Bread ****

[bonj]

Finally picked up Dough yesterday. I've had Crust for a while, but Dough looks awesome too. You can't have one and not the other. Got it from Angus & Robertson for $39.99 (the paperback version)... well, it was part of my father's day present, so I didn't actually pay anything

 

[Airgead]

The latest from the oven -



White bread sticks (funny shape because I was an ***** and made them too long for my baking stone)



Same basic bread but with rosemary and sun-dried tomato kneaded through it.

 

[Airgead]

Haven't posted too many bread photos recently so after todays mamoth baking session I figured I should make you all drool a little -

Nice earthy, wholemeal bread today

Round loaf



Long loaf



Bread rolls



Plain



And fancy



And the days effort all together



Cheers
Dave

 

[bonj]

thanks for the inspiration, Dave. I was thinking about doing some baking tomorrow

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Sourdough Rolls and a Long roll with oates kneaded and rolled into the dough before baking

 

[Tony]

whats the peg for mate?

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

In case you drop bye and cant handle the awsome aroma from the kitchen

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Sourdough Rolls

 

[Tony]

did you drop them in the flour mate?

What did you use as a starter.

Im thinking of getting a sourdough starter going.

cheers

 

[Tony]

Here is a "copy and paste" from a nother forum i frequent.

some great info on making a sourdough starter.

Im going to start mine tonight and will post progress.

Cheers



I'm too passionate about Sourdough to witness folks failing left and right without a fight!!!!! I've witnessed way too many give up over the years! Never, ever, give up!!!

There are a couple 'secrets' that you can use to significantly increase your chances of culturing a healthy sourdough starter on the first try.

Firstly,
Sourdough yeasts and bacteria thrive in an acidic environment.
Creating an acidic environment (using acidic fruit juice the first 3 days of starter culture) from the start will ensure that conditions are right for good starter production and help keep nasties from getting a foothold.

Secondly,
Aerating (mixing) the starter 2-3 times per day (until the starter is ready for use in a recipe), not just when the starter is fed, will help keep the mixture evenly acidic which helps to ensure that the bennies have perfect conditions and the nasties are discouraged.

Anyway....
Here's the formula for success in more cases than not!

Day 1: mix together...
2 T. whole grain flour (rye or wheat)
2 T. unsweetened pineapple juice or orange juice
Cover and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.


Day 2: add...
2 T. whole grain flour
2 T. juice
Stir well, cover and let sit at room temperature 24 hours. At day 2 you may (or may not) start to see some small bubbles.


Day 3: add...
2 T. whole grain flour
2 T. juice
Stir well, cover and let sit at room temperature 24 hours.

Day 4:

Stir down, measure out 1/4 cup and discard the rest.
To the 1/4 cup add...
1/4 cup flour (any good non additive flour can be added at this point)
1/4 cup filtered or spring water

Day 5 and beyond.....continue the same daily procedure until the mixture is very active and yeasty, is the starter stalls add 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar to the other added ingredients daily...that'll lower the PH and make things active again


Using just flour and water incubates a gas producing bacteria, among other nasties, called Leuconostoc, that mimics the activity of yeast for the first few days...it gives off carbon dioxide bubbles, but then subsides creating a poor environment for yeast and leaving a nasty end product! Acidity fights Leuconostoc and other nasties!

That may very well be what has happened in your case.

Leuconostoc is, allegedly, becoming more and more prevalent on the surface of wheat and subsequently in flour.

Here's some interesting reading relating to the use of acidic juice to kick-start the starter......

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/108...olution-part-1
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/109...olution-part-2
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/103...tion-sourdough

Another option is to request some of Carl Griffith's 1847 Oregon Trail Sourdough Starter, which is still available for a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope...a great deal for just 88 cents!!!!

http://home.att.net/~carlsfriends/

 

[Infinitee]

I would recommend a kefir culture (else just a quality yoghurt-whey (jalna) and some bread yeast) and to culture the sourdough for as long as you can stand the smell.
I also use more rye flour than the average recipe recommends ... such a hearty, proteinous bread.

I'm very curious.
When people make a wholemeal roll/loaf/bread ... how much wholemeal flour to white do you use?

Anyone grind their own grains?
(Or just your gears!)

 

[cubbie]

I would recommend a kefir culture (else just a quality yoghurt-whey (jalna) and some bread yeast) and to culture the sourdough for as long as you can stand the smell.
I also use more rye flour than the average recipe recommends ... such a hearty, proteinous bread.

I'm very curious.
When people make a wholemeal roll/loaf/bread ... how much wholemeal flour to white do you use?

Anyone grind their own grains?
(Or just your gears!)

I use 100% stoneground flour


For a good bread book have a look at

BREAD MATTERS: The State of Modern Bread and a Definitive Guide to Baking Your Own
Andrew Whitley

He is rather anal about the whole process, but you will get a good understanding of how bread is traditionally made, how it has changed etc. Good description of flours and what is added to our bread these days.

He definitely will not do make additions of pineapple, grape, yoghurt etc to get a sourdough going. He will only call it a sourdough if it is rye otherwise it is a leaven. Has a number of other books out.


This is the book http://books.google.com.au/books?id=qQsSTI...;q=&f=false

 

[Airgead]

An absolute orgy of baking over the last couple of days. In addition to the no kneed bread I made (see the no knead thread) I also did -

Two sourdough loaves -




24 hour rise with the last 12 hours in the fridge to really slow it down. I thin I'll do it in reverse next time as the fridge dried out the top a bit and caused some huge bubbles to form under the crust (which is why its a tad dark in places).

And Chibbata -




Still need to work on the look of the chibbata. They look more like turds than slippers but the texture is spot on.

 

[Airgead]

Not quite bread in the traditional sense but the missus got into the baking spirit as well yesterday and we have -

Almond bread

Baked



Then sliced and dried/toasted in a low oven



and Highland Oat Cakes (fantastic with a wee dram of single malt)




Cheers
Dave

 

[Airgead]

I left some out - Italian flat bread.

I made 4 - two baked soft to use as wraps. They came out of the oven at lunchtime and lasted about 30 seconds before being torn apart by a hungry mob so no pictures. The other 2 I covered in rosemary and sea salt and baked crisp to use as a crispbread. This is the only survivor. Its mate suffered a nasty fate involving a bowl of home made hummus...




Cheers
Dave

 

[chappo1970]

Did a spot of baking with the Billy Lids this morning... We had lots of fun

Hot fresh rolls with butter and Jam Yummy!

 

[fraser_john]

Our bread, this is all we eat in terms of sliced bread. Wife makes about three of these a week.

 

[bonj]

Some small, large and some strangely shaped baguettes.... Yes!! I said baguette!

 

[chappo1970]

View attachment 34893
View attachment 34892

Some small, large and some strangely shaped baguettes.... Yes!! I said baguette!

We are but mere mortals compared to the Bonjinator...

They look great!

 

[drsmurto]

And Chibbata -

View attachment 34285
View attachment 34286

Still need to work on the look of the chibbata. They look more like turds than slippers but the texture is spot on.

Would love to make ciabatta. What's your recipe mate?

Got myself a bench mixer after deciding part of the reason i struggle with my sourdough loaves is the lack of kneading. After 2-3 mins i am bored and stop but can now leave it in the machine for 15 mins and then a 2 min hand knead.

Also need to get myself some proper tins to allow me to prove the bread in the same container rather than having to take it out and knocking most of the air out of it. My sourdough is just too dense for my liking.