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Baker's Percentage Freestyling - Need a Math Check!
Hey all - I've been sticking pretty tightly to recipes during my time learning how to bake bread, but recently I began learning Baker's Percentages/Conversions to allow for more flexibility in the kitchen. My main education source for formulas and method is FCI's Fund... | It looks fine
It looks fine to me. Note that normal convention is to express your total levain weight as a percentage of the flour excluding the levain, so 250/795 = 31%.Or, to express in terms of pre-fermented flour (PFF), your PFF is 156/950 = 16.4%BTW, not sure what bread you are making, but 65% hydration is quite l... |
Do types of yeast affect flavor
Fresh yeast is difficult to find near me, and I always used ADY. Recently I started using instant dry and seem to get a better rise, but no discernable change in flavor.Someone just gave me a block of fresh yeast. I'm going to experiment with a loaf from instant yeast and a loaf from fre... | Different kinds of yeast
I wouldn’t expect to see a difference in flavor from one commercial yeast to another. Wild yeast, found in sourdough, are another thing. Wine and beer is made from many different types of yeast chosen for a variety of reasons flavor among them. |
Swiss Farmhouse Bread Question
I am getting back into baking after many years of gluten free and low carb living. Would love to try my hand at the Swiss Farmhouse Bread. I noticed that Hamelman indicated that what he calls “Bread Flour” is actually what we in the US call All Purpose.Is there any advantage to using br... | RE: Hamelman
Mr Hamelman works at King Arthur Flour in Norwich, VT so it's not a surprise that he would use KAF AP flour. The difference between KAF AP and other AP flours is its protein content of 11.7% which is as high as many commercially available bread flours that are found at your local supermarket.You may find t... |
Flour on surface of loaf affect oven spring?
Does too much flour on the surface of a loaf dry it out and prevent oven spring? | Please be more specific
So far answer is... it depends. Depends on the amount, how long, type of flour, method, dough moisture, ambient humidity, score plan, to name a few variables. Is a banneton, basket or cloth lined bowl involved? Is the dough covered and with what?Generally grain flour will pull moisture to it a... |
Newbie little experience but poor rise seems to be the norm
HelloIve been baking bread on and off for about 1 year however I have mixed results with my 2nd rise which can leave my loaf heavy.My aim is to bake bread for my childrens lunch so it has to be highly nutritious - must be organic and have older grain such as s... | Paul Hollywood
Is another baker with weird recipes and timings.Are you baking sourdough? Here's a good recipe http://breadtopia.com/spelt-bread-recipe/ |
New to Extracted Whole Grain Baking - What went wrong...?
A while back I bought a used Nutrimill but due to health and other issues, it sat almost a year before unboxing. I have read extensively that whole grain bread was just different and better. I decided to try my first loaf, but unfortunately had difficulting in... | I think the first thing that
I think the first thing that will help is finding a source for bulk wheat. There are a number of online sources including Amazon, Breadtopia, even Walmart. Local stores that serve certain religious groups are also a possibility, for example Mormons, Seven Day Adventists, Mennonites and the ... |
Sad News
It is with the saddest heart that I pass on the following. Please joinme in remembering a great icon. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection andcomplications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71. Doughboy was buried in a lightly-greased coffin. Dozens of celebritiesturned out to... | Very funny..
Thanks for sharing.. |
What are these rolls called and where can I find a recipe for them?
Hi - I used to buy rolls like this every other morning when I worked in New York City. They were amazing and I just can't seem to find good ones anymore.I have seem almost this exact type of roll in several different places, of varying quality. But it ... | They look like regular dinner
They look like regular dinner rolls to me, but with added seeds/nuts/dried fruits. Probably also some other flour(s) added because of the crumb and their more rustic look. Looks like rye or spelt to me. Since they come from multiple bakeries, I imagine they also have some preferment in the... |
Portuguese Bread recipe search
Hi there,
I'm hoping someone can help me find a recipe for a bread I know as Porguguese Bread. I've serched for it and I'll I've found is recipes for Portuguese Sweet Bread.
The bread I had was white bread that had a hard bottom with a chewy crust and was usually a free form loaf. The ... | Try portuguese sweet roll search on here, msc even has
a video. I know you are wanting BREAD, but the roll recipe I mentioned is the same just reshaped. You'll see. He hooked me up a year or so ago for my father in law who used to be stationed in Rhode Island back in his Navy days. He loves it. Just type it in the sear... |
Tin loaf - imploding sides
I wonder if anyone can help...I've baked a sandwich loaf in a tin. Great oven spring and the crumb structure is also great but the side walls of the loaf have sunk/imploded somewhat. Any ideas why?Many thanks. | If possible, please upload
If possible, please upload images of the loaf and individual slices. It will be a great benefit for those wishing to help.Danny |
Denser crumb towards centre of bread
Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask, but there's a problem I've been having lately with bread I bake. I'm using this schedule:Friday 8-10pm: feed rye starterSaturday 8am: mix leaven (20g rye starter, 100g water @30C, 100g flour)8-12 hours later: mix dough: 150g leaven, 300g wate... | I had a similar problem and
I had a similar problem and in researching came across mention in Kalanty's 'How to Bake More Bread', that dough which has been cooled needs to come back to 68-70F to shape/work and then return to 78-80F after shaping. Otherwise uneven proofing can occur resulting in gummy bread and/or tight... |
Is my dough ok
I've been making a basic white loaf for a while now with mixed results. Sometimes it takes hours to rise and sometimes the texture is off. I'm not quite sure what I'm doing wrong and could use some advice from more experienced bakers.500g strong flour (13% protein)7g yeast10g salt100g water200g milk24g... | What would you like to know?
I took a look at the recipe and added up the water, 100g water + 180 (20g milk solids) so 280g water divided by 500g flour (x10) gives 56% hydration. This works out for a lower protein flour but you've got strong flour and most likely 56% hydration is a rather stiff dough. It can work bu... |
Peasant bread fell flat
Hi all, Yesterday I was making peasant bread with 25% whole wheat flour 75% AP flour. I've made it before and had success. I used instant dry yeast, first proof was fine, the second took longer than expected. It was evening so I got the not-so-bright idea of draping the loaves in plastic wrap an... | temperature?
Did your temperature change, it’s winter in my neck of the woods. |
Corn meal burning the bottom of my bread?
I have. A question... Can it be the cornmeal burning the bottoms of my breads? I have. Been making a lot of BBA lately and the last few have had burned, inedible bottoms. It didn't happen during my first ciabatta, but the last few breads have been really dark and hard. Anyone h... | a little more info (maybe a picture)?
Do you use a baking stone, or a pan, or ...?
Is the bottom crust significantly different than the rest of the crust?
How thick is the inedible crust (1/16 inch, 1/8 inch, 1/4 inch, etc.)?
How much cornmeal do you use for each bake?
How many loaves do you bake at a time?
Do you use ... |
What's in "Your Bag"
If you're a golfer or a photographer there is often an interest in what the pros have "in their bag" so they can decide if something is right for them as well. While I have been baking bread for many years, I've only recently begun to delve more deeply into artisan baking. So, I'm curious what exp... | Hands-On Classes
Steve, over the years I have acquired most of the artisan bread baking "stuff" used by home bakers except for a grain mill, and I enjoy using it all. A good thermometer and a scale are mighty helpful, but probably the only necessity for baking hearth-style loaves, if you don't have a special oven, is e... |
Cold retarding dough during either bulk fermentation OR proofing, but NOT both? (...says Ken Forkish)
Hello friends,I've come across a piece of advice in Ken Forkish's FWSY: To cold retard your dough during either bulk fermentation OR proofing, but NOT both. Now I'm wondering what the rationale behind his advice might ... | enzymes
I'm not sure what KF is using as a basis for his claims, but generally speaking, dough can only keep is structural characteristics for so long before enzymatic activity will take a toll. Of particular concern are proteolytic enzymes (break down protein, including those in gluten). Temperature does slow these ... |
Seed Bread.........again
This one turned out much nicer than the last loaf I made. This is the bread I'm trying to replicate that I had in France. Yes, I know, I can't EVER get it like they do there because I am not dealing with the same flours. But, I am trying. I hope I can keep the knife away from it till tomorr... | How was it?
So how did the crumb turn out? |
Oven Temperature: Surface or Air?
Hello, I'm very new to bread making and baking in general. I've noticed the air in the oven and the surface temperature of the metal baking pan are very different, eg the air might be 190C but the surface of the pan will be 220C.Which is the better reference to use so that I know my ov... | The air temperature. That's
The air temperature. That's what the bread is being subjected to. |
Muffuletta bread help
I have been making my own muffuletta bread for a while. I by no means am a baker so my results are varying from time to time and wondered if someone can help me achieve more consistent results. Here is the recipe I use.12 oz/355g warm water (between 105°-110°)2 Tbsp/18g olive oil1.5 tsp/5.25g ta... | It's a very basic recipe
at 68% hydration with plenty of yeast. I.m guessing that the water, flour and room temps are making your variations along with timing. So, get a notebook and start writing down details. Include date, location, flour type, yeast type and all the rise and temp details. Note additions of flour ... |
trying to find a recipe similar to commercially prepared Oat Nut Bread
HI everyone,One of the few commercially prepared breads I did enjoy before I banned store bought bread from my house was Orowheat's Oatnut bread. The ingredients are:Ingredients: WHOLE WHITE WHEAT FLOUR, UNBLEACHED ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR [FLOUR, MALTE... | Commercial Oat Nut Bread
I know that your question if several years old, however it intrigued me as I am a bread baker of more than 44 years, and this is one of my favorite commercial breads. I am going to try and get a bread similar to this from my kitchen. If I have success I will post it here.Hope to be back to this... |
Rising overnight without a banneton and yeast
I am looking to proof 2 loaves in the fridge overnight so I can bake them on Christmas morning.I am making a rye loaf which needs to be risen overnight. I'm making a white loaf at the same time as it's the first time I've made the rye one and want a backup. I've done some... | I can't help with the amount
I can't help with the amount of yeast, since I usually use sourdough starter, but the lack of a banneton should not be a problem. Let it final proof in whatever you have, and handle it gently. So long as it has not overproofed, dough straight out of the fridge is pretty firm. You might w... |
A question of salinity...
There is a simple question that I have seen answered with two contradictory answers. I am bringing it up hoping to settle the question once and for all. The question is: What does ‘a dough’s salt content’ actually mean?The two contradictory answers I have seen are:The correct meaning of ‘a do... | No-brainer
No. 1, of course. No. 2 is a bit like one of the Tartine books, when Chad Robertson got all his dough hydrations wrong because he forgot to account for the levain flour and water in the total mix. (Worrying for a pro baker!)BTW, maybe it's just an example, but 2.5% is a high salt content - OK for pizza, but ... |
Storing flour in the UK
I've been looking at buying some flour in a bigger sack. I usually buy flour in 3kg bags and have various other small bags of rye etc. As the 'B-word`' seems to be finally happening, I was going to buy a 10kg sack of white bread flour from Wessex Mills just in case but I'm not sure how to stor... | Can you buy Gamma Lids? https
Can you buy Gamma Lids? https://www.amazon.com/Gamma2-4123-Gamma-Seal-Lid/dp/B0089QJQTSI’ve used them for years with great success. |
Are Oven Bread Proof Temps too Hot for Panettone?
While working with Panettone, the proofing temps get very specific. Where I live, it gets cold during the winter (prime panettone baking season). My house ambient temp is too cold (around 68 F), so I usually try to use the oven proofer, but I recently put a thermometer ... | I don't use the oven
For me, the oven is both too hot and very imprecise. Panettone proofing temp for the final rise should not go higher than 30C. For lievito madre, it should not go above 26C ordinarily, possibly 28C for bake day refreshments.I use a thermoelectric cooler (small), cost about $100 for LM, and a Brod &... |
Jimmy Johns, Jersey Mike's Subway, or other sandwich shop bread
Hi-I've tried several sandwich shop bread recipes over the years and they all stink. Either the recipes are off or I am doing something wrong.For example I tried following this recipe for my favorite bread (Jimmy Johns) and it was nothing like it: https://... | Im not the biggest fan of
Im not the biggest fan of those types of breads but I think one of the issues with home versions of those commercial breads is that theyre probably using a bunch of preservatives and other chemicals to make the bread soft and stay fresh, that's how they make it light and airy. I dont know how ... |
Bakers' Percentages... again!
I'm sorry folks, I am bringing up an old topic, but I have searched through the site and forum and internet and not found an answer that works. How does one calculate the amount of flour and water using bakers' percentages if the total dough weight is knows.All answers I have found are inc... | I do it like this in a spreadsheet
I do it like this in a spreadsheet. I think it's pretty easy to follow. See what you think. In a spreadsheet you just highlight the two water percentages and it adds it for you ie. for total hydration.
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American oven! (gonna mess up my mind.. i think)
Fellow bakers, I am in dire need of your wisdom (dear moderators, if this post is in the wrong forum - please move it)The gist: I produce good bread at home in Sweden but here in the U.S. I rather seem to be producing american footballs. I think it is the oven that give ... | I have never been to Sweden,
I have never been to Sweden, so don't know anything about their ovens, though gas ovens in the US are usually very well ventilated, more than many of us bakers would prefer. I hate to say throw money at the problem, even though I do that every chance I get, but have you tried cooking in a... |
Baking in a toaster oven
So, I've only picked up baking for a solid few months now and i'm slowly getting there. But because I live in Taiwan, where in-built gas oven are a very rare commodity, I have to resort to using a toaster oven for baking.Now, I have spent an extra dollar to get an acceptable oven with a bit mor... | I Used A Portable Oven & Dutch Oven
Here in Texas it gets very hot in the summer and wanting to avoid heating up the kitchen, I used a portable table top oven that I placed on the porch outside. I put a dutch oven inside and let it heat up for an hour before I placed my dough in the dutch oven. I had to let it bake for... |
Availability of Central Milling Flours in Phoenix AZ area
Can anyone tell me if Central Milling Flours are available in thegreater Phoenix AZ area?Thanks much | I know Nicola Imports has
I know Nicola Imports has some Giusto flours which I believe are the same. I am about to order from Azure Standard as they can deliver Artisans Bakers Craft and they have wheat berries. Finally, Doughbird restaurant uses Central Milling High Mountain and they seemed slightly willing to order a... |
Tried retarding shaped bagels for 36-40 hours. They deflated as soon as I touched them.
So I never cold retard my bagels. I tried it for the first time. Meant to do it for 24 hours but it was more like 40 hours. As soon as I picked them up to boil them, they just deflated. They werent totally flat or anything but they ... | Yeah, sounds like overproofed
Yeah, sounds like overproofed to me. The bagels are still rising in the fridge, but at a much slower pace. Depending on the amount of yeast, cold proofs are usually between 12-24 h. It's much more for flavor rather than building gases (although that also happens).I also think 2 min. on eac... |
Advice on chestnut/spelt/manitoba experiment
I love chestnut flour and partially inspired by this blog posthttp://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/37750/multigrain-yw-rye-levain-and-chestnut-flour,I tried a chestnut flour bread. Similar to trail runner's measurements, I did 1/3 chestnut flour, 1/3 spelt wholegrain and (to try... | hey about chestnut flour
A couple differences that probably really influenced your outcome. One is the amazing quality of Durum flour. It really adds gluten development to any dough. Also yeast water is something that causes the bread to really rise. I use my apple YW in just about everything even if I am using my sour... |
Brioche a tete shaping methods
I'm getting ready to make some brioche a tete, and I'm debating between two shaping methods:1. The "deep pocket" method (start at 0:50)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiSTcIrI-eA2.The "poke-a-hole" method (start at 1:35)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeCEHU9toqUDoes anybody have experience... | comparing videos brioche a tete
Not sitting level on the rack is just that, not sitting level on the rack, not so import as the rack spaces are rather large so I wouldn't expect them to sit straight. The buns are smaller in the first video and I will bet the dough is warmer. If you were to make small ones, that woul... |
In search of Israeli bread recipe
Hi,
I'm in search of what my fiancee describes as "typical Israeli bread you buy in the supermarket." She says it had a soft crust, was probably a light wheat and had an indescribable (apparently) flavor.
My initial searches on this site and googling turned up only one possible example... | answer from Israel
Hi,
I live in israel. our daily bread from the supermarket is just a regular white wheat sandwich loaf.
we dont call it "Israel bread" it is just a cheap simple bread.
If you insist to find an Israeli bread, i Think the "Pita" bread is more common.
we eat "Falaphel" with pita bread. |
Can you carry flour on a plane?
I’m flying to the UK, I have a lot of flours and a couple starters to take with me, can I carry them abroad? I was worried that the security might think they were drugs | All kinds of fun to be had
I would not chance it on carryon for the flour. I carry dried samples of starter all the time. Use the search box "drying starter". It's very easy and works well. I have also carried small smears in cosmetic jars and in ziplock bags (the decreased pressure makes them ooze out so the ziploc c... |
Dough Temp vs Wet Loaf
Hi,I am a relatively new bread baker coming from the pizza world. If my sourdough loaf was baked to 207 F in the center shouldn't it be finished? It was very wet yet in the center. Should it be baked to say 212F? It was fermented to 100% and then about 8 hours in the fridge before baking.Thanks,A... | Knowing very little about
Knowing very little about your methods etc. it's hard to say what up. Give as much info as possible. Enjoy! |
How is this possible?
My hubby bought this this bread about end of March 2013 with best by date April 21. (sometimes he is home sick after the good old American store bought bread). He did not finish it because he did not like it . There were still some pieces left in the bag. After a few weeks I wondered because the b... | Isn't it dried?
If the bag was perforated surely it should have dried? If the bag is tightly sealed it should have molded. Maybe someone with more chemistry knowledge will pop in and enlighten us, because half of the ingredients don't mean much to me.However, I remember when I still used to buy the occasional loaf from... |
Parker House Rolls - dough didn't rise
Hello everyone, hope this is the right place. I attempted to make the below Parker House rolls yesterday. It's an enriched dough with butter, sugar, eggs and milk.https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/parker-house-rolls-recipeI've made them before following the recipe exactly wi... | Hi,Two questions/comments: 1)
Hi,Two questions/comments: 1) Is your instant yeast still good? It's possible it is too old and stopped working.2) When I do a cold bulk ferment in the fridge for sourdough, my dough often doesn't grow much if at all because the fridge is very cold. Your fridge could be too cold for a ris... |
Hydration with AP flour
Hi all,This is my first post. Firstly, thanks to all the posters out there for your interesting discussions and helpful advice, which I have picked up just by browsing! I've been baking for a few years, originally starting from Ken Forkish's book. He uses mainly bread flour and typically uses ... | If your "bread turned out
If your "bread turned out great with excellent shape, crust and crumb" then you are not off on anything! Those are the true and only important criteria to judge by. Everything else is "interesting", but in view of the results, irrelevant.With your results, you can fairly say "It doesn't get ... |
Panettone Disaster
I was too chicken to use the Ankarsrum for Panetonne so pulled out the KA as usual.All was perfect until I put them in the oven. I followed Wild Yeast’s recipe to the letter as always with pretty good results. But not this year ! The first dough tripled beautifully overnight in the Brod &Taylor proo... | Collapsing dough is usually a
Collapsing dough is usually a sign of overproofing. The degraded gluten strands can't handle the expanding gases, burst and collapse. |
Must I use a lower temperature when cooking in a pan?
I have a few bread recipes that I like. I cook all of them in the Lodge Logic combo cooker covered at 500F, then remove the cover and cook at 450F for the remainder. I like the crusty crust I get and the browning that the high temperature brings. But on occasion,... | If you are talking about loaf pans...
I bake sandwich bread in 4x8 inch pans at 450F with steam for 15 minutes followed by 15 minutes with no steam and the convection setting at 410F. Bread turns out very nice. |
What are your favorite freezable treats for Christmas boxes?
I am starting prep to begin making the elements of my Christmas Treat boxes. I did them last year for the firs 192.168.1.254t time with some different cookies, truffles, and fudges. I want to start baking things earlier this year, so I am looking for the most... | Describe your treat boxes,plz
Do the treats need to remain frozen or refrigerated? Is it ok if they need refrigeration-such as cheesecake bites? I made 5 dozen filled brioche buns for my co-workers one year (white chocolate/orange marmalade, chocolate, pecan,and other various flavors). Another year I made mini french b... |
Killed my sourdough starter, need help
Hi everyoneAfter 2.5 years of taking care of my sourdough starter, I accidentally left my starter in the oven and turned it on to bake some lasagne. Sadly I recognized after 30 min. My starter is cooked fully :(So I was wondering if someone has a dried starter they can send me in ... | What country are you in?
Depends where you are. |
Getting Ears* (not "Grigne"): An Observation
I have the opportunity now to use steam injection in my baking. I was curious as to what effect the timing of steaming from the time of loading would have. I prepared a formula and created two identical loaves. I preheated the oven to 425º and loaded the first loaf dry with ... | Nice demo, thebreadfairy.
You have actually demonstrated 4 effects of steam on the breads:
1. Better bloom
2. Shinier crust
3. Better ear development.
4. Better oven spring
There may be an additional benefit to the crumb structure. Did you find it so?
Steaming 15 minutes into the bake would have little effect. Steam's ... |
Excess yeast = wetter dough?
My question is in very broad terms - baking a regular loaf of bread (bread flour and some WW flour if you're interested), not sourdough or anything fancy...But, does an excess of yeast (leading to over-fermentation) cause the dough ball to appear as if it is over-hydrated? Can too much yea... | Hi and welcome!
Very vague question there. |
Can I score my baguette on the seam-side to prevent it from splitting open along the sides or seams during baking?
Hi, I tried posting on reddit and only got one response so I figured I would try my luck here. I've been lurking around TFL for a while and have finally made an account.What's the rationale behind baking t... | The seams are, as you said,
The seams are, as you said, the weakest part of the dough. Everything is one skin, except for the seam, which was "stitched up", like a scar. Putting that "scar" on the bottom has the lowest chance of bursting.However, if done properly, the seam should seal up and leave almost no mark.If a b... |
Malted Wheat Flour
Hello, I want to make a malt loat from Bertinet's book Crumb. It requires malt wheat flour and I was wondering if this link that I found is it:Giusto's Vita-Grain All-Natural Artisan Malted Unbleached Bread Flour, 5lb Bag https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HSPX7LM/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_2PPX3XYDMT8NY89C36Z4?_e... | It's not the same. It's still
It's not the same. It's still bread flour...heavily processed commercial flour...the important parts of the wheatberry containing the nutrients (and flavor) have been removed. Which makes me very curious about how that product could be produced. Are the berries sprouted first and then they... |
Question on How to Modify a Bread Recipe
If I have a straight brioche recipe, how would I change it to incorporate a stiff levain ? | Add the water
Difference to the dough. |
What is happening with 5 lb rye flour?
Hi guys. I am trying to find 5 lb bags of rye flour and do not see anyone who carries them anymore. Checked all local grocery store which used to carry it, checked amazon..... Does anyone know what is going on with that and where I can find those. | see CLNF.org
I know. All that seems left in local stores is Bob's Red Mill brand in 22 oz bags.Here are 5 and 25 pound bags online: Rye flour, organic: https://www.clnf.org/rye-flour-dark-ogUS $5 for 5 pounds, $18.75 for 25 pounds.--organic whole rye Berries: https://www.clnf.org/rye-berries-ogprices do not includ... |
Loaf shrinkage
Hi all, I’m new to The Fresh Loaf, and would appreciate some help and advice. I have been trying out a new bread recipe with honey as the sweetener rather than sugar. Everything is fine, the loaf turns out nice and tall but the middle is shrunken and collapsed in. I’ve tried this recipe three times no... | A recipe would be helpful
I don't think the honey is the culprit. That is a lovely, feathery looking crumb but it looks like the crumb has trouble supporting itself. Kind of like when an angel cake is removed from the pan too quickly and just deflates. It looks like it has to be supported until it cools. A recipe, incl... |
Bagels with leftover beer?
I recently made a lovely almost no-knead sourdough loaf with 90g light beer subbing for some of the water (delish) and have some left over in the fridge.I need to make another batch of bagels.and am wondering if i can sub some of the water with the beer? Has anyone ever tried this?Tip: I went... | Bagels with beer
I'm sure you can add some beer to the mix, even wine ...... |
Bagels and Bagel Board Question
I made my first batch of Bagels yesterday. The recipe and the Bagel Texture were good and would definitely use again. I used Bagel Boards... which functioned well but were very smelly and imparted a flavor into some of the Bagels. Are there alternatives to Bagel Boards? I almost think th... | Board prep
Soak and drain the boards several times to allow the dyes in the linen upholstery strapping to bleed out. The wood is not an issue.I always prefer and use lye for the boil. Where you use a 3% or more concentration for pretzels, that is too strong, taste-wise for bagels. I don't want donut shaped pretzels.For... |
Panettone Milano
Traditional Panettone Milano and Perugia versionsDough 1:800 Flour Denti Infibra w380400 water230 lsolid sourdough260 egg yolk260 sigar300 butterDough 2:220 FlourDough 15 Malt10 Milk powder200 sugar280 Egg yolk16 Salt80 honey+mix300 ButterMilano with250 Sultana250 candied oranges Perugia with200 Baking... | Solid SD
Looks great!Nice to see a solid sourdough on this forum.Your formula is reminiscent of Giorilli and the results are excellent!Thanks for posting,Michael |
Great British Bake Off - bread!
I only just started watching after hearing about it for a couple of years from friends who love it. It's only been shown in the US for a few seasons, so I started with the first one I could find and now I'm watching the current season and I just saw the bread episode last night. This jus... | I've never made any bread
I've never made any bread like that, yet. Michael's bread sure looks good. |
This pic about says it all, but what?!
Hello,In 6 months I've had great success with yeasted bread. I'm struggling now, trying to get natural yeast (leavens) breads to behave. Today inoculated with 2% mature leaven (starter). What do you think is happening here? This is what I did to achieve these gas giants amid an ex... | 2% starter is waaaay too
2% starter is waaaay too little to achieve any crumb (except if you have days to wait for a bread). I would up it to at least 15%, 20% is even better (and adjust hydration accordingly). |
Problem with Bagel Dough
I'm not very experienced at bread making, but I have successfully made Focaccia, Ciabatta, and regular white bread, and I wanted to try to make bagels. I don't have a mixer but I didn't think that would be a problem because I watched a video where they didn't use a mixer and they turned out go... | Your hands would fall off
Your hands would fall off kneading bagels by hand. Bagels require extreme gluten development. You could try kneading for 10 minutes, then retard the bulk dough for the night before shaping. |
Retarding Bagels in Fridge? What am I doing wrong?
Hy everyone, I need some help understanding what I am doing wrong with my bagels. I've gotten real good at making the dough, rolling into shape with ease but I cant figure out the proper way to retard them in the fridge. Here is what Ive tried and the results:1. bagel... | This is not an answer only
This is not an answer only another question: why do you need to retard the bagels at all? Is it purely for timing reasons, or something else? I make sourdough bagels with almost no bulk and certainly no retard, and they shape up fine and taste great. Recipe based on the one here for St Viateu... |
Ciabatta - first time by newbie home-baker
This was my weekend bake and my first try at making high-hydration ciabatta loaves. The bread tasted amazing.I am self-taught and followed this recipe from YouTube:Ciabatta Bread made easy at home - YouTube | Nice job
Looks like you nailed it. |
Thanks Yippee, for giving me the idea
I was checking out Yippee's blog and noticed she did a lot of recipes with water roux starter. I always wanted to try that out so I did. The first time didn't turn out because I made some mistakes measuring the ingredients. Tried it again yesterday and they turned out all right.... | Very nice loaves
althetrainer:
You're very welcome. I hope you enjoy your new recipes.
Yippee |
100% whole wheat bread with rye sourdough
Ingredients:- 100 grams of active rye sourdough- 500 gr of whole wheat flour (organic Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour, if it's possible)- 10 gr salt- 320 ml water Mix all the ingredients and let them rest 20 minutes. Knead the dough for 10 minutes or until it's smooth and elasti... | Wow
That is exactly what I am looking to do. Thanks so much for sharing. I will certainly give it a try this weekend. Is it possible to post a crumb shot so I can see what it looks like inside? How was the taste? Why did you not use any oil in the dough? Do you think that would affect the final dough? I am thinking the... |
I need overproofing help
Hello folks,New user here and can I say that I have been reading these forums day in and day out for a while now. The wealth of knowledge is really impressive!OK. I am trying to bake my bread (just regular old sandwich bread, white or whole wheat-combo) at home. I bought a bread machine (chea... | The problem is simply that
The problem is simply that you are not in control of the process, the machine is. There are simply too many issues when using a bread machine. One of the main issues is probably that to bake the bread, the machine heats up, causing the dough to proof further and likely overproof. In combinati... |
80% hydration bread but not sticky?
Hello!I’m a beginner bread baker.So, i just stumbled on my grandma old dutch bread recipe and i’ve been trying to make it work but it fails me every time.Here’s the recipe:1 kg flour (i’ve tried AP and bread flour, both ends in very dense textured bread)800 ml milk/water50 g sugar75 ... | Hi Broadbread, I don't know
Hi Broadbread, I don't know if this is related and I only really make sourdough, but the amount of dried yeast seemed off to me (too much). I quickly went and looked at a cookbook I have and for a similar loaf with 1000g flour, they only recommend 8 grams of yeast.Another thing that seems a ... |
The purpose of stretch-and-fold
Hi all. JUst a quick one and I'm sure many of you will be able to give me the answer to this, but what exactly is the purpose of s&f? I'm wondering if it is just to stretch the gluten, etc or if it serves another purpose? The reason being, I am curious as to whether s&f would add anythin... | Someone correct me if I'm
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe kneading is what stretches the gluten, or rather helps the gluten to develop and form a nice elastic stringyness. The stretch and fold is to align the strands of gluten to give your dough more structure, and the desired crumb.If your dough doesnt... |
Dough weight vs oven spring
I’ve noticed my smaller loaves don’t achieve as much spring as my larger ones despite identical steaming and baking methods. Is this simply down to the dough pieces being larger or is there some sort of volume-hydration alchemy going on? Is there an optimum sized dough weight for achieving... | I would think your result
I would think your result would be the exact opposite. Unless you are baking a number of smaller loaves at once. Is the total dough weight being baked in your oven less when baking the small loaves? Is your result the same if you bake a single 250g loaf and then after that bake load the oven w... |
What's your favorite porridge bread recipe? (a failed bread pic attached!)
Hello,I've just begun my sourdough journey to bake a bread of my youth.Studying and testing a recipe by recipe, I learned that the taste and texture I want are from the porridge breads.My first attempt using the Bob's Red Mill's hot cereal (I ju... | Tartine Book 3 Oat Almond Porridge Bread
I like Robinson’s Oat Porridge Bread with the addition of almonds and almond oil a lot. Here’s a forum post about it. http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/55631/variation-tartine-oat-porridge-bread-theme. I also made Cedar Mountain’s Khorasan Oat loaf recently (on The Fresh Loaf h... |
Acetone smell from mature starter
my starter is around 9 months old, I use the scrapings method and store in fridge between uses.never had a problem until I took it out a couple days ago. But I fed it 50/50 rye/water.left it few hours there were bubbles forming I had a sniff and strong acetone smell fed it some more as... | How much starter is being fed?
Feeding has three parts. How much starter, water and flour?Just to be clear, what is the "scrapings method?" |
Best Loaf Yet--Still No Open Crumb
Hi All,So I'm still relatively new to the sourdough game--been doing this regularly now for about 6 months. This last loaf I made was definitely my best. Best structure, best appearance, best taste (I know that crust is a on the thick side--I know how to remedy that and what I did w... | Looks lovely
Can you post a pic of the crumb? to do that click on the icon that is 5th from the right or 7th from the left on the panel under "comment". then follow instructions. How many hours was the final proof? I wonder if it was slightly overproofed... though it looks perfect to me from the pic you shared.Your... |
How long can one refrigerate a sourdough dough?
Have a sourdough dough that is about 1 - 2 hours from finishing the bulk ferment. A simple recipe:500g granary flour300g water10g salt10g olive oil45g starterIt was thrown together at the spur of the moment with starter that was refreshed almost a week ago. It's been abou... | More of an analog...
I made some yeasted, not sourdough, honey whole wheat bread in class on a Saturday. Since it was the last bread of the class, it was bagged, carried home, and placed in the refrigerator. It wasn't baked until the following Friday. All in all, I doubt that I could tell any difference between that... |
Shaping Struggles
I find sometimes I'm losing a lot of bubbles through shaping. Most recently I also didnt add enough oil to my BF container and a lot of dough stuck to it. Obviously the solution would be to get better at shaping lol but in the case this does happening again, my question is, can I recover this by leavi... | I never use oil, I don't even
I never use oil, I don't even transfer dough from the mixing bowl any longer, and it all seems to work out fine. As for longer proof, it will work, but you may want to cut equal amount of time from bulk fermentation. |
Flour Question - Using Half-White/High Extraction/T85
I have been using KA bread flour and whole wheat on all of my bakes until this past weekend. I bought a big sack of Farmer Ground Flour's Half White Bread Flour. The flour looks and feels amazing, but I was a bit surprised with both of the loaves I made using it (a ... | T-85
That sounds like a great product you've bought Ilene. I don't know how "big" that sack is. But because T-85 contains all the germ, it also contains all the oil which means it can go off (oil > rancid) and is best stored cold or better, frozen, unless you bake enough to race through it before it loses its luster.... |
Star Bread
Someone posted a short time ago with a link to this Star Bread on King Arthur Flour. I thought it looked so pretty, and decided to give it a go to take to a family dinner last night. I changed up the layers a bit, using chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped Kalamata olives and crumbled Asiago cheese with sweet... | Wow! Beautiful
A definite dinner table centerpiece. Year over year for the 3 plus years I've been on TFL, the bar is continually raised on what gets posted here. Both a testament to our collective improvement as bakers as well as the collaborative know-how that we share as we all get better.(something very octopus-is... |
Skillet breads
There's something nice and simple about skillet breads. The whole idea has a homey feel to it. One that I like to bake is a corn bread in which I substitute Masa harina for some of the corn meal. Top decoration can include thin cross-section slices of red and green bell peppers, among other things. A qui... | Skillet corn bread rocks
I pretty much always make corn bread and cobblers in a pre-heated skillet, since you get such a great texture and flavor and it's ridiculously fast and easy. I never have buttermilk so I sub sour cream and milk in my corn bread, I actually like it better than buttermilk anyway. I've made sticky... |
How to obtain this type if Blistering?
First time here guys. I find this site super informative and thank you in advance for help to this question. I have been making bagels for about 6 months now and I'm finally getting a hang of the hand rolled, boiled and baked true method. I've been trying to recreate the bagels t... | There is something wrong with those bagels
The bagel itself is baked pale but the huge blisters are burned. These are walking dead, pustule bagels. What you want is this instead. Blistered well but not burned and the bagel is baked a golden brown. Crystal crisp on the outside but chewy in the inside. |
Hamelman's Baguettes with Poolish - ERROR?
I am preparing to start Hamelman’s Baguettes with Poolish (page 92 in his book “Bread” - 2nd Edition).It seems there is an error pertaining to the amount of yeast as it relates to the home baker’s listing. He shows 1.1% yeast in the overall formula, 0.2% in the Poolish, and 0.... | Hamelman Baker's Percentage
The baker's percentage is correct. The overall formula shows baker's percentages for all commercial ingredients. In that case, he is basing the percentage on the fresh yeast, which is something like 3 x IDY in weight. |
Croissants without butter
This summer I was in a little bakery in Wyoming and purchased a 4-pack of croissants. They were flaky,tender, and the best I've ever had. The ingredient list had shortening, not butter. I tried to research a "butter-less" croissant, but Chef Google did not come up with anything. I did find... | Well, I guess I will not
Well, I guess I will not pursue shortening croissants. When I decide to make them I'll use butter. |
Texture of sourdough bread versus commercially yeasted bread
I wasn't able to make bread yesterday, so I bought a loaf whole grain sourdough for dinner and for lunch today. Last night it tasted OK, today (like always) I find it inedible without toasting it. My husband's comment about the bread last night was, "this is ... | You will also find that bread
You will also find that bread made with commercial yeast will develop mold much quicker than bread with sourdough starter. Mine go upwards of 10 days without mold. |
Did I figure this hydration correctly?
This recipe/post says what the hydration is in the text, but when you read it closely, it's not completely figured out.So, can someone who has more experience figuring this out, tell me what you got for a baker's percentage with a couple more notes.1. I'm using diastatic malt this... | You are right. Though whole
You are right. Though whole wheat doughs usually have a higher hydration, the hydration seems crazy high (I also get something around 90%). But seems it works. I guess stone ground flour absorbs even more water. |
keeping dough structure for long proofs
Hi I'd be grateful for some advice. I have been baking for about a year, and mostly variations on a single recipe:250g levain (whole wheat flour, original starter just rye)1000g wheat flour (30-40% whole grain)700-750g water. (dry enough that even when just mixed, it doesn't comp... | proofing temp
How long do you let your levain develop? Are you letting the levain develop overnight, then mixing and bulk fermenting for 4-6 hours at room temp, and then proofing at room temp for 8-12 hours? 8-12 hours of proofing is far too long, unless it's in the refrigerator.Even the 4-6 hour bulk ferment might be ... |
Bread bakery Munich 2019
Hey, I will be at Munich next month (09/2019) I am looking for any recommendations for bread bakerys/ any bread lovers interesting places in Munich.Thank you all in advanced! | I'm not an expert but I live
I'm not an expert but I live in Munich. I think the Hopfisterei (all over town) is a very respected bakery, they tend to use good, often organic ingredients and traditional methods, and feature sourdough bread, often with a good percentage of whole grains and/or rye. I'm not sure where you ... |
Stollen holy grail
With the blessing and endorsement of King Arthur himself, I am embarking on a quest to find the holy grail of stollen. I'm familiar with and bake the PR BBA version and this version found on TFL. This year I'm creating a mashup of these two formulae and having great success so far. The two loaves pic... | Looks good
I'll look forward to seeing some recipes. Love a good Stolen. |
Oh my gosh baking in a Dutch oven is HARD! It's HOT!
The first time I did it, I put it on parchment paper and lowered it down - that made the paper misshapen and it didn't look as nice. Today I put the paper in and then the dough... I burned myself (slightly) and I couldn't score it properly AND it basically fell a foo... | It turned out pretty good. This from Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book, Buttermilk bread (again). 100% whole wheat with freshly milled flour. I upped the temp for preheating and I think it gave me more oven spring too. |
Easy weeknight recipes needed
I recently tried the shawarma recipe https://fastinternational.org/pierson-grill-flint-mi/ that lunchman has been touting and it was excellent. It is a fairly simple recipe that can be marinated overnight and then grilled off pretty quick. I get take out for dinner far too much and with sp... | Are you planning to bake with
Are you planning to bake with commercial yeast or sourdough?Dan |
Oven temperature for baking
I did a quick search, but I'm not finding what I want to find out specifically. Most of my recipes call for baking between 350 and 400 degrees, depending on the recipe, so that is what I do. All my bakes are at least 50% whole grain. But, I see from pictures of loaves and from reading here, ... | These latest bernard clayton
These latest bernard clayton recipes.... Vollkornbrot and weissbrot mit kümmel were 375f. But many of the standard recipes are 450-500f depending on the method. They may start higher and tell you to lower it to 400f after 15-20 minutes. Imho I don't think there's a wrong way to do it. If... |
Falling Numbers Misleading?
I’ve been using locally milled heirloom wheat flours with good results, better in my opinion than flours from KAF. What puzzles me is that these heirloom wheats have falling number between 400-435, which would suggest I poor resulting loaf: poor rise and dry crumb. Instead, I have loaves tha... | From the info I've read, 400
From the info I've read, 400-435 is good. A minimum of 300+ is desired. Your bread results make sense. https://www.grainews.ca/2012/03/05/understanding-falling-numbers-in-wheat/ |
Side collapse
Made a pan de mie baked in a tin70% hydration. Removed it from the tin and one side seems to have sucked in it was 97 degrees internal temp so was cooked any ideas what caused thisthanks | How long did you prove it?
How long did you prove it? Seems like it's overproofed imho. |
Trying for a loaf but get a bun
Hi folks,I'm trying to make a simple loaf but it always comes out more like a hamburger bun.Soft, with white sides and a browned top.I hand-mix the ingredients, wait an hour then re-mix and shape into a ball. Wait another hour, then place it into a cast iron dutch oven and into a pre-he... | This seems like a recipe for
This seems like a recipe for a very very small bread, is that your goal? Just because you mention it, hamburger buns are around 50-75 grams unbaked weight, and your recipe total is 218g. |
Proofing question
I'm wondering about how best to treat a levain. I accidentally forgot to put yeast in my levain for about 6 hours last week. I added it and let it sit for about 3-4 hours before using it. It ended up being the best bread I've ever made in texture, taste - everything. It could be a fluke of just gettin... | If you mixed flour and water,
If you mixed flour and water, and did not add yeast or salt, and let it stand for some time, that would be called an autolyse, and it is a pretty well acknowledge technique in baking - do a search and you will find tons of references. That you added the salt as well, that is pretty uncomm... |
Reviving Granny Neal's Yeast Rolls and etc.
I've a recipe that I've been toying with for years. This comes from my Great Grandmother Neal (In Memphis, I think... She died long before I was born, probably in the 50s.) I've had good results from it, but I think I can do better with some help from around here.Here's the r... | That is a lot of biscuits!
You are probably right that lard was used or even butter, when it was available. At some point, I would try lard-it makes a wonderfully soft dough!At those times, biscuits and such were made in a large bowl/pile of flour. A well was made in the middle, the liquid ingredients heated,melted and... |
Crush is Greyish Color
I have been experimenting with a new recipe and the crust, both times I baked it, turned out a dull grey/brown color. The bread is tasty and the crust is crisp, but not attractive. The recipe is a pain de campagne with a whole wheat poolish. I tried steam the first time - really ugly crust - and ... | Oil is unusual
It is not common to oil a bowl for final proofing. Most techniques suggest lining a bowl with a towel, preferably linen, and sprinkling it with a mixture of 50/50 rice flour and all purpose to facilitate removal. Steam will also enhance the color (the Maillard reaction will caramelize sugars in the pres... |
Avoiding mould in yeast water
Managing headspace, or ullage as it known is the primary job for any winemaker.The headspace is the perfect environment for mould growth and mould must absolutely have oxygen to grow. Don't make the mistake in thinking that by simply putting a lid on it, this makes the contents anaerobic. ... | Very Useful Information
Minimise headspace - fill container to the top with fruit and waterUse an air lock - the only issue with that is the increased over all height that makes the unit too high for a proofer, but there are some work arounds for thisNo airlock? Use a breathable closure to reduce humidity. A cloth and ... |
Applying bread science to real world results
Hey everyone, I just finished reading “ The Taste of Bread” by Raymond Calvel and learned about the complexities of bread making. My question is, how do I apply the knowledge of Alveographs , flour types etc to improve my bread? For example, how do I use an autolyse to manip... | Calvel
Hi! I also read Calvel when I started and by that I mean the second part of the book as well, where the recipes are. I baked them, one after another, until I was successful, and each taught me how to understand the explanations that come with the recipes and in the first part of the book.That is how they teach b... |
Measured ingrediant adding machine?
Would anyone know what this machine would be called? | It looks to me like one of
It looks to me like one of those old-fashioned doughnut making machines. The batter goes in the cup, above the hot oil and the motor opens and closes a plunger to drop a ring of batter into the oil. The two arms allow the operator to move the machine down the oil. |
Different kneading techniques (bread machine vs hand)
My question is does different kneading techniques effect the final crumb (or crust) of the bread significantly and if so how, and moreover, if you use household bread machine to knead how does that compare to using your hand? | I believe it depends
on how much gluten development you get to using either your hands or a machine. So yes, depending on technique, it can definitely affect crumb structure. |
Scones
I don't read much about them here, but stumbled across this recipe and decided to make some. https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/scones-recipe/Everything came out as described in the recipe, but the results were underwhelming to me. They were like the biscuits my grandmother used to make, but a bit sweeter (the ... | English scones are very
English scones are very similar to biscuits. Where biscuits have a slight flake to them, scones will have a slight crumble. This recipe seems high in sugar and looks dense. But, to each their own. Scones are also like biscuits in that everyone has their own recipe and that is the only correct on... |
Sprouted Einkorn vs. Non-Sprouted Einkorn Bread?
For a year now I have been making Einkorn bread using only whole-grain Einkorn flour, water, levain, and salt. The results have been very satisfying. Recently, however, I am experimenting whole-grain "sprouted" einkorn flour. I have had to make adjustments with the amoun... | I have wondered this myself.
I have wondered this myself. I bake 100% whole grain einkorn bread too. For me, from the information I've read, sprouting and the slow fermentation of sourdough could be redundant. Both are used to break down phytic acid and starches and even gluten. Both make the micronutrients more availa... |
Can you fix torn skin?
Every time I attempt to make a loaf, after the first rise, as I go on to do my shaping I either can't form a skin to begin with or, because I'm a complete failure, I overwork it and the skin tears. After that, all the inner moisture is exposed, it turns into a sticky mess, and I can't get it to ... | You can carefully put the
You can carefully put the pieces back together and dust very lightly with flour. It's also an option to dust with flour and use a bench scraper to round it up. More importantly is avoiding that situation in the first place.Perhaps your recipe has more hydration than what you and your flour can... |
Pre-Shape Timing
Quick question for the more experienced bakers out there (which on this site is just about everybody). As far as I understand the point of the preshape is to get the dough into an easier shape to handle for the final shaping and then you have to bench rest to relax the gluten before you can proceed fur... | I think the loaf won't hold
I think the loaf won't hold it's "pre-shape" shape at all if you do it too early. Think about the bulk ferment - this is the time that after each stretch and fold and dough just relaxes back into a blob. Therefore, if you shape the dough, it will just continue to lose its shape. In fact, the... |
New Baker
Hello All, BLUF: This is a longer post asking for some advice and constructive criticism. I haven't been baking for very long and I'm working my way through the recipes in Flour, Water, Salt, and Yeast. My first batch (pictures below) tasted great but had a tight crumb and not so great rise. I am 99% posi... | Here to help :)
First of all: your breads and the crumb look already amazing!I try to answer most of your questions. If you already practise any of these following tips, please forgive me. Even though I'm fairly new to baking bread too, I can already tell (or at least guess well) what some of the problems might be, bas... |
I need help with protein bar recipe for business
I want to start a protein bar making businessSo I need help with designing the perfect recipe for production with little processing as possible (no bake no fridge requires) so it’s just1 - mixing2 - extruder (cutting)3 - packaging The recipe I have is great but I have a ... | Gather more info from the web
By googling for "oat protein bars", you can get several recipes. From what I found, honey is a good syrup to use. You don't want to use HFC and artificial sweeteners.I would also suggest looking up commercial brands for their ingredients and nutrition facts to help you to decide how you ca... |
Stone ground WWW vs. roller milled WWW
As I came to the end of my supply of Wheat Montana WWW, I picked up a bag of Hodgson Mill WWW. The WM flour appears to be roller milled while the HM states on the bag that it's stone ground. There's a definite difference in the appearance and feel of the two flours.The loaves I've... | It sounds like your latest
It sounds like your latest flour contain more and larger chunks of bran. It is less refined and contains more of the whole grain. If this is the case each flour will bake up quite differently. The less refined flour will need more water.It is my understanding that whole grain flour does not n... |
Chiller or Freezer for Croissant Dough?
Hi!There is one question always in my mind and i have been search throughout the web and can't find any source of explanation.Whenever we make croissant it require us to rest the dough.Can someone help me out?Should we Chill or Freeze while resting the croissant dough in between ... | What I do: knead the dough
What I do: knead the dough (not too much). Then freeze 1 hour. Then, you have two options: lock the butter and laminate, or leave the dough in the fridge all night (4-6ºC) and laminate next day. It's important that the dough doesn't begin to grow until the lamination process is done and the c... |
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