Bread

Thanks for the pretzel recipe whoever you are!

So quick and easy and so tasty!

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Really want to buy tartine book but have a self imposed embargo on new cook books in the house. Have too many already

They look great. So easy, definitely something I’ll continue to make post lockdown.

Happy with my latest effort, more starter (140g out of 700g dough), higher hydration (73%), and longer autolyse (90 minutes) paid off. Taking it out of the bowl 30 minutes before sliding it into the oven was a mistake though, lost it's shape a bit.

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My tastes may be more plebeian but I disagree with this. We keep it in paper for the first day or two and then add a plastic bag over that later. Obviously the taste changes and the longevity will be affected by the type of grain and style of preparation (sourdough lasts best) but still very edible within a three day window. Past that time it's french toast, and heels to keep brown sugar moist et cetera.

I've been having some banneton sticking issues- and note that many people use rice flour.
I understand this is because its gluten free?
So- can I use gluten free oat glour? (as I can't be bothered to go find/ buy any more flour)

Today’s meh looking loaf. Hoping the two doughs retarding in the fridge come out a bit more interesting.

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Thanks for the recipe, I will definitely be making these again. Trying not to eat them all today..

🤨

I think yes, any gluten-free flour should be fine. I use cornflour.

The dough came out crap, it went in flat, the proof was dodgy etc. Will probably taste nice, but I reckon it’ll be a bit dense.

I would have been well pleased with it, was a bit miffed about that.

Buy the sourdough school book instead.

Or polenta works well.

That the Vanessa Kimball one? What's it like - more technical, lots of recipes?

Technical, readable and lots of recipes and variations.

Oat flour works great.
'Doughs 5-8.
Dough not as springy as would have hoped. But chocolate/walnut/currant looks promising.
All 75% hydration with thanks to foodgeek.
Some scoring variation too.

And crumb shots...

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Those all look great!

I had a go with the no-knead recipe using 100g starter, bit less water & a bit more flour - largely just winging it, looks no bad - still to cut it though

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Ta-daaaaa!

7.5/10 would bake again tomorrow

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That chocolate loaf looks banging.

Very nice; how were these baked? And which recipe did you use for the chocolate loaf? Somewhere I've got a book with the recipe for the one that the Lighthouse Bakery in Battersea (of blessed memory) used to do.

I think I may have been shaping too late. This was shaped earlier and also put lower in the fridge. Shaping was easier and being in the cooler part of the fridge also probably helped retard and allowed for a much longer prove.

Better oven spring as a result.

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As per the Foodgeek recipe.
In our large crockpot. (and at 250 C and then 230 C for 15covered/20uncovered and 20/2o for plain and chocolate respectively).

@nefarious - it is genuinely one of the best things I've ever cooked.

How much kneading do you do when you bake a fairly standard loaf?

I mix all my ingredients then knead by hand, in bowl, for maybe a minute. Would my dough get stronger with more kneading before I do the 3-4 folds?

For me, always by hand, around five minutes of kneading on a lightly floured surface. When the gluten is completely ‘ready’ the dough will be super smooth and when you try and stretch the dough you can see it stretching rather than breaking or fracturing. You shouldn’t end up with a bit in each hand, it should just stretch.
There are see through tests you can do but I’ve never used them.
White flour requires less work and less water than wholemeal or rye ime.