First bake of 2015: Country Blonde from FWSY
Ken Forkish calls this "Overnight Country Blonde," but that doesn't describe the method I used.
Two days before baking, I activated some levain from my refrigerated mother starter. I let this ripen to a "young" stage, where it had doubled in volume. Bubbles were just starting to appear on the surface and, the aroma was fruity, not vinegary. I then mixed a half batch of Forkish's levain (which is still about double what I needed for the bread I was making). This was mixed at about 11pm and fermented overnight. The day before baking, I mixed the final dough at about 8 am. At about 7 pm, I divided and shaped the dough. After about 45 minutes at room temperature, I refrigerated the loaves. They were baked today at 4 pm, after sitting at room temperature for about 90 minutes.
I haven't tasted it yet, but it sure smells delicious. In fact, the whole house smells delicious with the aroma of fresh-baked bread, complimented by the smell of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.
I gotta go wash some chard, fry some fish, pour some pinot grigio and slice some bread. 2015 is getting off to a pretty good start chez nous. I hope it's the same for you all!
Happy baking in 2015!
David
Comments
They look fantastic! One question: You say that you mixed the dough at 8 am, then shaped the loaves at 7 pm. Did all of that bulk fermentation take place at room temperature?
I'm also really interested in the room-temperature rest before retarding the loaves, and the 1.5 hour warm-up before baking. Always in search of the best way to bake after a long cold proof.
Great start to the year!
Bulk fermentation was at room temperature. My kitchen was probably between 68 and 70 dF most of the time. That seems to result in timings close to what Forkish describes. In the Summer, when my kitchen runs 75-78 dF, everything speeds up a lot!
The time warming up after cold retardation depends on the condition of the loaves which depends on how long they remained at room temperature between shaping and refrigeration and room temperature. As always, watch the dough, not the clock.
David
David: Looks fantastic. Love the baskets, too. I haven't made a blonde loaf and will have to try. Just took your San Joaquin baguettes out of the oven. I am improving, but near your level of expertise yet. Best, Phyllis
I have been making mostly whole grain breads ... well, between 30 and 100% whole grain ... and I had a craving for a mostly white sourdough. This is a delicious example of that type.
I hope you enjoy the baguettes!
Best wishes to you and your family for 2015, and Happy Baking!
David
to start out 2015 with a bang. Sometimes you just have to have white bread. This one looks lovely. Well done and
Happy baking in 2015 David.
And happy baking in 2015 to you and Lucy!
David
And you didn't shape it too well allowing it to burst FSWY style. Very nice. Tasty start to the year.
Josh
I concentrated really hard on neglecting my boules' seam sealing to get that style! Not only that, I remembered to proof the loaves seam side down!
Bread baking has definitely enhanced my ability to do calculations in my head. All that bakers math. Maybe it's preventing short term memory loss too.
Who'da thunk? Turns out artisan baking prevents dementia!
David
a claim as gluten causing schizophrenia.
Maybe the doctors will catch your post, back it with a newspaper article suggesting such, followed by hordes of folks learning bread baking to eradicate dementia once and for all. Of course they won't eat the bread. Wouldn't want to diffuse the dementia just to have a schizophrenic flare up now.
Sorry I had to
Josh
Looks fantastic David! Did you use a dutch oven, or did you use your SFBI steam method?
Best,
Ed
I used Lodge Combo Cookers. (Cast iron Dutch ovens)
David
Look great!
What a great way to start the new year - excellent outcome!
I hope you continue to inspire us in 2015! I am about to refresh my levain to get your baguettes on the way. Just this week I tried another recipe, based on a poolish (a 2 day affair as well) to change things around. However, they were no comparison! And I always use your mix of flours to refresh my levain, that is just the best way to do this.
Are you still continuing with your Italian classes? That is the method (learning a language) I always recommend to fight off dementia, now I have to add bakers math! :)
Yes. We plan on continuing our Italian classes. The new language ability is valuable. It's a nice social experience as well. But you can't eat it! ;-)
David
David, thank you for clarifying the fermentation and proofing timing. Such a good thing to remind myself all the time: Pay attention to the dough itself, not to your expectations of dough based on your recipe/formula!
Those loaves look fantastic, the splits in the crust look like fissures in the earth's crust. Very appetizing!
Nice glossy crumb, stunning fissures, a very nice boule in general.
David