The quest for bread.

Tone1979 · 20 Nov 2017 at 14:43

So...

Over the last few years I have avoided bread as it makes me very windy and unwell.

The only bread I could eat with no consequences was sour dough. Turns out it's my fav by a mile anyway.

Over the last few months I have been more and more interested in making pasta and bread and finally got my backside into gear and started to make bread on a regular basis.

Today, after a week of making a starter I have got to the point of making a loaf of sour dough. So far so good.

My aim is to keep this updated with what I have learnt and the outcome from each batch of bread.

Photos later.

p.s. Sour dough is a ball ache.

FrenchTart · 20 Nov 2017 at 15:07

Definitely interested to hear more about this

Tone1979 · 20 Nov 2017 at 15:15

Looking good.

jpaul · 20 Nov 2017 at 18:04

Tone1979 said:
p.s. Sour dough is a ball ache

it is like all relationships, once you have a daily routine with your new Mother, it becomes second nature, mine I think must be >10th Birthday,
indeed older than some OC members ? - some posts in the johnny 66 - bread bake thread

Tone1979 · 21 Nov 2017 at 11:37

Well the first loaf came out of the oven and was a little heavy for my liking. Around the edges it was very nice and the pockets of air were pronounced, however in the middle it was like a quite heavy loaf.

Time for a second go.

Tone1979 · 21 Nov 2017 at 11:39

jpaul said:
it is like all relationships, once you have a daily routine with your new Mother, it becomes second nature, mine I think must be >10th Birthday,
indeed older than some OC members ? - some posts in the johnny 66 - bread bake thread

oh yeah for sure. 10 years!? awesome. I have heard that some starters have been going for nearly 100 years. how mad is that?

FrenchTart · 21 Nov 2017 at 11:40

Was it undercooked? Did you have decent oven spring?

jpaul · 21 Nov 2017 at 11:52

Tone1979 said:
Well the first loaf came out of the oven and was a little heavy for my liking. Around the edges it was very nice and the pockets of air were pronounced, however in the middle it was like a quite heavy loaf.

was it a boule/cobb shape on a baking stone ?

Tone1979 · 21 Nov 2017 at 12:01

jpaul said:
was it a boule/cobb shape on a baking stone ?

Yeah, I cooked in on a stone, it was a cob shape and almost doubled in the oven in terms of height.

I also did a little bit of the steam treatment.

I will get some photos to show you.

Tone1979 · 21 Nov 2017 at 12:04

jpaul · 21 Nov 2017 at 12:25

Does not look bad at all
- You slashed the top ?
- prepared a poolish with a percentage of the flour (I use 20%) the night before ?

Tone1979 · 21 Nov 2017 at 12:29

did not slash the top! Damn, I was meant to do that...

yeah made a poolish the night before.

Tone1979 · 28 Nov 2017 at 17:56

Right so attempt two!

much more bubbly poolish. ( realised I messed up the measurements last time and did grams not ML)

Let's see how this goes.

Wholemeal white mix this time.

jpaul · 28 Nov 2017 at 21:03

Are there some reviews of Modernist Bread, seems pretty new ? there must be some reason it seems to be £350 on Amazon ?
but , if it has all the answers ...

lego had previously recommended a more affordable https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tartine-Bread-Chad-Robertson/dp/0811870413

Lartyconshayo · 28 Nov 2017 at 21:10

Peter Reinhart supposed to be good on bread. I have his pizza dough book (American Pie) and I love that

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nCMwCwAAQBAJ&source=gbs_similarbooks

jpaul · 28 Nov 2017 at 21:29

indeed yes, that has been on my shopping list a while

but, frankly, I tend to review all the bread web-sites and build up recipes in one Note now.
one of those 25KG bags of bacheldre stone milled bread flour would not go amiss under the christmas tree though, have been experienting with adding blitzed linseed to recent loaves;
but sweet loaves with dried fruit/molasses/all-spice are a favourite.

Tone1979 · 29 Nov 2017 at 16:04

holy moly that book is immense.

This is the dough this afternoon, having a fairly chilly house seems to add hours and hours to the process.

It's now on it's final rise. We will see what it's like after baking.

jpaul · 30 Nov 2017 at 21:26

I can smell burning

I assume the picture was with all the flour incorporated, but it looks very hydrated,
I have greased the bowl used for rising and wonder if it then rises more easily with less drag at the sides ?

Tone1979 said:
holy moly that book is immense.

yes your right , more pages than war and peace - maybe I begin to undertstand the cost, no indication it will be available cheaply on kindle.

Tone1979 · 1 Dec 2017 at 15:01

this was the final loaf. Great taste but still not light enough inside for me.

arknor · 4 Dec 2017 at 13:29

try stretching and folding the dough over a few times so its like layers inside, should help to get some big air like ciabatta