Bread ****

[DeGarre]

Well here's my crack at the no-knead bread. Haven't cut it yet as its fresh out of the oven.
All of my previous bread attempts have fallen short of the mark - not this by the looks of it. Anyone out there who had previously sucked at bread, I encourage you to give this a go!

Looks great. Did you follow the 3 cups of flour and 1 5/8 cups of water as per the recipe or did you adjust? I did and found the dough very wet, hence the ciabatta-like appearance. Next time I'll adjust, less water/beer.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

yeah I pretty much followed the recipe. For the second loaf I used 1 cup of beer and 5/8 water, and gave it a bit more time in the oven without a lid, so it formed a better crust.
here's the 2nd loaf:


I baked them both at 230degC, based on the written recipe which says 450degF for 30mins with lid on.. but after reviewing the original video he does them for 20min with lid on at 500-515degF (260degC).. "blazing hot".. So next time I'm going to do that.

I'd be cautious about removing too much of the liquid. Explanation here: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html

 

[pat_00]

Anybody have any sourdough starter they can spare?

I just killed mine somehow, smells like a wet dog.

 

[Airgead]

Shoot me a PM. I can save you some of Fred when i'm next baking.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Engibeer]

I recently cultured some farmhouse yeast from an OG sample of a Saison.

Added it to a sterile jar and fed it with some flour and water and it's been going for a few weeks.

Makes amazing bread.

Initially slow to prove, but perks up suddenly after a few hours and can be knocked down multiple times.

Personally, I would knock down twice and prove for less than 12 hours, any greater than that it tends to lose its oomph and the glutens collaps.

I can post a photo of the bread if anyone is interested.

Cheers

 

[OzPaleAle]

I've been reading a book Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast by Ken Forkish, very good read about bread making.
He says to bake your breads in a dutch oven innside your dutch oven to keep steam inside like a commercial bread oven injects steam then take the the lid off for the last half hour to get a nice dark crust.
I have just been using a $20 Aldi dutch oven.

This is the result.

 

[OzPaleAle]

I recently cultured some farmhouse yeast from an OG sample of a Saison.

Added it to a sterile jar and fed it with some flour and water and it's been going for a few weeks.

Makes amazing bread.

Initially slow to prove, but perks up suddenly after a few hours and can be knocked down multiple times.

Personally, I would knock down twice and prove for less than 12 hours, any greater than that it tends to lose its oomph and the glutens collaps.

I can post a photo of the bread if anyone is interested.

Cheers

From what I read knocking it down your expelling all the gasses that impart a lot of the flavour.
I like the idea of using the Saison yeast, I'll give it a go thanks.

I normally stretch the dough from underneath and over the top woking around the ball to mix\knead, let it ferment then separate into loaves, pull the top of the dough tight by rolling the ball along the bench, then transfer to a proving basket.

Here is a vid of Ken Forkish doing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPdedk9gJLQ

The rest of his videos are worth a watch.

http://www.youtube.com/user/KensArtisan?feature=watch

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Water/steam is crucial for bread crust. I have a spray bottle full of water that I spray into tge oven

 

[manticle]

Can pop an oven tray containing water into the oven at the same time as the bread too.

 

[OzPaleAle]

Can pop an oven tray containing water into the oven at the same time as the bread too.

Cheers, I will give that a shot, I'm limited to round loaves with the dutch oven, I've been wanting to do some baguette shaped breads.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Spray the dough with water just as you put it in the oven

 

[OzPaleAle]

Just made a couple of loaves with T-58 based Poolish, not real noticeable difference in taste, I guess the yeast need precursors that are in the wort to produce the spicy etc flavours.
I did notice with the same pitching rate as I normally do with bakers yeast it went mental in the bulk ferment, I guess the beer yeasts are stored cool so probably higher cell count compared to supermarket shelf temperature stored bakers yeast.

 

[nala]

Thanks. Looks like Angus and Robertson have it in stock for $49.95. Only $15 more (with shipping at the current exchange rate) and I don't have to compromise my anti-software patent principles h34r:

Try http://www.bookdepository.com/search?searchTerm=richard+bertinet&search=Find+book

Two books for the price of one here and free delivery to OZ.

 

[BadSeed]

yeah I pretty much followed the recipe. For the second loaf I used 1 cup of beer and 5/8 water, and gave it a bit more time in the oven without a lid, so it formed a better crust.
here's the 2nd loaf:

photo.JPG

I baked them both at 230degC, based on the written recipe which says 450degF for 30mins with lid on.. but after reviewing the original video he does them for 20min with lid on at 500-515degF (260degC).. "blazing hot".. So next time I'm going to do that.

I'd be cautious about removing too much of the liquid. Explanation here: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html

I'm going to try one of these on Thursday night.
We are going away camping on Saturday and it will be great to take with us (if it lasts long enough)

Quick question, 1/4 tsp instant yeast. Is this just Lowans dried yeast?

 

[Dunkelbrau]

Just whipped this up this morning to have with some salad and sausages on the BBQ.

Probably my 3rd loaf from scratch. I need work, the only way to make better bread is to make more!

It's 60:40 white flour:rye flour. Baked at 230 for 30 mins and then dropped to 190 for 15.

I'm expecting it to be dense with the rye, good for toast!

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Mmmmmmm..rye bread

 

[Mardoo]

Mmmmmmm..rye bread


It's 60:40 white flour:rye flour. Baked at 230 for 30 mins and then dropped to 190 for 15.

I'm expecting it to be dense with the rye, good for toast!


As a baker I used to make a sour rye with fennel seed and sultanas. The bomb for brekkie!

 

[Airgead]

Just whipped this up this morning to have with some salad and sausages on the BBQ.

Probably my 3rd loaf from scratch. I need work, the only way to make better bread is to make more!

It's 60:40 white flour:rye flour. Baked at 230 for 30 mins and then dropped to 190 for 15.

I'm expecting it to be dense with the rye, good for toast!

I love a good rye loaf. Did 8 loaves of rye/spelt sourdough yesterday. Round a kilo and a half of starter, half a kilo of baker's flour, a kilo of rye and a kilo of spelt. 65% hydration. 7 hours rising.

I like the spelt/rye blend. The spelt is very high protein so it balances out the rye and stops the mix going gluggy. And it tastes awesome.

Cheers
Dave

 

[nala]

Just starting out on the bread making journey.
Does anyone use a BBQ for baking their bread, I have a BBQ with a flat stainless steel plate, this seems to me to be the most obvious tool for getting the bottom heat and with the hood down provide essentially a conventional oven.
Probably talking out of the back of my neck though !
Would welcome suggestions - clean ones please.

 

[Airgead]

Yep. Did it when my oven was out of action. Main thing to watch is the plate getting too hot and burning the crap out of the bottom of the loaves.

Get the plate hot (but not too hot) with direct heat then turn off the burners under the plate and use the other burners to keep the heat high.

Works OK. Not as controllable as a regular oven but does a pretty good job.