The bakers' thread

[Reynard]

Mmmmmmok.

I don't tend to use recipes much. I have a basic formula I've worked out, and then just adapt as necessary.

Fruit escapage is a right PITA if you've got a very buttery dough...

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Well I had another go at that coriander, olive and onion loaf with improved results. I dried the filling ingredients on kitchen paper and, instead of kneading them into the dough, stretched the dough out to a large rectangle then scattered the onion and olives evenly across it. Then I rolled it up neatly and cut it in half to make two loaves. It was much easier to handle this way and I definitely got a better rise this time. The cuts on top are made by scissors.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

This retirement malarkey is great fun! I've got time to bake midweek and do new stuff.

This is something I found on an app called Kneadly so I thought I'd give it a try: Pane Bianco.

Essentially it's a dough that's covered with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella and basil, then rolled into a long sausage, slashed open and baked in a figure of eight.

We had it for dinner 😋

 

[annedonnelly]

I pre-ordered this which was released last week.

The company have accidentally sent me two copies and say I can keep both. Obviously I don't need both. Does anyone want a free copy? Happy to send for postage costs. I expect it'll be a standard parcel price - about £3.30 I think.

 

[Tom...]

I pre-ordered this which was released last week.
View attachment 644440

The company have accidentally sent me two copies and say I can keep both. Obviously I don't need both. Does anyone want a free copy? Happy to send for postage costs. I expect it'll be a standard parcel price - about £3.30 I think.

I'd love to take this please, will make a small donation to charity too

 

[annedonnelly]

I'd love to take this please, will make a small donation to charity too

Smashing @Tom... Send me a PM with your address. I have to go to the post office tomorrow so can send it then.

 

[C R]

Just a simple white loaf to have with soup.

 

[Dave 123]

I’ve not posted on here for a while, though I have been baking.

Today I made a couple of sourdough loaves.

600g 00 pizza flour
400g whole meal
400 ml water
300 ml milk
15 g of coarse sea salt
A big glob of runny honey.

After mixing I let the dough rest and then stretched and folded for 6 times on 6 occasions.

I then chucked it in a cool airing cupboard for 3 hours.

I lit the BBQ. The gauge was reading 450°c. Two casserole pots went in to pre heat.

I shaped the dough and put it on baking parchment.

I took my sharp slashing knife and some ice cubes to the bbq.

Slashed the top, lifted the lid and bunged a couple of ice cubes in, then put the dough in X2.

40 minutes on very very hot (4/500°c)

Then 10 minutes with the lid off.

 

[John the Monkey]

I've been trying overnight, no knead loaves - they have been surprisingly good so far, although the original recipe must use a flour that's more tolerant of high hydration than my usual (Walk Mill Strong White) is, because my first attempts were an unbakeable mess - I've reduced the hydration and the below works for me;

Basically;

600g Strong White Flour
360g water
1/4 tsp Femipan Red yeast
12g salt

Mix to dough & leave for about 12 hours.
Remove from bowl and shape, then preheat oven (I use a cast iron dutch oven) to 230c
Once oven is hot enough, slash the dough, put in the dutch oven & bake 30 mins lid on, 15 mins lid off.

Makes a decent loaf, and is low faff enough to do whenever.

 

[Reynard]

I've been trying overnight, no knead loaves - they have been surprisingly good so far, although the original recipe must use a flour that's more tolerant of high hydration than my usual (Walk Mill Strong White) is, because my first attempts were an unbakeable mess - I've reduced the hydration and the below works for me;

Basically;

600g Strong White Flour
360g water
1/4 tsp Femipan Red yeast
12g salt

Mix to dough & leave for about 12 hours.
Remove from bowl and shape, then preheat oven (I use a cast iron dutch oven) to 230c
Once oven is hot enough, slash the dough, put in the dutch oven & bake 30 mins lid on, 15 mins lid off.

Makes a decent loaf, and is low faff enough to do whenever.

If it's an american recipe, then that would explain it - US flours need more water than those in the UK.

Although if you end up with a dough that's too sloppy, work some porridge oats into it. Oats are great at sopping up excess moisture.

 

[figbat]

If it's an american recipe, then that would explain it - US flours need more water than those in the UK.

Although if you end up with a dough that's too sloppy, work some porridge oats into it. Oats are great at sopping up excess moisture.

And even an apparently unhandleable dough will still give a good result. A typical focaccia dough can be very wet - to handle a wet dough you can use wet hands or oily hands for kneading and bath in flour for final handling and shaping... and simply put up with the 'rustic' shaping you'll get!

 

[Reynard]

And even an apparently unhandleable dough will still give a good result. A typical focaccia dough can be very wet - to handle a wet dough you can use wet hands or oily hands for kneading and bath in flour for final handling and shaping... and simply put up with the 'rustic' shaping you'll get!

Ah yes... Those wet doughs that you just have to "plop" into a tin because that's as good as it's going to get.

 

[figbat]

Ah yes... Those wet doughs that you just have to "plop" into a tin because that's as good as it's going to get.

I have a recipe for focaccia that's almost a batter rather than a dough - I effectively pour it into the baking tray. Higher hydration tends to lead to a more open structure, but will usually need a shape-holding tin or it'll slump.

 

[Reynard]

Funny you should mention focaccia. That's on the agenda here for tomorrow, as a branch has become accidentally detached from my large rosemary shrub this afternoon, and it'd be a shame to waste the bounty...

 

[Tom B]

Funny you should mention focaccia. That's on the agenda here for tomorrow, as a branch has become accidentally detached from my large rosemary shrub this afternoon, and it'd be a shame to waste the bounty...

Let us know how you get on / a pic.

I've never managed an entirely satisfactory focaccia. But then I find few bought focaccia are much to write home about.


...Maybe I just don't like it.