Bread

giganto bun

Nice one - flavour and texture are more important than how it looks! The slice on the end looks excellent, not too dense.

When are you making the next one?

Thanks, I was pleased with the amount of air captured during the rise. Presuming this one is gone by the weekend (a certainty in my house) then this will probably become a Saturday routine. I make fresh pizzas for the family on Saturday night, the weekly sourdough can just become an extension of that. I made this Saturday morning, let it rise for six hours, threw it in the refrigerator overnight, let it sit for a couple hours Sunday morning to get to room temperature then whacked it in the oven. Baked it in an iron casserole, has a great crust.

Yep that crumb looks awesome, well jelly

Are there any shops in town that sell bannetons?

http://www.regentstreetonline.com/Shopping/Benetton.aspx

sorry, I'll get my coat

Yes, quite a few.

What are you looking for? Do you know what you are looking for? Such as shape or material? Or do you want to look and feel before you decide.

In clapham - http://www.dentonscatering.com/596/bread-making-baskets.html even gone to the page.

At Angel there are a few cookware stores that sell varying types, larger lakelands sell them.

Having skimmed a few of the bread books, (tartine, artisan bread, wheat, water etc) even read some prefaces, there are a few people who became bakers for the love of bread when looking for another challenge after the corporate world. Quite a few of the books are quite american and seem to have that unique take of the San Fran sour dough appeal and want in on that.

Baking in a commercial environment is alot easier than baking at home. Noted that quite a few of the books go on about special tools and each one has their own unique take on how to make the perfect loaf. Some of the recipes seem really wasteful, as you seem to cultivate the starter and then just use a small amount.

Still go with what I said earlier, read a few and trying the droping the starter in to a jug of water to see if it floats, am actually doing that now as an expriment to see what happens. but the rest is covered by reading what other people do on the internet. There seem to be lots and lots of different ways to get the same thing. You have to find you way. One book did mention quite alot on tempeartures of the dough whilst proving which the others didn't.

The americanism is not just in the wieghts and measures but the ovens too, how hot does your oven go?

Yes I messed up today as I planned on doing some dough this morning and making bread this evening and got up late so that didn't happen :( So trying to catch up now.

I'd say that the oven your temperature can reach is vital in how your bread comes out.

I'm not sure why you think this is an Americanism. Could you explain?

Making consistently good bread at home is all about repeatability. Therefore it makes sense to have as much control over all the elements as possible. Measuring and aiming for the perfect temperature of dough (during the bulk fermentation for example) is just an extension of this.

That is the thing american ovens seem to go to a higher temp? higher than gas mark 9, my electric cooker only goes up to 220 on the dial. Only one book mentions getting an oven thermo to check what is going on. Is that clear?

Also all the books, that I have read so far, seem to eulogise the san francisco sour dough. Only one mentions the differing methods of sour dough in differing areas of Europe.

I agree that that the repeatability is the key, for the bread but only one book mentions using a probe to see the internal temp of the bread as it proves and lowering the temperature to alter the flavour and then not get a skin to help the prove. One mentions the use of stones and adding a grill tray full of boiling water under the stones to hydrate the bread instead of the dutch oven method.

I didn't realise that European ovens only went to 220, I thought most went to 250. I have an American cooker and the dial goes to 500. On my last sourdough I heated it to 475, then when the bread went in I backed it down to 425. Did 20 minutes with the lid on the Dutch oven, the last 20 minutes with the lid off and the fan on. I have never put a thermometer in there to determine what the actual temperatures are.

I didn't realise that European ovens only went to 220, I thought most went to 250.

All I ever had went to 250.

I have an American cooker and the dial goes to 500.

That's Fahrenheit, not Celsius, I suppose?
500F is about 260°C.

Yup it's an American cooker so displays in F. Since I make lots of pizzas I wish it went to 500 C! Though the energy bills would probably bankrupt me.

I've always had ovens that go up to 250C. Gas ovens can >>>>>>>

Gas ovens can >>>>>>>

This.

Mine seems to top out at 200

I also found out that a roasting tin full of water is great for a good crust.

Unless the tin is directly under the loaf, in which case the bottom doesn't bake properly at all.

On my third loaf in as many days at the moment - proved overnight, knocked back & proving during the day in a banneton, then baking once I get home.

Practice makes perfect..

Anyway, there are many methods to making good sourdough. They all end in different results. Once you've got a method nailed down that works repeatedly then you can start experimenting with different proof times etc.

Just skim reading books and going on Internet forums just means getting very confused by the huge wealth of information and differing experiences.

I would get a method you like, bake until you've got it sorted, then start experimenting.

Are you proofing the loaf in the fridge? Otherwise you run the risk of it overproofing - which will end up with less oven spring and a denser loaf. Also it'll be pretty sour....

On my third loaf in as many days

How are they turning out and more importantly what are you doing with a loaf a day?

Also it'll be pretty sour....

He won't notice. It'll be masked by your condescending attitude. Mr fucking Dough-It-All.

I'm just trying to help.

In a condescending manner.

It's not even very good condescension.

But do keep trying. I'm sure you'll attain at least a mediocre standard.

I blame my education. I've hit the glass ceiling of condescension.

I blame my education. I've hit the glass ceiling of condescension.