The Bread Thread

[Sailor323]

I have been making French bread for some time now and have experimented with several different methods and recipes and am really happy with the results. I recently got into sourdough and am excited about it. When feeding the starter, I wonder what the effect would be if I used homebrew as part or all of the liquid. Here's my most recent sourdough loaf

 

[ibglowin]

Baguette Sunday (yesterday)! First bake in the new GE Cafe' oven. Decided to bake at 450 since that is what I have been using lately. Used the baguette pan and just can't get them to turn out like I want them to.



They seem to blow up in the middle. Thinking I may need to go to smaller loaves and see if that helps. They are tasty with a perfect crust but want them to stay more thin in the middle. I am adding a pan with water on the bottom rack also for added moisture as well.

 

[MHSKIBUM]

I have been making French bread for some time now and have experimented with several different methods and recipes and am really happy with the results. I recently got into sourdough and am excited about it. When feeding the starter, I wonder what the effect would be if I used homebrew as part or all of the liquid. Here's my most recent sourdough loaf View attachment 73317

Your sourdough bread looks great. I've had great success with sourdough but never thought about using homebrew as liquid. Interesting! Question: Never had good success making French bread, especially a true Parisian baguette. Can you point me to a good recipe or share yours?

 

[Sailor323]

Your sourdough bread looks great. I've had great success with sourdough but never thought about using homebrew as liquid. Interesting! Question: Never had good success making French bread, especially a true Parisian baguette. Can you point me to a good recipe or share yours?

I would like to share a couple of successful recipes but I can't seem to attach the files to my post and they exceed the number of characters permitted in a personal message. If you know how to get around these problems, educate me. As for using homebrew I was wondering if adding another strain of yeast to the starter would introduce more complexity to the bread or if the added strain my have a killer factor and destroy the yeast in my starter

 

[ibglowin]

PDF's can be attached just like an image. Just hit the "attach files" button in the lower left corner when you are replying to a thread then navigate to your file on your computer. Select the file for upload and then once uploaded finish posting your reply.

I would like to share a couple of successful recipes but I can't seem to attach the files to my post and they exceed the number of characters permitted in a personal message. If you know how to get around these problems, educate me. As for using homebrew I was wondering if adding another strain of yeast to the starter would introduce more complexity to the bread or if the added strain my have a killer factor and destroy the yeast in my starter

 

[Sailor323]

PDF's can be attached just like an image. Just hit the "attach files" button in the lower left corner when you are replying to a thread then navigate to your file on your computer. Select the file for upload and then once uploaded finish posting your reply.

Thank you, I was trying to attach a Word file, will convert to PDF and try again

 

[Sailor323]

Your sourdough bread looks great. I've had great success with sourdough but never thought about using homebrew as liquid. Interesting! Question: Never had good success making French bread, especially a true Parisian baguette. Can you point me to a good recipe or share yours?

Here are 2 recipes I've had great luck with. One of them is relatively involved but worth the effort, it's my favorite. I don't do everything as written. I don't usually make baguettes; I prefer a single bâtard. I don't use the ice for creating steam in the oven, instead I mist the loaf prior to putting it in the oven then every 3 minutes for 9 minutes I spray a mist into the oven. I use a pizza stone and it is important to get it up to temp--takes an hour in my oven. If your oven doesn't go to 500 degrees, get it as hot as possible and it may take a bit longer to cook. Bread is done when temp is between 205 and 210 F. Te other recipe is one that I used for a long time and yields a very good loaf.

 

[Darrell Hawley]

Sorry guys, I love the bread thread but couldn't resist putting this out there.

 

[thunderwagn]

A little pepperoni bread for a little Sunday snack. The dough is cold fermented for 7 days, then baked in stone loaf pan.

 

[ibglowin]

Any ideas from the collective hive? This time I made 4 baguettes instead of 3 thinking smaller loaves might bake more even but still I see these blow outs at the same location in each baguette! My cuts were all on top dead center to begin with but it looks like the baguettes roll during the bake as the cuts are now almost on the side at the finish.

Baked all four loaves at once and they seem to be baking evenly with no burning at all. I did place a pan on the bottom rack with some water in it plus I spritzed the loaves with some water just before putting them in the oven.

They are shaped more like battleships!

 

[thunderwagn]

View attachment 73714

View attachment 73716


Any ideas from the collective hive? This time I made 4 baguettes instead of 3 thinking smaller loaves might bake more even but still I see these blow outs at the same location in each baguette! My cuts were all on top dead center to begin with but it looks like the baguettes roll during the bake as the cuts are now almost on the side at the finish.

Baked all four loaves at once and they seem to be baking evenly with no burning at all. I did place a pan on the bottom rack with some water in it plus I spritzed the loaves with some water just before putting them in the oven.

They are shaped more like battleships!

I'm no expert by any means, but I have better turn outs by making longer, deeper cuts on the bias. Regardless, I think your baguettes look great.
A-17!

 

[ibglowin]

Thanks, they taste fine but not so happy with the appearance. Did some googling and yes, it seems I need longer/deeper cuts. The other thing is I have been using a 50/50 blend of AP and Bread flour somebody said the higher gluten in bread flour could be the culprit so I think next time I will try a 100% AP flour mix as well as making those longer/deeper cuts.

 

[Sailor323]

Yo

View attachment 73714

View attachment 73716


Any ideas from the collective hive? This time I made 4 baguettes instead of 3 thinking smaller loaves might bake more even but still I see these blow outs at the same location in each baguette! My cuts were all on top dead center to begin with but it looks like the baguettes roll during the bake as the cuts are now almost on the side at the finish.

Baked all four loaves at once and they seem to be baking evenly with no burning at all. I did place a pan on the bottom rack with some water in it plus I spritzed the loaves with some water just before putting them in the oven.

They are shaped more like battleships!

You are encouraging the bulges by slashing the loaves crosswise. Your loaves can't spread out radially with the slashes going crosswise. Make 3 long slashes nearly parallel with the longitude of the loaf to encourage proper rising in the oven.

 

[Sailor323]

Thanks, they taste fine but not so happy with the appearance. Did some googling and yes, it seems I need longer/deeper cuts. The other thing is I have been using a 50/50 blend of AP and Bread flour somebody said the higher gluten in bread flour could be the culprit so I think next time I will try a 100% AP flour mix as well as making those longer/deeper cuts.

Which AP flour are you using. FWIW, most bread flours are over 11% protein, some over 12%. most AP flours are less than 11%. King Arthur AP flour is 11.7% protein, as high some bread flours. I used to use bread flour for my French bread, I have switched to King Arthur AP with great results. I no longer buy bread flour

 

[ibglowin]

Using all KA flour these days. My boules turn out beautiful just not the baguettes (so far). I will try the long slashes you mentioned as well as all AP flour on the next cook.

Found this excellent video on proper scoring of baguettes yesterday.

Which AP flour are you using. FWIW, most bread flours are over 11% protein, some over 12%. most AP flours are less than 11%. King Arthur AP flour is 11.7% protein, as high some bread flours. I used to use bread flour for my French bread, I have switched to King Arthur AP with great results. I no longer buy bread flour

 

[thunderwagn]

Using all KA flour these days. My boules turn out beautiful just not the baguettes (so far). I will try the long slashes you mentioned as well as all AP flour on the next cook.

Found this excellent video on proper scoring of baguettes yesterday.

Well, it looks like I have some improvements to do on my scoring as well lol! Great video!

 

[ibglowin]

BTW, if you have Kroger in your neck of the woods they have KA AP flour on sale for $2.99 for the 5lb bag. There is also a digital coupon for a $1 off for up to 5 bags so net cost is $1.99. Our local store (Smith's) had them for $1.99 so net $0.99 a bag for me!

 

[thunderwagn]

Holy cow! I'll definitely have to check and see. I started a biga last night and getting ready to start another here in a few hours.

 

[thunderwagn]

Banquettes made with 80% biga.

I should've left them in for a couple more minutes. I like em a hair darker.

 

[MHSKIBUM]

They look great to me. Not had much luck with baguettes but will be trying the suggested recipes.
Here's a photo of my latest sourdough Challah. Takes three days to get it right but very rewarding result.