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This weekend's baking included Bernard Claytons Pain Allemande aux Fruits.  It's a marvelously fragrant bread, containing lemon zest, orange juice, anise seed, cinnamon, figs, raisins, apricots, prunes, almonds, hazelnuts, butter and other good things.  I made a double batch, since I tend to make a mess in the process of getting everything prepped.  Might as well have four loaves for my efforts as two, right?  Plus, I can give some for gifts and still have some for myself.  

I've tried an awful lot of toys and tweaks in my quest for better bread. But Eric's (ehanner) claim that he doesn't see any benefit to using a baking stone and the recent post asking about La Cloche versus a Dutch oven got me thinking: Each new trick I've learned about has been added on top of all the other tricks I've adopted. It sounds like what happens with government programs - If the one we have isn't doing the job, we don't trash it or improve it. We just create a new one to run beside the old one. I call it "Planning by Acretion."

I had two fairly large pre-frozen dough ball recipes from Neo-Neapolitan P.R. American Pie.  Pre-heated my oven and stone to 550...it was set to come on and be pre-heated automatic for one hour...dough balls were left out to thaw...so when I returned home later that afternoon....everything would be ready for a fast pizza dinner...well under 30 min.

I started baking today and thought I would make a couple loaves of babka. Of course I started and didn't realize I did not have everything. I had no almond paste, no milk powder, or corn syrup. I ran to the store, actually 4 of them and not one had almond paste. Well, I decided (this recipe calls for almond paste, which I love!) I would substitue because I have a recipe that calls for pound cake crumbs. Made it home and then realized someone had eaten the rest of the poundcake. Anyway, I had no filling but my dough was rising.

I have been making these yeast rolls for some time now. Usually for the holidays. I thought I would share. They are very good and light.

Ingredients:

494 Grams Flour (bread)

5     Grams yeast (IDY)

65   Grams Sugar

5     Grams Salt

50   Grams of Egg (beaten)

195 Grams Milk

This is Michel Suas' recipe/formula for "Rotolo Di Natali" from his book "Advance Bread and Pastry".  In the summary at the beginning of the recipe Mr. Suas says: "This ring of dough is usually baked in Italy for Christmas celebrations.  The combination of soft enriched dough and crunchy filling creates an unusual texture, while the appealing presentation makes Rotolo Di Natali a festive centerpiece."

I tried to find the origin and story behind this lovely, deliciously filled sweet bread but was unable to do so.

Help...I am new to this wonderful community and hope you can help...I am in need of a great recipe for raisin walnut sourdough bread.  I have purchased a wonderful loaf from The Kneaded Bread bakery in Port Chester, NY and have made numerous attempts to make it on my own but nothing compares. 

thanks very much...

Linda

Above are pictured three loaves of San Francisco Sourdough made from the recipe in Peter Reinhart's "Crust and Crumb." They each turned out with subtle differences that are instructive regarding the variables that affect the appearance of our loaves. I thought it might be useful to describe these differences and what produced them.