Bread

Where do people get their bannetons from?

I'd quite like an oval one with liner.

Any tips for stopping loaves sticking to a cane banneton? Tried out my new one yesterday and ended up with the dough sticking - do I just need to be dusting it more aggressively?

^ mine (unlined) came from Shipton Mill; I've got some old lined wicker ones that came from Bakery Bits. But as they're all swamped at the moment, maybe somewhere like Nisbets or another catering supplier?

Made this yesterday., after actually paying attention to my starter.

90 white, 10 wholewheat, 75 water

I need to work at shaping and cutting - my lame fell apart while I was using it, and the whole loaf just flopped when I turned it out.

Tasted pretty damn good though.

1 Attachment

From Bakery bits:
"The very first time that you use your new banneton you can help to condition it by lightly misting it with some ordinary tap water and then dusting your banneton liberally with flour, tipping out the excess. Do this the day before you want to use it. When it comes to using your banneton every day you need to dust it."

Ta - will give that a go.

Loaf number four came out well. Toasts amazingly.
Jnr was eating it untoasted and without butter so must be good..

1 Attachment

Rice flour will always be your best bet; since lining mine liberally before putting loaves in they come out fine every time

I use a combination of wheat flour and rice cones for my bench/dusting flour. Coarse semolina flour also works, but is more expensive.

Bakery bits or Amazon

Some on amazon also come with the couche cloth too. This means you don’t get such stripey lines but the dough is less likely to stick.

First attempt went ok - found a random Jamie Oliver recipe that looked straightforward enough so cracked on with that adding some brown sugar as some fell out the cupboard when I was making it & I took it as an omen - just used strong bread flour, might chuck some rye into the equation when I can get hold of some - 6/10 would bake again, wee bit tight but tasty enough

2 Attachments

Starter is probably 60% plain, 40% rye at this stage. Took an age to come together so when shaping I added a fair whack of bread flour to it

Good plan man; I usually prove a lot longer but was following a duff recipe I guess.

The second if yesterday's loaves (a third went to the neighbours, after I miscalculated ratios. A fourth is unbaked, and looking to be mushed into something entirely different, after drying out horribly in the fridge).

80 white, 10 wholemeal, 10 wholegrain, 75 water.

Shaping game still very weak. Cuttin game not utterly rubbish, but still very poor.

1 Attachment

Same again, ARGH. Oh how I'd love a KitchenAid

Tried for the first time this weekend making no knead bread, from this recipe but with 500g flour / 300g of water as suggested by someone here (can't remember the name, sorry). Turned out really good (at least for my taste) and what a satisfaction to make your own bread! What is the general advice to keep the bread as fresh as possible for as long as possible? for example if the loaf is destined to last 3 days, how do you keep it fresh for 3 days?

Crappy Pic, but partner had a much better result when making bread rolls today

1 Attachment

I've got one you can have if you have trouble finding one...

Second ever effort a no knead bread.
Currently cooling! I take the opportunity to ask agin: what is the best way to keep it fresh for 2-3 days?

2 Attachments

Another first-timer here, did the no-knead recipe but added a bit of olive oil into the mix.
Possibly reduced the water/hydration a bit too much, not sure. Also used a pyrex casserole dish as I don’t have a cast iron one, but seems to have done the trick.

1 Attachment

what is the best way to keep it fresh for 2-3 days?

You can’t really. It’s fine the morning after you bake it. Only really good for toast from day 2 onward!

That looks good, and the idea of no-knead sounds right up my alley. Can you share the recipe for this? Particular after the sticky mess of making this potato bread that was finished within 30 minutes of cooling. Need to scale up production.

1 Attachment

okay, then toast it will be! thanks a lot

I used a bastardised version of this one
dropped the water to about 240ml and added 20ml of olive oil - will probs try 260ml or so of water next time

On your kitchen top, cut side down. It'll get chewier with time, but embrace it as flavours are still developing. When it gets really hard to chew, cut thinner slices and toast or dip in olive oil as it.

Best use for me recently with day old bread is French Toast, the Tartine recipe is lovely https://www.slowrisebakehouse.com/blog/recipe-tartine-french-toast-country-bread