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. 

Bread Thread: May 17, 2020: Distracted Fold

Flour: King Arthur Bread Flour

Ratios:

Leaven:
75g flour
75g water
1 tbsp starter

Dough:
75g leaven (used remainder for new starter)
365g flour
238g water
1 tsp salt

68.5% hydration

Room Temp: 74F (Turned on air conditioning)
Humidity: 87%

Process:

Day 1: Mixed leaven, left on counter overnight
Day 2: Mixed dough, autolyse 2 hour (ish), 2 or 3X stretch and fold (got distracted baking G's birthday cake) at an uneven time frequency, Overnight fridge proof (~13hrs)
Day 3: Baked

Removed from colander, placed on parchment sheet and scored. Settled gently into cold dutch oven, placed into cold oven and started 30 min timer and preheat to 425F at the same time. At the end of 30 minutes, removed lid and baked additional 20 minutes. 

Remarks: The loaf did not hold surface tension as well during shaping with the bench scraper (probably because I was not very diligent with gluten development during stretch and fold). So, the final loaf was a little flatter than previous tries. The lower temperature also resulted in a blonder crust although the interior had a good sour flavor and lightly chewy texture. 

Bread Thread: May 13, 2020: Higher Temps, Better Crust?

Flour: King Arthur Bread Flour

Ratios:

Leaven:
75g flour
75g water
1 tbsp starter

Dough:
75g leaven (used remainder for new starter)
365g flour (meant to be 385g flour, but I ran out)
238g water
1 tsp salt

68.5% hydration

Room Temp: 76F
Humidity: 59%

Process:

Day 1: Mixed leaven, left on counter overnight
Day 2: Mixed dough, autolyse 1 hour, 4X stretch and fold, Overnight fridge proof (~15hrs)
Day 3: Baked

Removed from colander, popped one giant bubble on surface, placed on parchment sheet and scored. Settled gently into cold dutch oven, placed into cold oven and started 30 min timer and preheat to 475F at the same time. At the end of 30 minutes, removed lid and baked additional 20 minutes. 

Remarks: The loaf was quite tall again, as the previous one. The increased temp caused the top to brown much more (which I wanted) but one side got very brown while the other side was lighter like my previous loaf. (Why?? One side of my oven is hotter than the other? One side of the bread was wetter than the other??) 

Used bench scraper for shaping after stretch-and-fold, but don't think it was any rounder than doing it by hand.

Bread Thread: May 9, 2020: Standing Tall!

Flour: King Arthur Bread Flour (yay, I found some!!)

Ratios:

Leaven:
75g flour
75g water
1 tbsp starter

Dough:
75g leaven (used remainder for new starter)
385g flour
238g water
1 tsp salt

65.2% hydration

Room Temp: 74F
Humidity: 36%

Process:

Day 1: Mixed leaven, left on counter overnight
Day 2: Mixed dough, autolyse 1 hour, 6X stretch and fold, Overnight fridge proof (~15hrs)
Day 3: Baked

Removed dough from colander, placed on ungreased parchment, scored, gently settled into cold dutch oven, covered, placed in cold oven. Started oven and timer for 30 minutes at the same time (425F). At the end of 30 minutes, removed lid and baked another 25 minutes until browned. Cooled completely on rack, sliced.

Remarks: Tallest loaf yet! Could already tell during the rest that it was standing up much taller (due to reduced hydration?). The crumb was very light and the crust was crisp and thin. It was harder to slice in that placing any pressure on it at all compressed the bread. Much less sour taste, more of a bready taste (??)

Leaven made with bread flour had a beer smell, unlike previous tries that had more of a yogurt smell (AP flour).

Bread Thread: May 3, 2020: The Loaf Speaks

Flour: King Arthur AP Flour

Ratios:

Leaven:
75g Flour
75g Water
1 tbsp Starter

Dough:

75g leaven (used the remainder to start new starter)
262g Water
350g flour
1 tsp salt

75% hydration

Humidity: 85% (did not turn on AC yet)
Room Temp: 78F

Process:
Day 1: Mixed leaven, left overnight on counter
Day 2: Mixed dough, 6X stretch & fold every 30 minutes, left overnight in fridge (in colander with rice floured tea towel)
Day 3: Baked

Preheated dutch oven + lid to 500F
Dough on parchment paper, closed lid 20 min
Reduced to 450F, 10 min
Removed lid, 15 min
Checked, added 10 min
Cooled completely on rack, sliced.

Remarks: Dough was wet but held surface tension well during shaping. After fridge proof, smelled good and passed poke test. Bottom sounded hollow when thumped. However, had a very large air pocket across the entire bottom crust.

Notes/Suggestions:
Andy - reduce hydration, preheat lid of dutch oven only
Radford - use bread flour
Emily W - Use starter 8-10 hours after last feeding, then do "float test" on leaven before making dough

Bread Thread: Biscuits Version 4

May 2, 2020

Flour: King Arthur Cake Flour

Process: Used 100% cake flour (+ sourdough discard) and 100% shortening. Continued to use pastry cutter and pat out dough on counter, small water glass to cut out.

Remarks: Outside was crunchy and inside was very tender, but with less flavor than the butter versions. The structure did not hold as well as previous versions, so got more "sploot" with the biscuits spaced out on the cookie sheet. The biscuits made from the scraps rose a LOT more than the cut out ones.