Blog posts

I think i'm finally getting the hang of making french bread. I won't say my recipe/technique is perfect, but I finally feel confident enough to share bread with freinds. Here's some pictures of what I've been up to.

A good bostock turns my day around 180 degrees. From wrong to right, goodbye to hello, ok to fan-freaking-tastic.

Just yesterday happened to be one of those times I needed a bostock to help me out. While my other classmates are out and having fun during spring break, I am still at home baking each morning at  3 a.m. for work (and home!), trying to catch up on arranging our new apartment, and getting an early start with semester end projects. Not really much of a spring break, considering it is still in the thirties outside too!

I'm so excited - I just can't hide it - I'm about to lose control and I think I like it.

Until today, I had no idea the Pointer Sisters were bakers.  

Hi - another guess loaf;

demerera sugar

strong flour

salt

dry yeast 

honey 

milk 

1 egg 

olive oil

------------------------- I just warmed the milk, honey and oil in a pan until luke warm, then whisked it in a bowl with the yeast and salt (don't know that it makes any difference but I don't put the salt and yeast in the same pile at first, more superstition that sense) - cracked the egg in and gave it a good mix with the whisk: sprinkled some flour in to make some goop.

Dill, bacon, olive oil, roasted garlic sourdough bread.

The fam's favorite bread so far.  All gone already.

I make this bread this weekend and I would like to thank all who have made this reciently and have posted to this site.  It certainly helps to see and read how others have made a certain bread.  I wish that I had checked here just before I started and David Snyder posted some picture showing the shaped loaves with the Dutch crunch on. 

Sourdough Crackers

Previous blog: http://weightloss-slim.fit/node/22542/noknead-multigrain-seed-and-nut-loaf%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3C/div%3E

I routinely make baguettes with a straight dough at 70% hydration, and an overnight ferment at 55°F.  Curious, in yesterday's mix I reduced the hydration to 65%, all other ingredients (KA AP flour and sea salt) and processes were the same: DDT set to 55°F with ice water, and the dough chilled during autolyse, between S&Fs and overnight retarding for 15 hours. I was motivated to try a lower hydration based on a smattering of comments scattered in various TFL threads that argue open crumb isn't only about hydration.