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Cost of flour
I'm frugal. I've watched the cost of flour go up 50% in less than a year. I'm now paying 30¢ a pound (50 lb bag of enriched bleached bread flour from Costco $14.99) Todays Sourdough Bread: Basic unmeasured baking. 14 hour first rise. Baked in cast iron dutch oven 500 degrees 30 min covered. 8 minute 450 d... | Another thread on flour prices
I've been reading people talking about flour prices in another thread:http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/6045/abc-news-wheat-prices-riseAs for yeast, I expect that all of us "loafers", except maybe for sourdough ultra-enthusiasts, buy the 1 or 2 pound packs. I bought a 2-pound pack of acti... |
bleached or unbleached ?
I was given a 25 lb. sack of bleached bread flour. I always bake my bread using unbleached AP or Bread flour. My question, What will the difference in quality be if I use the bleached flour for my bread baking? koka2 | Little or no difference.
I made bread with bleached flour for years without any complaints from anyone. I started using unbleached, a certain brand, only when I realised it was slightly higher in gluten and affordable. |
Can I Refrigerate Tonight For Fresh Baking Early Tomorrow?
I'm new here. And I'm new to baking.
I have searched and I've seen a number of threads about refrigerating and freezing breads/doughs.
So many it got confusing in the end and I thought it might be acceptable if I raised the question again in a quite specific... | I do our baguettes with a no
I do our baguettes with a no knead recipe that I kind of modified from a couple others. Mix it, do a couple stretch and folds, stick it in the fridge, and bake the next day. Having time to bake on you schedule could be tough though. I bake short baguettes in a chicago metallic baguette pan ... |
mailing cookies
anyone do it? I wonder if they would make it, edible, if I used Priority which takes about 4 days to where they'd be going? | We do it all the time
We do it. Actually my wife does it. She loves to make sugar cookies, and everyone in the family loves them. Plain, frosted & sugared. We mail cookies to her mom and our kids quite often and everyone says they arrive unbroken and still fresh.She wraps them in plastic wrap (2 cookies side by sid... |
Sources of Supply
Shopping for a lame this morning and found this site. Lots of trinkets. Thought others might want to look:
http://www.fantes.com/bread.html | I have used them
Very good. They have the polish dough whisk at a very nice price. |
What is the reaction of yeast when using Splenda?
I make LOTS of cinnamon rolls for others and a customer of mine is diabetic and wanted to know if it was possible to make them with Splenda. I did go ahead and purchase the brown sugar kind for the filling, but the one that worries me is the regular in the dough. I use ... | Splenda
My husband is diabetic and I use Slenda or a sugar substitute that I buy in Switzerland that is similar all the time. In baking there is little difference except that you might have to add just a little more to obtain the same sweetness. For things like simple syrup I can't use it. I do use it with yeast dou... |
mixing refined flour and wheat flour
what generally is the ideal temperature to bake bread made with equal amounts of refined and wheat flour. i'm basically trying to make regular bun sized bread | Hey Haroon, Welcome to the
Hey Haroon, Welcome to the freshloaf!
You preheat to 260 C / 500 F and then when you load the bread, decrease to 240 C. But if you are going for naan/Roti flat breads, you need the oven to remain hot, and so no need to reduce.
Mebake |
Are there any rules for de-gas breads?
Hi!
Some breads recipes call for de-gassing some don't. Are there any rules about it?
Thanks! | Usually, doughs for breads
Usually, doughs for breads where big holes are appreciated, like ciabattas, baguettes, artisan breads so to speak, you want to try to preserve the big holes(bubbles), by handling the dough as gently as possible(practical). No real degassing.
Doughs for breads with a smoother, even crumb, like... |
Missing book!!
Bummer Dude! Lost my copy of BBA!!!!! I'm not sure but I think it MAY have been taken out of my car when I parked it to go into the reastraunt supply store. I hope I'm wrong but I've turned the house upside down.... no BBA. Just had to unload to somebody.. Lucky you guys! | I'll sell you my copy... I
I'll sell you my copy... I don't use it anymore... |
My first attempt to make something with my dough whisk... Now I have a question.
So the holidays over and the birthday party's over... it's time to pull out my new toy for some fun. I used my dough whisk to make sourdough waffles this morning. Might not be the best choice because as I was mixing the sponge (develope... | Is it a dough whisk?
The kind that looks like a carpet beater, or a balloon whisk--the kind that looks like a wire cage? You can go here and look at descriptions for various types of whisks (scroll down).
Honestly, I've NEVER had the problems you describe with a dough whisk. It's open structure cuts through all kind... |
Camera to keep temperature
My room temperature is about 65 degrees. Some recepes require 80-85 degrees to keep dough or strater for several hours. Can somebody recommend any type of device which can keep temperature at a stable level? | You don't need a fancy device
If you have a microwave, it makes a great "proofer". First, heat a cup of water to boiling. Then place the dough in the microwave next to the cup and leave the door closed (don't turn it on!). The hot water will provide the heat and the microwave is insulated to hold the heat for your d... |
Favorite local honey
My daughter gave me a Whole Foods gift card for Christmas. A few days ago, I entered the portals of "Whole Paycheck" for the first time; I'd been avoiding the only Honolulu store, opened last year, because I'm poor.
It wasn't as bad as I feared. If I shopped carefully, I could find foods that were ... | Once, a friend of a friend
Once, a friend of a friend offered me 2 gallons of his own honey for payment of a favour. I was slightly annoyed: i needed cash, but how could I insult him, and what was I going to do with 2 gallons of honey? (wasn't a bread baker yet!)
He assured me it was waaayy better than the honey I bo... |
Do you run out of friends to give your bread to?
LOL ... do you ever bake sooooo much bread and then run out of people to give it to?
I jest because I have a yesterday's loaf of bread on my counter & I'm scratching my head & thinking, "Who can I give this to?" | Hmmm serious problem there
I can't bake enough bread to keep people satisfied hahaha. Seems like i take a loaf out and before i can blink its gone. I hope the dreaded cult of Atkins isn't to blame for your dilemma!
Tom Georgalas |
How do YOU use this forum?
I'm fairly new to bread making, so I was delighted to find this forum. After signing up I was amazed at how many folks are actively posting here and at the sheer volume of subjects and threads. After reading a few threads that looked intersting I started to search for posts that gave advice t... | Using the Forum
I look at TFL as a community. We can meet our e-friends here to see and hear what they're up to these days. There's a library's worth of information in all the threads that are stored in the archives. I get ideas for recipes and encouragement from other members. I don't feel guilty at all for visiting T... |
Ads are EXCESSIVE!
I do understand the need to bring in funding for this valuable site. But currently the ads are SO invasive as to make coming to the forum nearly useless. I doubt there is anything that can be done, but a bit of a reduction would make the site so much more useful. | Get an ad blocker
I recommend uBlock Origin. Works great. |
Bread Poem
Giving a way a loaf of delicious homemade bread to someone special? I found this & had to share.
After you wrap your bread, add this poem: Thank you for...Always "rising" to the occasionNever letting things rub against your "grain"Being their when I "knead" youNo matter how you "slice" it, you're a "cut" a... | So sweet
That's a lovely poem - I loved it! and a good way to give a bit of encouragement to your friend along with some homemade bread. :) |
Bread dough bowl or trough or trug
Has anyone noticed the appearance of a bread mixing trough just outside Hagrid's Hut leaning against the stone wall next to the scarecrow?
I was glancing up while "the kids" were watching "The Prisoner of Askaban" film from the Harry Potter series. The wooden antique is pictured sev... | Hmmm I haven't,lol. Will
Hmmm I haven't, but I will have to go back and check it out. I know exactly what scene you are talking about. |
Life size edible car
I came across this and was in awe! Not sure if it has been posted but I can't resist...
http://uk.video.yahoo.com/watch/1176222/4202630
Al | Skoda
Yes, this was a TV ad for Skoda in the UK about a year ago.
I don't know if it was ever eaten after all the trouble they went to. |
Baking out of an RV
Anybody have experience with this? I am temporarily in an RV, waiting on my home to be repaired from a fire. Want to continue my bread making lessons and am trying to figure out how to go about getting set up for it.
1. Work space-Where the heck do I shape/work with this dough without making a royal... | Silicone mat
I use a silicone baking mat that is meant for a full sheet pan on my counter. It fits my small space perfectly and reduces the need for to much four. It also cuts down on the mess. The name brand ones can be pricey they all serve the same purpose so look for a deal. |
Storing foccacia
I'm going to try foccacia for the first time to take to my book club. I am planning on baking on Sunday but the book club is not until Tuesday night. What's the best way to store foccacia? I usually freeze bread and then recrisp in a 350 degree oven. Will this work with foccacia given the hydration and... | Storing foccacia
I've had good success keeping baked foccacia for 2-3 days. I'll wrap them in plastic and then before serving reheat briefly - about 5 minutes at 350 degrees.
However, at the bakery where I work, we make up focaccias, dock and oil them, allow them to proof, and then freeze them unbaked. We keep them fr... |
Blog Sighting
Check out this "Top 50" list, compiled by OnlineDegreePrograms.org. That's our own SteveB (Bread cetera) in the Baking and Pastries category. Very nice blog, Steve---Congratualtions!
50 Best Blogs for a Complete Culinary Education
Going to culinary school is a dream for some students, but it's not the o... | Steve is an organic chemist turned bread baker, so you know he gets it right.
My Baking Addiction: This baker is truly obsessed: she has 25 posts for cupcakes, and 17 just for cheesecake!
Cupcake Bakeshop by Chockylit: Get recipes and tips for making pomegranate green tea cupcakes, Meyer lemon cranberry cupcakes, fig... |
Oh the Joy of Proofing Yeast
Hello all,
I just had to completely be a nerd and comment on how much fun I had last night watching my yeast proof. I was making pizza dough out of the bread bakers apprentice. mmmm. Sitting at my kitchen table the yeast bowl caught my eye. I looked over just in time to see the little poofs... | I'm a nerd too
Nerds also watch as their wine ferments... :-)
It is satisfying, isn't it? |
My dough whisk arrived today... now what?
I would like to try the whisk out. What's the best way to warm up to it? Something doesn't require a lot of experience handling this little gadget... like pancake or cupcakes? The whisk is pretty big for my hand but I probably can handle it if the dough is not too stiff. An... | As the ad says...
Just do it. If you have a sourdough culture, use the whisk when you refresh it.
It's also a great tool for mixing dry ingredients, pancakes, etc., or for the initial mix of dough (when it calls for a shaggy mass).
I have one and use it for the above purposes, but that's about it. I find that using m... |
Bread Making Process Handout
As we say in France, in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. I am by no means a bread baking expert, but friends, with even less experience than I, have asked me to explain how I bake my bread at home from time to time. Being an engineer and a nerd, I had to diagram out my proce... | re: Bread Making Process Handout
I think this is the place for it, as you also shared a variation of the recipe, and shown the steps you took.
As an ex software engineer, I enjoyed your post!!! |
Baguette shaping like the Cubans do it
Check this out: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1257514206200481593
There's some mighty impressive baguette shaping going down about 7 minutes into the video clip :) | Wow
...Oh my Gosh! :-) |
Measurements - Fluid Vs. Weight
Please forgive me if this has been addressed already somewhere. I looked but may have missed something.One of the things I found confusing when I started with baking was measuring flour. It started with: a cup of flour vs. a sifted cup of flour vs. a cup of flour sifted. Technically, at ... | Weights
I find it is easier to use weight measurements and weighing is both more accurate and more precise.I take a cup of sifted flour as weighing 4.25 oz. Avoirdupois or 120 g. As for whole wheat flour, it depends on the miller. King Arthur whole wheat has about the same bulk density as all purpose or bread flour. ... |
Scones Question
Has anyone made the cream scones recipe found in Crust and Crumb by PR? I made them for the first time today and had to add more cream. One cup wasn't going to bring any moisture to the flour at all? With one cup I could barely get a shaggy mess started. Just curious as to whether anyone else had had th... | Those LOOK AMAZING
and I am certain they taste as good! I added some more cream and they came out fine. I just finished another batch and added too much cream and these kinda lost some of their shape. Learning experience. PR has two recipes, one being a cream scone and the other being a butter, sugar creamed. I chose ... |
healthy grains
I thought that this was interesting. http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/01/04/tips.eating.better/index.html | Thanks
Thanks for sharing that. It was interesting. Time to make more bread right? :)
Jani |
what kind of bread is this
i was reading a recipe called salmon in Phyllo..what is phyllo bread? how do you cook it? | 'Tisn't a bread.
It's a pastry. |
So here's a first-ever do this?
I just got done dissecting the hard,cooked spots out of my beautiful double loaf of dough that was rising in the combination oven/microwave. Can you figure out what I did?
I was on the phone when I put the container of dough in the pre-warmed oven for its first rise. I latched the oven a... | Ah! Developing x-ray fingers!
There will be a few out there zapping their dough in the microwave if only to get some pre-med education!
Speaking about microwaves... I was testing out a one coffee mug recipe for a chocolate cake today. "The most dangerous cake in the world." It could use a little ice cream.
Sound... |
TFL Makes the 2010 Saveur 100
An early Christmas surprise for us all!
The food magazine Saveur does an annual 100 list of cool or influential food things in the world, and this year The Fresh Loaf made the list!
I haven't seen the print magazine yet, but I believe they included the Buttermilk Cluster recipe that is a... | Very Cool
And thank you Floyd for doing such a wonderful job managing this site. It is a wonderful learning environment. |
When everybody else cooks, I build this...
We have lots of families and friends with us this holiday and everybody wants to cook. So I retreat to a little corner in the kitchen to let them do their things. Not being able to cook drives me crazy; I must have my share of fun with food. Here it is, our edible log cabin... | WOW! That's impressive! Our
WOW! That's impressive! Our son broke a tooth on gingerbread house candy last year - be careful when it comes time to eat it ;)
What's the rainbow bridge made out of?
Oh, and the... penguins? Leading Santa's sleigh? Love it! Are those chocolates? |
Kneading on countertops, what do you use to clean it first?
Just randomly started wondering about this. I have corian countertops and always clean them with hot water before kneading, but what if you have been cooking before and the counter is dirty? Do you use something like Windex or 409 or Method and worry about res... | how i do it
spray with vinegar let sit for afew mins, and wipe with hot water, the vinegar will get rid of any nasties..if thats what your worrying about.
but i only do this aftr ive been preparing meats on my countertop....wich i do on a cuttingboard...but you dan never be to safe with meat :P...or cheese.... |
What "wrapping" do you use when gifting bread?
This morning I gifted a coworker and a neighbor each with a loaf of bread that had been out of the oven for about 30 minutes. Both loaves had substantially cooled. I loosely wrapped one in some tissue paper and laid it in a large paper shopping bag with handles; this seeme... | cloth bread bags
I often need to deliver bread before it is cool and I like to use drawstring bags that I make from cotton fabric. If you type "cloth bread bags" in the search box you will see some ideas, A. |
Happy Holidays everybody!
Whatever traditions your family celebrates, it's a nice time of year to be a baker! :) Here's our holiday card this year-our cards usually reflect the craziest project we did all year, and this time it was baking related.... Peace! - breadnerd | Happy Holidays ..
to you and all of our bread baking family!!! Very nice and personal card..is it an etching ..and are you the artist? |
Bread sauce and toast
Two questions, almost unrelated:
1) what's the point of bread sauce?
2) We have toast once a week, usually with whatever bread's in the bin. sometimes it's excellent, at other times it's less than perfect although the bread itself was very good.
My problem is that I'm so disorganised that I can ne... | Bread sauce?
What came first the sauce from the main dish or the bread to soak it up?
Don't quite know how to help you with toast. That's a personal preference thing.
Mini |
Tips for Selling Breads at Markets, Restaurants, etc.?
I'm not sure which forum to post this in, so here goes...Hi guys! I am wondering if anyone has had success (big or small) with selling bread at farmers markets, restaurants, or anywhere else. I only make sourdough bread (organic wheat flour, water and salt, ferment... | farmers markets
Run a search on this site for some experiences and advice. Where do you live? Regulations vary. |
got a good question
ive heard this guy at work state that he never eats bread cause "all bread does is turn to sugar when digested an makes you fat.." well this comeing from someone that wont drink carbonated drinks cause its "bad for ya" but drinks whiskey. haha i just dont understand it. so is he for real?? does it t... | THANKS
thanks..i tell ya..there are some smart people on this site..yall explain things so well.. |
whats better for proofing dough
i have a stainless bowl an a ceramic bowl. but i read about the banneton and was wondering if it makes a difference what the dough rises in. when i worked at pizzza hut we put the dough in the cast iron skillets that we baked the pizza in, an put them in a warming oven. does the one work... | @vince hav.. try a dough rising buck
you can probably use something you have ( a flat cutting board or large glass mixing bowl) but I just got a couple of large dough rising buckets (food safe, with measurements on side) to use for some artisanal doughs that proof and can be refridgerated for a week. Very inexpensive..... |
I Got It Right!!!!!!
Well I started with the poolish yesterday (see "I can't get it right") and put it in the oven with just the light on, as was recommended. Tonite I added the rest of my ingrediants and used the KA standup mixer. Instead of just mixing the dough until it was just mixed I let the KA go for about 10 ... | Outstanding!
Great news Longwinters. Just the first of many I'm sure.
Eric |
refurbished mixers???
at The Kitchen Collection store they have kitchen aid mixers new and refurbished. the refurbished mixer i looked at (i forget the model but i think it had a 5 quart bowl???) anyway it was the one were the bowl lifts up an down with a handle an was around $100 or more cheaper than the same one that... | thanks
thats a good idea bout the warrenty. i mostly will be useing it to mix simpler things that will not be so stressful as dough but this past weekend i made some cinnamon rolls that called for 4 cups of ap flour and a box of yellow cake mix an it liked to have wore my arm out trying to mix that up by hand into a do... |
Bagel question
Hello,
I have just attempted baking bagels following the recipe from Bread Bakers Apprentice.
The problem I had was that as soon as I put the bagels into boiling water they completely deflated. I've never had this problem using other bagel recipes.
The only step I missed was doing the float test before p... | gluten breakdown, one way or the other
interesting that the bagels "deflated," since most of the time when i make bagels, including when I've used the BBA recipe, there's been very little expansion during retardation. so your comment suggests that they inflated significantly while you had them in the fridge.
the only r... |
I can't get it right...............
Hi, I am totally new to the forum but find it quite exciting. I have a real desire to bake good bread, but have been a hopeless failure. I seem to be able to follow directions, the 1st rise goes well, but after that it all falls apart. Cannot seem to get a decent 2nd raise and my ... | welcome
well i surely cant help ya seeing how im slill a rookie but thought id say welcome to a great site. i have askd questions here and have gotten great thurough answers. i love reading how knowlegdeable these members are about bakeing. i never thought about bakeing being so seemingly complicated with all the temp ... |
Dough whisk. What size should I get?
I always wanted one of those. Have searched high and low in Calgary, Alberta but couldn't find one locally. Seems like Brotform will ship international. I am going to order one but not sure what size to get. I am short and have very small hand (I wear child's large size gloves... | size
the long handle is the same on both my small and large wisk. You can grip it down low or up higher, which ever is more comfortable for your hand. I don't hold it like a spoon, but with my hand in a fist and thumb facing up. I use both but mostly the large one. I hardly ever use the small one. the size is base... |
Measuring flour by weight.
I have purchased a scale for measure flour years ago and thought that I would help me be consistant in my baking. The problem is that not all flours seem to be consistant. I've gone to web sites and found a chart for converting cups of flours to grams. Whole wheat, white flour, bread flour... | As for what is reported on
As for what is reported on any given food item's label in the "Nutrition Facts" box, I'm pretty certain they must follow USDA guidelines using it's standard weights. This info can be found at:
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
Many nutrition related sites also have tapped into th... |
what did i do wrong
i cookd a recipe for some cinnamon rolls. it called for flour yellow cake mix and two packs of quick dry yeast. but my dough didnt rise to double its size as the recipe called for after 45 minutes. im thinkn that 1.my water was hot not warm when i mixed the 2 cups in and 2. the stainless steel bowl ... | Ditch the recipe
Let cake mix be for cakes, and try another recipe. There are some here on this site. |
what does divided mean
ive read a few reciepes that call for the butter or even the olive oil to be "divided". what does that mean? | When a recipe says in the
When a recipe says in the list of ingredients that something is divided it means that that item is not used completely in one step. If you read through the recipe it should say, given the example 12 T butter, to use 8 T butter in step one and then later in the recipe to use the remaining 4 T ... |
Off white bread
I have been breadmaking for a few months now and although my dinner rolls turn out as expected, my white loaves are usually a bit dense and always off white. The rolls are always a perfect white, soft and pillowy. What am I doing wrong?I use a kenwod bread machine but recenly have used only the dough c... | How are your formulas
How are your formulas different for the two? i assume you're doing enriched dough with these? milk, butter, oil? |
No more floured towels for me
I have stumbled across an alternative for covering rising dough which seems to be almost like a "teflon" towel. I purchased a 100% microfiber cloth napkin at "Bed, Bath, and Beyond" and it is incredible so far. Dough, even wet doughs (have not tried ciabatta yet) don't stick at all. I cove... | Thanks for the tip
I find the dusting of clothes to be about the most uncontainably messy part of baking. Somehow it travels more than dusting the counter. Also thanks for including that it's not the 'fuzzy" kind of micro fiber; that stuff just feels creepy.
I'm on my way to BB&B tonight for a lasagna pan so I'll take ... |
My first try at Leonards's Country French and Pain de Mie
So I decided to try some new loaves this Winter. We enjoy our weekly pain au levain, but I wanted to try something new. So I tried these two. It was fun. Can't wait to see how they taste. I am not a fan of commercial yeast breads, but other members of the f... | have you tried using cake
have you tried using cake yeast rather than instant yeast? you can't get the same bread flavor using instant yeast or active dry.. you have to convert the instant yeast to cake yeast ratio.
I always thought to get bakery level quality, you have to use the same ingredients and methods they use.... |
Kneading Time and Speed with stand mixer?
Hi This is my first foray into a stand mixer. received my VIKING today and have my first loaves of COUNTRY WHITE BREAD in the oven now. Smells heavenly in here!!!
I have to say though after yearsr of kneading by hand I was flabbergasted by the lack of time needed for kneading... | Avoid High Speed
I haven't seem two stand mixers (e.g. Kitchenaide vs Viking) that operate at identical speeds at any given setting. My KA runs a bit slower than some other stand mixers on its lowest setting but picks up speed more quickly as the setting(s) increase than do some others I've used.
I avoid kneading at a... |
Anyone from Tucson or Vail Az. in the house?
Just curious if I am the only one from Tucson. | Thats kinda funny. I miss the
Thats kinda funny. I miss the snow (mostly skiing)
I would gladly trade you any day!! |
Question for Braun owners
I've been kneading with a Braun multipurpose food processor using the dough hook for several years, although I still consider myself a baking newbie. Lately I've come across a number of recipes (from Rose Levy Beranbaum and Daniel Leader) specifying speeds for a Kitchen Aid and am never sure w... | For what it's worth, a KA
For what it's worth, a KA mixer is air cooled -- so the minimum speed most recipies call for when specifying a mixer speed is #2. Any slower than that and the mixer probably doesn't generate enough air to cool the internal thingamajigs and they burn up with extended mixing times.
The highest ... |
Panettone and "Boy, am I spoiled now"
Hi all: I've been out of internet contact for a while, and it's nice to be back.
Two quick things: First, I made the Panettone from BBA, and YUM! I made 4 of them, gave 2 away, and sliced one up to put in the freezer which gave me weeks of heavenly toast for breakfast!
But here... | Good looking Panattones
Nice job on the panattones KP.
I feel your pain re: supermarket "Artisan Bread". The stuff is, as you said, abominable. Only real use I've found for it is feeding the seagulls that hang out near the pier at the beach. They aren't too particular, they seem to enjoy it. In fact, they fight ov... |
Peter Reinhart's Forums
With the new book now on sale Peter Reinhart has opened his testers' forums to everyone.
http://peterreinhart.typepad.com/peter_reinhart/2009/12/bakers-forum-for-everyone.html | Excited about BAKING
I just ordered several bread baking books, Peter Reinhart's "Brother.." book as well as others. Plus a Viking Stand Miker, Baking Stone and Peel. I am ready for Artisan Breads and Homemade Pizza's! Love this site, so glad I found it.
God Bless
~gardenchef |
Technical ?: Accessing Blogs and Download of Photos
Question #1-Could someone please explain how to access the Blogs. Yes, I know the Icon on the top of the page and then when I go to blogs there are numbers of pages at the bottom...1,2,3,4,... but is there a subject or author index of Blogs and recent entries? The re... | technical answers
1) No, there isn't a subject or author index. The URL for a poster's blog is always blog/username, so bwraith's blog lives at /blog/bwraith.
2) I suspect you are correct that the problem is that you are on dial up. |
Something to make you smile
Physics 1021Bread is Dangerous
1. More than 98 percent of convicted felons are bread users. 2. Fully HALF of all children who grow up in bread-consuming households score below average on standardized tests. 3. In the 18th century, when virtually all bread was baked in the home, the average l... | Finally someone has come up
Finally someone has come up with safety guidelines for this most dangerous and potentially fatal product. Now if only we could safeguard against cinnamon rolls.
Jeff |
Help! Thanksgiving Rolls question
I am making homemade rolls for the first time this year. I plan on making the rolls tomorrow, putting them on the pans after shaping them and refrigerating them overnight, then taking them out of the fridge Thanksgiving morning and letting them rise. I know this is a beginner question ... | What does the recipe advise?
Normally there's only one rise before shaping, so no, you would not proof them before retarding.
What recipe are you using? |
Need kefir grains-Minneapolis,MN
The minute I entered the expressway in Florida for my drive to Minneapolis, I remembered I had not grabbed my kefir grains from the refrigerator at the last minute, as planned. Too far to turn around at that point.Are there any Fresh Loafers in the Minneapolis area (actually I'm in Eden... | No joy?
No one nearby able to provide kefir grains? A contact-less exchange can be arranged, if covid exposure is a concern.I am in a high risk category for covid complications and have been stringent on not being exposed. I have been self-quarantined since March 12. I drove to avoid flying and my hotel choices were th... |
what kind of bread might this be
i was telling my niece about this website and she started telling me about a bread being cooked on tv and was waondering what sort of bread it might be. she said it look premitive cause the would take this bread dough (that looked similar to pita bread) and they would put it down in thi... | Naan
That sounds to me like the process of baking a naan, an bred typical of India and other places around the Himalayas. The dough is slapped onto the inside of a tandoor oven and cooks in a flash. Delicious.
Jeremy |
so whats a good bread to start with for a rookie
i love to cook and can follow a reciepe pretty well. i normally cook main courses like meats and stews and such but i remember a neighbor cooking some zuccinie (spelled right??) bread years ago that was soo good. id like to try baken breads and stuff but dont really know... | Start at the beginning
If you look at the top of this space, next to Home and Forum is a link to Lessons. These are designed to help beginners and progress you from the simple stuff so you can get your sea legs in bread baking and help move you along.
This way you'll slowly get to learn the basics and have success ea... |
Wrapping Up Loaves or Bagging Bread
I've got two loaves that are just out of the oven, that stretch the length of a two loaf, Italian bread, perforated bottom Chicago Metallic pan. The loaves look fine but there's a problem. These loaves are already spoken for the hospital auxiliary bake sale tomorrow. My wife, who vol... | Gift wrap
Why not wrap them in brown paper? If you have a paper grocery bag, just slit it up the sides and wrap the bread butcher-style.
Label each loaf and use a colored piece of yarn to tie. Since they are sold, why not gift wrap? |
Completely silly question....
I apologize in advance for asking, but I am at a loss here...
a couple of weeks ago my computer started showing the messages in this forum in some kind of extended format, so that I can never get a single line IN the screen, I have to keep moving the scroll bar at the bottom to read it a... | What browser/platform are you
What browser/platform are you on? |
I'm a little confused about flour measuring in ounces
I have seen several recipes in the forum where liquids and solids are both measured in ounces.Is the flour in weight by ounce or volume by ounce in these recipes?Or does it vary? It would be helpful if people would make that distinction when a recipe is provided-"Al... | Heavy Hitting
Whenever you read a formula for bread making that specifies grams/ounces, whether for liquids or solids, you can be assured it's weight, not volume.
Some people aren't comfortable with the metric system to they'll specify ounces. I don't personally like using ounces as a measurement because grams are far... |
TFL in First Magazine
My mother came by today and brought me her October 5th copy of First Magazine. She was pleased to share with me that it had an article about the healing powers of bread. Baking as stress relief.
The important point is that a sidebar directing readers to online baking sites lists The Fresh Loaf f... | Oh yeah?
Oh yeah? Neat! I'll have to check that out. |
Mountain Valley Spring Water
After reading an article describing the lifestyle of a rural artisanal baker...how he used local whole grain fresh groung flours.....fresh well water...etc....I brought home some "Mountain Valley Spring Water" to use for my starter and bread formulas. I thought I was making the best pizz... | That's impressive! I'm glad
That's impressive! I'm glad you found a way to tweak your bread so that it's even better than before.
I just use plain 'ol Louisville Tap in my bread, but I suppose it wouldn't be that much more expensive to use bottled water. I'm interested to know in what ways has your bread improved.
Eri... |
Message for our Community Members: Help keep our site spam-free
Hey everybody!
I just wanted to drop in and remind everyone about a feature we have here on The Fresh Loaf to help keep the site running smoothly.
Since our site has become so active with so many members, it's also a prime target for folks wanting to make ... | I'm bumping this once so it hits the radar again...
I'm bumping this once so it hits the radar again... Last week was a busy one and this may have been missed by some of you.
This morning when I did my login to clean the forums of junk, I found a few examples of folks replying to forum posts which were all made by bran... |
Support Mercy Corps and test my software (updated 10/24)
A handful of times a year I abuse my privileges as site administrator and make a post about my favorite charity-- which also happens to be my employer. I hope community members do not mind too much. -F
A project I've been working on for months and dreaming of f... | Happy to support this fundraising
I have learned so very much about how to make great bread on this site, and I truly appreciate the efforts that Floyd has made to nurture this community.
I can think of no better way to show my appreciation than to contribute to this very worthy cause that is close to Floyd's heart. |
Meaning of "creamy" wrt crumb
I've often read the term"creamy"used, talking about the quality of a good crumb in certain breads. This word has never really made a lot of sense to me, but I assume it's a metaphorical descriptive, like when people talk about wine having "structure". I'm wondering if some one can take a s... | And also the "mouth feel"
This sounds like creaminess to me but it also means how the crumb feels in the mouth as you chew it-at least that is what I always thought of as "creamy" or "custardy" . It feels creamy as it dissolves in the mouth-not gummy or tough or starchy.Smooth,properly cooked flavor. |
Power Bagels
Would anyone be kind enough to photograph one of Einsteins Power Bagels, please? The whole idea of these sound wonderful - i have a list of the contents and have made a batch (having a guess as to what they may look like) but being here in NZ, I have no idea what I am aiming for. How would you describe the... | Power Bagels
Here's a link to the Einstein Bros web site: http://www.einsteinbros.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/DarnGoodFood.Main
When I followed the links to the bagels, I found that the only one that didn't show a list of ingredients was the power bagel. Nor is there a photo.
Sorry not to come up with an answer for your ... |
knives
Has anyone tried the Pure Komachi 2 knives?
I love their original tomato knife and the bread knife is stellar, or would be if it were an inch or so longer.
The series 2 knives look even tackier than the originals & are about half the price. I was wondering whether the quality has changed.
Patsy | Forschner Victorinox
I love the tomato knife too - works great for scoring, but am not at all impressed with the Pure Komachi bread knife and it's now relegated to other tasks (cutting veggies).
I switched to the Swiss Forschner Victorinox bread knife, which is 10 1/4 inches long and quite awesome as there's flexibilit... |
Cloth Bread storage bag?
I'd like to be able to store my bread for a few days without putting it in plastic and not just leaving out on the counter face down. Could someone suggest the type of baker's bag I've seen referred to in some discussions on bread storage?
I thought - perhaps - I'd make one. Put a little mono... | Cloth bread bag
Susie,
My daughter brought a cloth bread bag back from Cote d'Ivoire for me after she spent a summer there. It's an off-white color, heavy fabric. Looking at the weave, it might be a twill, sort of like denim, although it's about the same weight as a light canvas or duck cloth.
Hope that helps,
Paul |
Slashing is deflating loaves.....
I swear that soon I will just give up scoring forever...sigh.....last week my slashing didn't work well because the tops of the loaves were getting dry during the second rise. Today I used plastic shower caps over my rising bowls and it worked just perfectly, loaves high as the sky, ni... | Image in the Mind's Eye
From you description of the process, I have a mental image of a raised ball of dough in a bowl that was slashed then removed from the bowl to the final proofing location (I typically use parchment paper atop my peel for that part of the process) for final proofing. I never slash until after the... |
BREAD STORAGE
I'm still a little fuzzy about how to store the different breads. Do you remember when you first started, and you read and read and read? Well, that's where I am, and I know I remember reading that you leave the crusty breads out on the counter. Do all others go in a plastic Zip-Lock? How do I determi... | Hello Syb, My biggest wish
Hello Syb, My biggest wish for a place to keep my bread would be a great big old fashioned wooden bread box I gave away years ago and room on the counter for it ; )
Sylvia |
Selling your homemade bread
Hi all,
I was wondering if any home bakers here have had success selling their breads from their home kitchen. Were you able to sell to more than friends and family? Farmer's market? Anywhere else? Your trials and errors would be much appreciated!
Thanks,
Mike | Semi-professional baking
There are a number of members here, such as verminiusrex, who sell baked goods prepared in their own homes (in his case, primarily at the farmer's market). The health regulations required to do so legally vary wildly from state-to-state though and are usually to largest hurdle aspiring bakers ... |
best sour dough book for a novice
I would like to purchase a book on sour dough bread making for a friend who is a novice. What would be a good basic book to learn about making sour dough breads? | BEST BOOK FOR S/DOUGH
Hi, I'd recommend the Richard Bertinet book Dough. It has a dvd with it where he demonstrates how to work the dough as well as loads of other recipes. I tried making sourdough a few times to a few different techniques, each time it came out either tasteless, brick-like or both, 'till i got this b... |
Sad newbie....tops of bread dry out too much to score
I have tried proofing my loaf bread 3 different ways...on the countertop and covered with a floursack towel, in my oven (not on) and covered in same towel, and proofing in my expensive Excaliber Dehydrator that I quickly discovered never gets used for anything, but ... | Plastic bags will work...
You need to retain the moisture in your dough. Put the loaf pans in a plastic bag, saran wrap, or something similar to hold in the moisture. The towel isn't keeping the moisture from evaporating from your loaves.
Ria |
LOL--You can bake bread ANYWHERE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMhQc8T7tqQ
No need (knead?) for withdrawal just because you're away from home ;o) | Great idea!
My family regularly traveled with an old fondue for heating up/cooking in hotel rooms. Never would have thought to try baking on an iron though. |
Baguettes
I tried Lesson 1: Your First loaf, and this is what I got. Not too bad. Very flat but made some good sandwiches.
Also did some baguettes this evening. Once again, kinda flat. I am going to try to use some parchment next time to shore up the loaves while they proof & keep them from spreading out so wid... | Wow, what's in your pie?
Wow, what's in your pie? What a gorgeous crust! Your bread looks good. Welcome to the process!
Summer |
Couche in NY
Hey bread bakers!
I'm in New York at the moment and am looking for a couche. Does anyone know where I can find one for a good price?
Thanks! Leah
ps- or in Toronto... | Homemade couche
Leah,
I can't answer your question directly, but thought this might be useful.
I use a "couche" for my ciabatta loaves, but I just use parchment paper. I place a long piece of parchment paper on an upsidedown cookie sheet. I place two loaves on it, separated by about 8". I then pull up the center to ... |
UK milk suitable for making cheese?
Hi Brits,can someone reccommend a store-brand milk suitable for making cheese that is known to work, please?The dough must be kneaded and finally stretch (like for making mozzarella), so the yogurth-style curd that is obtained with so many UHT milk brands is not what I'm searching.I ... | Sainsburys
Sainsburys taste the difference jersey milk is unhomogenised, so is good for cheese making. If you can find it its 85p for 750ml. Or go to Map of raw milk suppliers and see if there's a raw milk supplier near you. Usually charge around £1 a litre.Happy hunting |
Muffins won't rise
I am having trouble getting my muffins to rise. I made sure my baking powder and baking soda were fresh.
I am wondering if it is my oven. all of the recipes say to bake at 375-400 degrees fpr 20 minutes. i have a convection oven and was told i should dial down the temp by 25 - 50 degress. i have trie... | Get a copy of the manual
for your oven and read it carefully.
Check the exploded view of the fan and oven and see if the fan has any missing parts and turns in the proper direction. (My aunt was missing the cover to her convection fans, apparently cleaned and never re-mounted.)
Mini |
Spam comments
Hi,
How are we supposed to handle spam comments that might appear on our blog? Obviously we can just delete them, but if someone has created an account for the purpose of spamming, I assume someone should be notified. There is the "mark as offensive" link, which kind of sounds like it was intended for a d... | Mark as offensive
Mark as offensive is the correct one. Spam, harsh words etc. |
sun dried tomato question
I have quite a few dehydrated home grown heirloom variety tomatoes that I would like to use in breads that call for sun dried tomatoes. I have seen dried tomatoes with no oil labeled sun dried and those packed in oil also labeled sun dried. So, can I take my home made dried tomatoes and rehydr... | I do not have exact
I do not have exact experience with tomatoes: drying, rehydrating and baking them in bread. Having said that, everything I know with regard to cooking and baking says "yes" absolutely use your tomatoes.
Jeff |
Spritzing Oven
Some recipes say to spritz the inside of the oven a couple times during baking for better crust. I am afraid of breaking my stone if water hits it.
I am also puzzled about pictures I've seen of the steam pan placed on the top rack of the oven with the bread on the lower rack. I thought the bottom of the... | I used to spray the inside
I used to spray the inside because they said to do that but no longer. I've gotten plenty of water on my stone without it breaking but I've heard some do; possibly an inferior product? Don't know.
It just seems to me that spraying the inside, then closing the door, you lose almost all that st... |
Kneading Trouble
Greetings all,
So this is my second attempt using what I guess is called French Fold? I found it from the video http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/video/2008/03/bertinet_sweetdough which this site linked to me.
Anyways, both times I've tried it, it has stayed sticky all the way through, up to 30 minutes o... | Lots of Flour
I share your frustration with trying to replicate the process he uses with the results he achieves. But I suspect that the difference in what I'm trying to accomplish and what he's doing is the issue here. I'm making simple bread dough (flour, water, salt, yeast) and he's making a sweet dough using bind... |
Baguette screw-up in progress..
Making a baguette recipe at GF's house, from memory...
Accidentally doubled water, so I ran with it. However, I used 2t yeast in a double batch, where I'd normally use 3t for a single recipe. Can I save it? I figure (much) longer rising time might do the trick. I don't feel like ba... | Go for it!
My only suggestion is proof at an elevated temperature 80°F to 84°F. You can usually get this temperature putting the dough in your cold oven with the oven light turned on. Monitor the temperature if you have a thermometer, and turn the light off when you reach the warmest temperture you think is right.
Goo... |
dark bottoms on my rye bread
I make round loaves of dark rye bread and bake it on parchment paper sprinkled with cornmeal on a sheet pan. The bottoms of the loaves are coming out too dark and hard. Any suggestions as to how I can prevent this? If I use a baking stone does it have to go into a cold oven and would this p... | depends on starting temp
generally, when i burn the bottoms of my loaves, it means that the stone is too hot, either because oven temp is too high or i have the stone down too close to the electric element. for rye breads, lower and slower is generally better than hotter and faster. try starting out at 425 or so for th... |
Bread dough/dinner rolls?
This might be a simple minded question but please understand I'm still not sure what I'm really doing yet.I made some regular kneaded white bread today in loaf pans and it's so far my best effort at bread makimg.My question is:Can I just use the dough that I made today for the loaves of bread ... | I use the same recipe
I use the same basic white bread recipe for rolls, and burger/hotdog buns.
I saw the photos of your bread and they look yum. Make sure you let them cool completely before cutting. If not you will loose precious moisture to steam. By letting them cool completely the moisture is re-absorbed into the... |
Personal taste
It seems like most everyone on this site is a sourdough fan. For those of you who are, what is your opinion of the bread served at Claimjumper restaurants? I have never been a big fan of sourdough breads. It could be that I have never met a truly good one, or it could be that I just don't like it. The br... | sourdough
I love the buttermilk sourdough I make almost every week, but it isn't sour at all which is just as well because I don't like the sour stuff. I do use a little yeast in it, but I've also made another starter with just flour and water and made bread with that, using no commercial yeast at all. Not too sour, ... |
Cissel bread?
My Google-fu is seriously lacking today as I just can't find anything about it. Any ideas? | Corn bread ?
as in maize ? |
How Do You Define "Overnight"?
Everyone's bread baking schedule is different and the dough certainly doesn't have a wristwatch so I'm not sure why cookbooks use the term "overnight" rather than giving a measurable timeframe. When a recipe instructs you to rest the dough in the fridge "overnight" how long do you think ... | Oh what I would give for 8 hours
For me, overnight means from when I close it up until 6AM when I haul my self out of bed to make breakfast for my daughter. That's usually a 6-7 hour window of cold ferment time and enough for those little bubbles on the skin and a more flavorful crumb.
Eric |
Homemade Butter - getting the water out after washing?
I am hoping that some of you make your own butter at home for your families and perhaps could share your tips on techniques or equipment for the following two issues I am having.I am lucky enough to have a local organic farmer with a pedigree herd and he low-temper... | According to the Joy
According to the Joy of Cooking you want to stop churning and drain and wash the butter once it is in pieces the size of corn kernels. I think you are incorporating water by beating it in the mixer with the water until it forms a clump. I would take the bowl out of the mixer once the small pieces o... |
Doughnut pans
I was out this afternoon and had a few minutes to kill. Went in a Goodwill store and found one 6-cavity doughnut pan and one 12-mini doughnut pan. Got them together for $9. I would have to pay twice as much to buy them new so I thought might as well. Now, here's a problem... no one at home, including ... | Jello molds
Jello molds |
Julie and Julia
The movie is born of the book Julie and Julia.
I withdraw my comments. You astonish me. | Julia Only would have been my choice
I just wished they had done the movie on Julia Child alone without the coarse blogger. To me, it takes away from Julia. I understand why they did it, but real foodies would've gone anyway.
Just my opinion. |
Chewy Bread Question
What is it that makes some breads chewy like a bagel? I have added gluten to no avail. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Chuck | less water?
Besides high protein flour, another factor is the hydration. For bagel recipe it is 45-50% |
How to STOP baking?
Stop me before I bake again! The freezer(s) are full. I've got to stop baking and do some eating for awhile. It's been 3 days and I'm getting itchy. I use wild yeasts only so I dried and froze my starters. That helps, but I know I could thaw them out pretty quickly. I've even been thinking abo... | I know . . .
It's embarassing that I had to ask my husband's help to stuff the freezer full of Sunday's baking--three challahs (they were small, I swear!) and a fairly big loaf of "heart of wheat" bread (Rose Levy Berenbaum).
OK, and three parbaked pizza shells.
And a dozen (or so) teeny weeny little english muffins.... |
going to a supplier
if any of the members want somthing i a'm making a trip to the bakery supplyer today and i would be happy to pick up anything if you would be willing to pick it up from me
we'r talking bulk here 50# bags of flour cases of canned fruit 11# pound bars of choc or 50# cases 2 pound blocks of fresh yeast... | wow
Would love to have come with you............................ qahtan |
Looking for alum substitute
I was going to make salt dough with my son as a summer project. The salt dough recipe called for alum and the book said I could find it in the baking section in any health food store. I went to look for it today but couldn't find it anywehre. It's a very small amount but I am not sure if ... | Cream of tartar?
The salt dough recipes I've seen just call for water, flour and salt.
Alum is a pickling spice - if you're looking for a hardening agent, the cream of tartar should work. But maybe too quickly? |
bread making
Can I just say for what it's worth , myself I think that many newbies also some oldies that are haveing problems with their breads is that they are trying too hard to get it right.
I have been a self taught home bread maker for over 50 years.
qahtan | Bread Making
Qahtan,
I agree and would add that the home stand mixer is responsible for many people trying to make bread without actually knowing how it should feel. Relax and mix by hand.
Eric |
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