Bread Thread: August 1, 2020

Flour: King Arthur Bread Flour

Ratios:

Dough:
85g leaven (saved the rest for new starter)
350g flour
238g water
1 tsp salt 

71.5% hydration

Process:

Day 1: Mixed dough in evening, overnight on counter.

Day 2: Mixed in 20g walnuts, shaped, put in colander to rest in fridge for 2 hr. 

Remarks: Used Alaea Hawaiian Sea Salt because was out of regular salt. 

Bread Thread: Biscuits Version #8 (Version 1 of Shannon recipe)

Flour: Martha White (shipped to me from Judy!)

Process: Mrs. Shannon's family recipe (not publishing on internet, but is 100% butter + buttermilk)

Remarks: First time using "soft wheat" flour! Biscuits rose wonderfully and browned nicely. Very light and flaky with lots of layers. Froze butter before incorporating. Delicious but somehow I missed the taste of the sourdough, which I guess I now prefer!

Bread Thread: June 22, 2020: Cranberry Walnut

Flour: King Arthur Bread Flour

Ratios:

Dough:
84g leaven (saved the rest for new starter)
350g flour
238g water
1 tsp salt 

71.4% hydration

Process:

Day 1: Mixed leaven in morning, made dough in evening, left overnight on counter. 

Day 2: Folded in mix-ins, baked.

Remarks: Didn't dissolve leaven in water first - just threw everything in the bowl, including salt, and mixed to form shaggy dough. Left in bowl on counter overnight. 

Bread Thread: Biscuits Version #6

Flour: King Arthur AP Flour (sourdough starter mostly King Arthur Bread Flour)

Process: Proportions based on Pinch My Salt recipe. Used 3 tbsp butter and 3 tbsp shortening, and pulsed everything except sourdough starter in the food processor until sandy. Added flour mixture to a bowl with sourdough starter and mixed gently with spatula. Turned dough out onto counter and did a tri-fold (left edge folded in 1/3, followed by right edge), turned the dough, then did another tri-fold the other direction. Patted out into a rectangle and cut into large squares then baked. Checked at 12 minutes and looked a bit blond. Checked again at 15 minutes, still blond but the last time I let them go over 15 min they got a little crunchy.

Remarks: Interior was soft and "biscuity" as G put it, but held together well to toppings (jam, honey, butter). May want to brush the tops with milk next time to promote browning.

Bread Thread: June 8, 2020: Doubled Flax

Flour: King Arthur Bread Flour

Ratios:

Leaven:
35g flour
35g water
1 tbsp starter

Dough:
70g leaven 
350g flour
238g water
1 tsp salt 

40g ground flax

70.9% hydration

Process:

Day 1: Mixed leaven

Day 2: Mixed dough, 2 hour autolyse, 6X S&F every 30 minutes. Shaped and put in colander overnight.

Day 3: Baked

Remarks: Made less leaven this time and dissolved entire thing in the water at the beginning. Added in the flax with all dry ingredients at the beginning. Improved distribution of flax vs. adding in during S&Fs, and didn't seem to affect the dough. The loaf rose up rather than out, so it was tall but did not fill out to the sides of the dutch oven as other loaves have. Highly pleased with color and flavor. 

Bread Thread: June 5, 2020: Cinnamon Raisin Bread!

Flour: King Arthur Bread Flour

Ratios:

Leaven:
75g flour
75g water
1 tbsp starter

Dough:
75g leaven (used remainder for new starter)
350g flour
238g water
1 tsp salt 
Add-in: 150g raisins (191g raisins after hydrating with boiling water/draining), 1/2 c. light brown sugar mixed with 2 tbsp cinnamon


71.1% hydration

Room Temp: 74F (air conditioning)
Humidity: 55%

Process:

Day 1: Mixed leaven, left on counter throughout the day. Mixed dough and left on counter overnight.
Day 2: 6X stretch-and-fold added raisins on 3rd and 4th stretch-and fold. Added cinnamon swirl and rolled up dough into loaf, placed on parchment, proofed 2 hr in the loaf pan. Preheated oven to 400F with a pan of water on the lower rack to create steam. Scored loaf with serrated knife. Baked 15 minutes at 400F with water pan, then removed water pan, lowered to 375F and baked add'l 30 minutes. 

Remarks: The swirl disappeared during baking! Probably was too aggressive on the scoring, which cut into the cinnamon sugar layer, which exploded out of the score during baking. Raisin distribution was good. I skipped the egg wash which probably caused the crust to be a bit on the blonder side, although the recipe said to check internal temp to 200F and after 30 minutes the loaf was 209F. The crumb was very even and perhaps a bit on the wetter side, although technically I "overbaked" it by temperature. Crust was soft and easy to eat. Good cinnamon raisin flavor, smell reminded me of those Sunmaid loaves in the red bag that we had as kids. 

Bread Thread: Biscuits Version 5

Flour: King Arthur AP Flour

Process: Based on Pinch my Salt sourdough discard biscuits recipe (as other versions have been). Used 4 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp shortening for fats. Added 2 tbsp dry buttermilk powder (flavor experiment). Sourdough discard was leftover from bread leaven so it was a little more "awake" than normal discard I use from fridge. Also instead of rolling and using a cutter, I patted dough into a rectangle and used a piece of parchment paper to do a series of folds and cut them into squares right on the parchment to transfer to baking sheet.

Remarks: Taste was good but probably need to add more buttermilk powder to make any difference (1/4 c.?). Don't think the sourdough starter's activity made any difference either. Have been using a pastry cutter to distribute fat but thinking of trying in food processor to make everything more even. Will report back.

Bread Thread: May 30, 2020: Flax for First Add-In!

Flour: King Arthur Bread Flour

Ratios:

Leaven:
75g flour
75g water
1 tbsp starter

Dough:
75g leaven (used remainder for new starter)
350g flour
238g water
1 tsp salt 
Add-in: 20g ground flax seed


71.1% hydration

Room Temp: 74F (air conditioning)
Humidity: 53%

Process:

Day 1: Mixed leaven, left on counter overnight.
Day 2: Mixed dough, autolyse 3 hr, added salt and flax, 6X stretch-and-fold every 30 minutes, bench rest 1 hour, shaped, placed in colander/fridge overnight (~15 hr)
Day 3: Placed on parchment paper, scored, put in cold dutch oven. Placed into oven, set timer for 30 min and preheated to 425F, removed lid after 30 min and baked for further 25 min without lid.

Remarks: Flaxseed mix in gave the loaf a more whole-grain looking appearance without affecting texture/taste very much. Could probably add more next time. Adding flax during stretch-and-fold created somewhat uneven distribution (clumps of flax), so maybe could add the flax during initial mixing of the dough next time. Chewy, tasty and attractive!

Bread Thread: May 25, 2020: Bread Field Trip

Flour: King Arthur AP Flour (America's Test Kitchen Recipe)

Ratios:

Dough:
85g starter (ripe/fed)
520g flour
359g water
1 3/4 tsp salt

71.4% hydration

Room Temp: 74F (Turned on air conditioning)
Humidity: 61%

Process:

Day 1: Mixed dough, left on counter overnight (~14 hours)
Day 2: Shaped, 2 hour proof in oven with pan of boiling water, floured/scored and baked. 

Started loaf in cold dutch oven, covered, set oven to 425F, started 30 min timer while preheating with loaf inside. After 30 min, uncovered and baked add'l 25 min.

Remarks: Dough rose a LOT overnight in the bowl, got stuck to the tea towel. Much more active than previous tries at the same recipe (warmer in kitchen?). After baking, wrapped it up and took it out to a newly reopened winery in Fauquier County! Delicious addition to an outdoor picnic. G seemed pleased that I am getting more consistent results.