Bread baking cookbook

[jitahs]

I use the recipe from this book. results are incredible.

here's my bread

amos

Awesome. Are you using a dutch oven? I've been meaning to pick up that book for awhile.

[ericpmoss]

Awesome. Are you using a dutch oven? I've been meaning to pick up that book for awhile.

I had good luck with dutch ovens as long as they don't have the plastic lid handles. The problem I still had was transferring the dough to the hot pot w/o it sticking to the towel and deflating (covering it in bran or whatever didn't appeal to me).

If I had the space, I'd get the oven I used to have in the coffee shop -- Cadco XAF-135. It lets you program humidity and temp in 3 baking phases. It also makes better biscotti, cheesecake, scones and brioche than anything short of a Vulcan. A bit loud, but awesome results.

[amos scattergood]

Awesome. Are you using a dutch oven? I've been meaning to pick up that book for awhile.

yeah, I use a cast iron combo cooker. I think this technique really does the trick to seal in steam when using a home oven. I'm lucky my apartment has an antique Wedgewood stove will really even heat.

amos

[HSTFixed]

what does the group think about the pizza stone?

should i buy a cheap one, and just give it a go?

Un-glazed Ceramic Tiles serve the same purpose and can be purchased for significantly less money (like 5 dollars instead of 40 or 50) and you can arrange them in different ways for grilling or oven use. Only thing I've used and they work great for me.

[zetroc]

I just bought the Tartine Bread book and read it cover to cover. Holy ****. This book has inspired me to try and bake my own bread.

[Dorman]

Check out the King Arthur Flour Co.'s "Baker's Companion". It's 620 pages of baking 'effing bible.

[weiwentg]

+1 on the book. they also have a whole wheat version, which we've been using most of the time.

[WadePatton]

so i've made the ricotta from whole milk a few times. whey is piling up. i go to web to find a whey to use it right...

effing bread! sub the whey for water 1:1. just what i needed to go with my home made butter and ricotta... i've been avoiding yeast breads for a long time because i love them so much. well, here we go!

too plump.

[maunahaole]

So I want to try to do some bread on the stone on the gas grill. The grill gets a lot hotter than the oven and it seems that high heat can be good if you want a crispy crust. ANy differences in recipe for a hi temp dough vs an oven temp dough?

[WadePatton]

So i'm making loaf numero dos just now, it's rising in the pan presently.

Can someone direct me to an online primer or loan me a book? I've searched a few details wrt bread making and fwak me, i get doofuses (no offense doof) or dissertations. Looking for something more "solid" but not complicated with advanced techniques and procedures.

I'm happy with my results so far, but do like to unnerstand a bit more of the details and alternatives. I've progressed from "punching" to "folding" already. Don't even own a loaf pan. Do have pizza stone but ain't sure how to use it yet. Can't wait to get some real flower.

HEY how about somebuddy who has a pretty good grasp start a "Bread 101" or "Yeast Bread Basics" or sumsuch thread?

__ten seconds later__

oh lookie what bing pulled from the ether: yeast-bread-primer

they hooked me with this line:

The key to being an intuitive baker...l

[Dorman]

Wade, I typically use the instant yeast you get in a vacuum packed 1lb. package and keep it in an air tight container in the freezer. Use filtered water if you are on a city line, or well water. The chemicals in city water will slow down the yeast. I usually put water in a tea kettle and warm it up part way (not to boil) and pour the desired amount in a measuring cup. Put a thermometer in it. You want it close to 105 deg. F. Too hot and you will kill the yeast. I put the yeast, sugar and water in the mixer. I combine and blend the remaining dry ingredients together. Turn mixer on slow and add the dry ingredients to the wet. Once incorporated I turn the mixer up to medium speed and let it rip for 15 minutes. You want the dough to just come together at this point. If it won't become completely one ball on it's own add a tablespoon of water at a time until it does. When it is done it should be a little hard to get off the dough hook and bowl as it should be a little sticky. It's not uncommon to have to pull out a few little pieces that won't cooperate, but you want it almost unworkable. Initially it will stick to your fingers, but as you fold it over itself (I do this completely in my hands) this will stop and it will start to behave. When you are happy with the texture for what you are doing put it in a greased bowl, cover and go forth per instructions. Hope that helps.

[jitahs]

Wade, since you're basically a one man turf to hearth factory try a spontaneously-leavened bread too and get the Tartine book.
And look at Amos' bread. Omg.

[rec head]

I worked at a pizza parlor in HS and learned to bake there.
I've kept at it ever since. Usually its a sunday pm project.
Lately I've been par-baking crusts and freezing them.
I have a friend who has won several blue ribbons at the St. Fair.
She has a lot of good recipes and techniques.

The spinach, feta, pine nut braid on that website looks yummy.

I just par baked pizza crusts yesterday. We had one last night and 7 more in the freezer. I thought I was a genius when I finally started doing it. You must be a genius too. The longest part now is just waiting for the oven to heat up.

Now that it is cooling off I will start baking bread. I usually do 2 loaves at a time and freeze one. I have really good bakeries near me so I don't need to do it all the time.

[WadePatton]

Hey thanks guys, i'm advancing quickly

to wit: reserving part of the yeast for next batch. went to the local mill to find out that effing flour (soft wheat i'm sure) is 2 bucks a pound --more of a novelty/tourist eatery. mail-order or milling mine own and finding other sources now dominate my thoughts. i have a friend with a wife who _might_ let me run some wheat through her mill.

third loaf i experimented with longer rise times and used a loaf pan (found in a shed). baked it this am. yum. trying to make some mistakes from which to learn. i've worked with yeast before in brewing, do all mixing by hand-i'm not making large batches.

now to try some of the local mill stuff-blended with real bread flour. i'm going to call that place the little girl up front was quite the "shop rat",
"uh, all the stuff in bags is six dollars."

3# bags yo, at that price i can mail order and save a 24-mile trip.

who knows it make work up nicely. and i'll be going to a big town grocery tomorrow to maybe find some more whole wheat b.r.e.a.d flour. enough with the pastry stuff!

===

so i learned that one conglomerate owns three of the "Southern" flour mills. That Mid-State Mills, a family-owned outfit in NC - makers of "Southern Biscuit" brand flour, don't EVEN make a hard-wheat, bread flour. I never really thought about how "quickbread dominated" these parts is.

Is Bob's as good a place as any to mail order bread flour?

[tele]

I pretty much use only King Arthur Flour, love it. I use their website to find recipes too.

1 tip that I love is to put rising bread in a warm oven, or with the light on. Really helps the rising.

Also some orange juice with whole wheat flour works amazing!

[WadePatton]

Forget mail order wheatstuffs. In return route from ATB outing yesterday, I passed through small-but-bigger-than-mine town where they have big fancy stores like Food Kitty (lion). It's right there near Bonnaroo ground effing zero. Found King Arthur-bread and whole wheat! I now have 5 different flours in the pantry. Three of them in the loaf in the oven presently.

the light does put out some heat no? just like easy-bake--(used to).

[tele]

the light does put out some heat no? just like easy-bake--(used to).

just enough heat to promote a good rise, or put the oven on warm for 1 minute, same idea.

easy-bake---now i want some brownies