Dough Proof Box

[pdilley]

I finally got off my duff and went into the shed in the sweltering heat and completed building my dough proofing box.

o A large foam box re-used from shipping live animals (fish).
o A light bulb and dimmer switch assembly.
o Space next to the light bulb on the board to place a glass of water which provides humidity inside the box.
o An optional TempMate controller for precise temperature control when not used for the fermenting fridge or for the kegs fridge.

*Photos and even a movie can be provided for those who can not picture what it is like from the description given.

I plan on setting the dimmer switch down load and using the TempMate sensor to help me dial in a low temperature for manual rise mode when I don't have a free TempMate handy.

I looks very christmasy with the whole box lighting up like it does. I only had a 75Watt incandescent handy which heats up rapidly (about .2 to .3 degree jumps each sample from the TempMate) so I have no worries getting up to temp.


I wrote on the lid the "Commercial Bakeries" setting (home can use lower temps but this is what the Pros are listed as using).

38 degrees Celsius with 80% to 85% relative humidity in the box:
Doughnuts rise time is 15 to 20 minutes
Pizza Dough rise time is 30 to 60 minutes
Loaf of Bread rise time is 45 to 60 minutes

I plan on getting into a whole lot of baking now.

I don't have any decent flour to start with, just the crap flour from the supermarket but I am wondering what I should start to try making to give this proof box a spin?

I make a lot of home made pizzas using just Arabic pita bread bases so I guess it would be good to learn how to make really good home made pizza bases so that might be a place to start.

I already have built a stone flour grinding work bench! but still need to source some harvested wheat (probably a 3 hour drive to orange as a local ACT source crapped out when it came time to stand up to the plate to bat) so I will not get decent whole flour with full protein content for a while yet.


Does anyone have a good recipe or list of recipes to share?


Cheers,
Brewer Pete


EDIT: This box has a dual role. I will be making Sake brewing mould spores with it very soon so look for some exciting never before brewed Sake coming out of the ACT home brew scene! :icon_cheers:

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

I use this breadmix

http://www.laucke.com.au/retail_premixes.asp

You can buy a 10kg bag for $20 which is great values. Get them at woolies or coles

The sour dough mix is fantastic :icon_drool2:

 

[samhighley]

But if the box is dough-proof, how do you get the dough in there?

 

[pdilley]

No hyphen in there Sammy

I'm going to get some measurements out of the box and go shopping.

Turns out I'm pretty low on flour anyway so its a good excuse to find some containers that fit inside the box while letting the heat/humidity board set against the far edge.

Will test fire off a batch of bread today, but tomorrow I already have plans for this baby, I'm growing Mouldy Rice :beer:

Not just any mouldy rice but the stuff that is required to start making proper Japanese Sake! :wub:

Once I grow out an insane amount of Mouldy Rice then I will give it to SWMBO to do some more breads.



Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[pdilley]

Alright first run and so far it's awesome

Best rises I ever got from any bread I've made.

That said I've not sourced any Lauke flour yet. The only lauke was in small bread machine boxes and with a trendy price to match. They had defiance bread flour in the packet but it was soft white so the protein content was only 8.3 or so grams out of 100grams of flour. Not good for much.

Now I did luck out and source some short grain rice although I got the last 10 kilo sack of it in a small Asian shop so it is looking good on the Sake making front.


Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[Bongchitis]

LloydieP advocates the use of Black and Gold flour. I remember reading about it in some of the sourdough threads. High protein etc. I think he is a baker and from the photos appears to make some awesome bread.

The heated box sounds great. Good luck with it.

 

[pdilley]

The box does rock! It's getting ready for it's maiden voyage into incubating Sake mould as we speak.

Black and Gold flour!? You mean in the plain flour aisle? I alredy used that before but not in a sourdough. In a standard bread I can get the crumb nice and the gas bubbles evenly sized and spaced but it seems low protein to me and more cake like in its soft texture absent of any chewy texture.

All the good nutrients have been stripped out by modern mills and sold to farmers as cattle feed so the yeast has not much left to work with in supermarket flours in my experience. You even see some bakers putting yeast nutrient mix additions into flours to improve the performance.

All of which Im hoping to bypass by stone grinding whole flour with all the nutrients left in the flour for the yeasts to work with.

Is the LloydieP still around AHB?

 

[Airgead]

Kiala organic unbleached white flour. Marvellous stuff. 15% protein. Lovely pale cream colour. Makes a fantastic loaf.

I usually rise quite a bit cooler and slower. It lets the flavours develop more. High 20s and a 2 or so hour rise for regular bread. Up to 12 hours in the low 20s for the sourdough.

Cheers
Dave

 

[pdilley]

I've not tried but heard the 24 hour + slow rise no knead bread is quite good as well.

Where do you source the Kiala from Dave? decent sized bags?


Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[Airgead]

I've not tried but heard the 24 hour + slow rise no knead bread is quite good as well.

Where do you source the Kiala from Dave? decent sized bags?


Cheers,
Brewer Pete

never tried no knead bread. I'm still working with the French kneading from Dough/Crust.

The organics home delivery mob I use will ship a 5kg bag of the Kialla flour. They are Sydney only though and you being a Canberran that doesn't do you much good.

You can look at their website http://www.kiallafoods.com.au/. That has a list of stockists. A lot of hippy food shops carry it in the smaller sizes.

It also comes in a 20kg sack if you want to buy in serious bulk. I've thought about it but the missus isn't keen on yet more 20kg sacks of stuff sitting round the house.

They do a regular unbleached, high bran and wholemeal in the high protein plus a very nice spelt flour. I think they do a rye as well.

The other one you can try is Demeter Farm Mills (no website) but your hippy food shop may have some. Same basic products as the Kialla.

Cheers
Dave

Cheers
Dave

 

[pdilley]

No hippy shops that I've found yet, I think they all go to the local indian grocery for their beans

I do have an idea though, more boutique markets area. Will check them out for anything.


Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[zoigl]

Hi Brewer pete
Alas my first post has nothing to do with beer

I have yet to make my first AG but I'm working on getting the gear togther, I love your hot box proving idea.

I have used two different books and 2 different approaches to bread making in my search for the perfect loaf
I started with "Artisan Bread in five minutes a day" Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. They have a web site www.artisanbreadinfive.com
a great idea

but if you like the darker side, B) then you will get sucked into especially if you like sourdough type, really chewy, bread....then try
"Bread" by Jeffrey Hamelman.
His recipes suggests using baking formulas just like beer brewing
Any bread flour works from the local supermarket, and the overall formula that I am using is
Bread flour 100% 1kg
Water 69% 690 gm
salt 2% 20 gm
yeast 1.5% 15gm
total yield 172.5%

Start by making a "Poolish" mix together

Bread flour 100% I use 500gm
Water 100% I use 500gm
Yeast .2% I use 1/8th teaspoon

leave overnight in a smallish tupperware type lidded container 12 to 16 hours, I have left it a couple of days to no ill effect. Leave the lid a little opened

Next in a electric mixer with a dough hook on very low speed (#1)
water 190 gm
bread flour 500gm
and the Poolish
Mix to a shaggy mess

Cover and leave for 20-30 minutes
then sprinkle one and a half teaspoons yeast
salt 1 tablespoon
Mix at #2 speed for 1 to 2 minutes
dough should be 24.5 c and supple and moderately loose
leave covered for 25 minutes, I use glad wrap over the mixing bowl

then remove from bowl, gently flatten the dough and gently fold each edge into the middle once for each side.

repeat the folding process after another 25 minutes

25 minutes later cut into 2 pieces and place on a baker's canvas sheet/tea towel and cover with plastic for the final proof

Meantime preheat the oven to 237c

Now if you want a crusty crust then the secret is to add steam, I have a hi-tech Miele steam oven, but a cup of water in a lower tray helps

Put the bread on a tray, pizza stone if you have one and bake for 35 minutes, opening the door a little bit about hafway through the time to vent the steam

Let it cool before cutting other wise you will end up with a soggy loaf. The bread continues to cook while cooling down.

I hope that you like this bread,
Cheers and merry christmas

 

[pdilley]

Cheers for the bread recipes Vespa2, and first post too!

I'm still waiting on my Sake rice spores to finish incubation but I'll give these a go over the holidays break.

Merry Christmas to you and yours,
Brewer Pete

 

[pdilley]

Dave and all interested in no knead bread.


Here is better than words, a video!

Get out those dutch ovens if you have them





EDIT: Article on why Dutch Oven technique works well for bread making here.

Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[Airgead]

Dave and all interested in no knead bread.


Here is better than words, a video!

Get out those dutch ovens if you have them





EDIT: Article on why Dutch Oven technique works well for bread making here.

Cheers,
Brewer Pete

I've seen some stuff on the no knead before but have yet to give it a try. I might give it a go with the kids while I'm off over the xmas break.

I've been meaning tot try the Duch oven thing for a while too. Keeps the himidty up and helps crust formation.

Cheers
Dave

 

[pdilley]

Dave you make me jealous with your 15% protein flour. I tried the local boutique market but its been closed both times I went.

15% Protein is the bare minimum required to make proper New York Pizza Dough. Try making one round of NY Style and report back just for giggles:

NY Pizza Dough is a Nutritionally Lean recipe that needs 5 days rising in the fridge! (2 if you can not wait) and yes this style of making the dough is necessary to get the true NY Pizza Dough Style


Ingredients:
1/4 tsp dry yeast
1 cup water (yes adjust depending on your flour's condition in your current humidity level)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oil (eliminate if only using lower protein flour)
Flour (15% Protein required for real NY, bread flour for less than satisfactory but passable results - NO plain flour!)

Note on Flour: 15% Protein is achieved from Spring planted wheats. Bread flour and plain flour are winter wheats. Because wheat is a plant, depending on growing conditions final protein content is 14%-16%.

If you want fast 2 day dough double the yeast but lose the flavour from 5 days of enzyme action.
If you go the 5 days and minimal yeast you get best flavour. If it gets to overproof condition *never ever EVER* rework the dough, just push it down with finger points. Letting overproof rise to 3 times volume will allow it to re-weaken protein.
Twice size is normal time to use the dough. Long slow rise with less yeast gives you more flavour and longer life from your dough.


Instructions:
1. Forget all bread making steps you use, follow these instead.
2. Yeast disolved in warm water, add sugar, then slow down fermentation by adding cold water. If your crust does not brown to your liking add more sugar next time.
3. Add salt and oil and flour to make a smooth batter consistency about 2 minutes of mixing.
4. Add remaining flour to make a stiff dough but stop if its already stiff early or add more from bag if not stiff enough at end.
5. Knead dough 5 to 8 minutes will suffice. Initially weak will become very elastic when pulled near end of kneading. if you want pastry style crust don't knead at all just stick it into the fridge.
6. Place in air tight container or bag with enough room for two or even three times expansion and seal and place in refrigerator. Coat the dough with some oil or oil spray.
7. Wait 5 days or until ready. Non-aged dough will result in worse quality pizzas.
8. If rising too fast don't re-knead or mix, just punch with fingertips. Add less yeast next time.
9. Never freeze, use fresh or bake into blank crusts for storage.
10. Hand shape for traditional style, roll thin for cracker style.


Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[nickel]

Thanks Pete for the very interesting no knead bread making links, I use too take it for granted being born and breed in Grifffith with a high Italian ancestry buying this style of bread super crunchy crust and light and airy inside on a daily basics. Hopefuly no more need for stocking up when I'm back there visiting family I'll give it go at home, and good luck with sake. :icon_drool2:

 

[pdilley]

Thanks Pete for the very interesting no knead bread making links, I use too take it for granted being born and breed in Grifffith with a high Italian ancestry buying this style of bread super crunchy crust and light and airy inside on a daily basics. Hopefuly no more need for stocking up when I'm back there visiting family I'll give it go at home, and good luck with sake. :icon_drool2:

Cheers Nickel


NY DOUGH CORRECTION
Firm Dough, well actually its quite soft after you mix the flour in and everything is still wet. Soft and spongy but as you knead the dough it gets tough and elastic after 5 to 8 minutes.


Should help everyone make some awesome dough!


Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[Airgead]

Dave you make me jealous with your 15% protein flour. I tried the local boutique market but its been closed both times I went.

The Kialla website shows a stockist in Queanbeyan which shouldn't be too far away from you -

Queanbeyan
Colours By Nature
PO Box 1188
Queanbeyan NSW 2620
PHONE 1300 249 347
WEB: http://www.coloursbynature.com.au/

Actually the last batch I got was only showing 13.5% protein. I think its a bit seasonal. Still 13.5% is not too shabby. Makes a nice loaf. Polished off a nice brown sourdough loaf tonight with a shoulder of lamb I roasted and smoked on the BBQ. *burp*

Here's the spec sheet -

http://www.kiallafoods.com.au/Uploads/Prod...ain%20flour.pdf

Cheers
Dave

 

[pdilley]

I have to wait until they are open but Colour by Nature is an ECO-paint and ECO-building supply company. Not sure if they really will be selling sacks of flour on the show room floor.

The local markets are shut until Jan 7th so no ability to find out what higher protein flour they have.

I have a local asian market asking about high protein flour as they order in all the restaurants supplies for the territory.

I have a local coop that may be another venue but they are shut until half-way through January as well

I'll find 15% flour one day


Cheers,
Brewer Pete