa Post]

And it can vary day to day as well, depending on temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity...

+1 for using a tin as it's easy to see where you're at in terms of volume. Otherwise, break off a bit of the dough when shaping the loaf, put it in a straight-sided glass, pop an elastic band where the top of the dough is, another at double that, and voila - instant visual guide to how your dough is behaving.

Not just a pretty face, are you?