Simple Bread

[rwsaunders]

Frank…I can’t see the pics from the link but I trust Guy.

[guido]

I cut and pasted the link out of the posting to be able to see it...

[rydesteel]

Imgur was having a moment yesterday and I thought I'd deleted the post. However today Imgur is playing nice so here are the pictures...I hope.:>) I've got a simple white on the counter almost ready to Proof. I'll try a Biga white next and see how it is.

[rydesteel]

This weekend was the 80% Biga White bread edition. Oh My is it delicious. We made a bread salad as a side for a very nice NY Strip. It was outstanding.

[rwsaunders]

KA 80/20 white/whole wheat artisan mix headed to my neighbors in exchange for watering our potted plants while we were gone.

[rwsaunders]

Saturday white on a Wednesday…no rules when it comes to bread.

[rydesteel]

Deb saw at the picture and asked if that was one my loaves. Then realized we don't have that cooling rack or cutting board :>). The latest effort.

[rwsaunders]

Fresh boule to go with the small charcuterie plate that we’re taking to my SIL’s house tonight. My wife and her sister and even our daughter, are Halloween weirdos if you couldn’t tell by my urn.

[clunk]

[img]

Pro.

[dgaddis]

So...I've been on a bit of a journey lately with bread. I made the mistake of putting my starter in the pantry and forgetting about it for a few months. When I ran across it it had black mold in it, on the surface of the starter and the walls of the jar above the starter. I hoped I could save it, and pulled out some starter from the middle that appeared to be mold free. Gave it a feed, and four hours later it was FULL of black mold, like it's INSANE how fast it spread. So I threw it out and started a new starter, with the hopes of having it ready to use in time to make a loaf for Thanksgiving. When it came time to mix up my loaf however, the starter just wasn't quite ready, it would rise a bit after a feed but not enough. So mixed up two loaves worth of dough using the starter and a tiny pinch of yeast to give it some oomph. I feed my starter two more days, and on that 2nd day it actually doubled in size overnight, so it was REALLY close to being ready to use. Then we left town for the weekend to attend our first thanksgiving, and when we got home the jar was full of hairy white mold. UGH. My previous starter, which I'd had for a few years, never molded...well, not until I forgot about it for a few months in the room temp pantry anyways.

I *think* the problem was my container. My old starter was kept in a plastic 'jar' with a one piece screw lid. I kept the lid tight, but it wasn't truly air tight, like as the starter produced gas it wasn't building up pressure in the jar. I threw that container out after the black mold, I couldn't get the stink out of it. The new container is a glass Ball jar, with the two piece lid. I didn't keep the lid on tight because it really would be air tight, so I kept it a little loose so it could breathe. Maybe it was too loose and too much fresh air was getting in. I dunno. I do know I'm going to get a new jar today, during my lunch break actually. And I'm going to change how I feed the starter in an effort to keep the jar cleaner to help prevent mold.

Anyhow. Some pics. Here's the white mold in the new starter.



Here's the dough I mixed up before the starter molded.













I didn't get a pic of the round loaf. Definitely not my best effort, but considering I haven't baked anything in about a year I was reasonably happy with it. It all got ate!

[dgaddis]

New starter 2.0 is coming along nicely. Little lady enjoys helping feed it.

[dgaddis]

New starter 2.0 is healthy and happy and making some kickass bread.

This one was 20% buckwheat flour.






Walnut/cranberry. Super ugly loaf, but it had oven spring for days and was tasty.






Just a simple white bread loaf.

[rwsaunders]

Very timely photos Dustin as I have one in the oven as we speak and with all of the holiday festivities around here, we’ve gone through quite a few boules over the past 10 days or so. You’ve motivated me to whip up some cinnamon/raisin bread tomorrow.

[rwsaunders]

Ken’s overnight white/whole wheat (90/10) ready for dinner tonight.

[htwoopup]

…… whip up some cinnamon/raisin bread tomorrow.

Somehow the thought occurred on Christmas Eve to whip up two fast loaves (that overflowed the loaf pans due to a tad too much yeast) to serve as a base for the French Canadian woman to make French toast for the 7 family members staying at the cottage in the morning. Her secret is to add a touch of vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg to the egg/milk soak for the bread. Sprinkles confectioners sugar on it. Then there is warm Quebec maple syrup on the table. And cinnamon mixed with sugar for those who want that. I double the brown sugar and the raisins of the recipe in the dough and make 50% more of the brown sugar/cinnamon/butter mixture that you layer on the dough before you roll it up.

These weren’t pretty but they took me an hour total and were then recooked in the morning after slicing.

A totally ridiculous amount of sugar buzz descended upon the house.

[Too Tall]

RW I JUST made that bread (Ken's overnight). I'm back on the bread bandwagon.

[rwsaunders]

Soup season means that it’s bread season too.

[rwsaunders]

One for dinner and one for friends to take home. Overnight white with a 13 hour ferment and I let the boule sit in the oven for another 5-7 minutes out of the Dutch open, with the door open and the heat off.

[rwsaunders]

Has anyone baked this…Pan de Cristal?

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/rec...w-pandecristal

[mnoble485]

Has anyone baked this…Pan de Cristal?

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/rec...w-pandecristal

No but if the position of court taster is open, I’m your huckleberry.

Mike