Comparing slow vs. fast WW bread process
I have settled on my recipe version of PR's WW bread. It is an adaption of the transitional recipe. I have written about it before but yesterday I had to deal with the fact that my family is eating more of my bread and running out before I can make more. So I tossed PR's 2 day method for whole grain bread for the old way mom used to do it.
Using the same recipe I did it in about 3 1/2 hours. I tossed all of the ingredients into the Kitchenaid and mixed it up, rested it, then kneaded it with the hook for 5 min. Then it got an initial rise/ferment followed by rising in the loaf pan. My youngest daughter used all of the molasses for horse cookies so I used honey instead. That is the principle reason for the slightly lighter color. Other than the color, the differences are the expected coarser texture/crumb, but I don't mean the feel of it so much as the taste of it. The feel of the crumb is essentially the same as the long process bread. All in all it is good bread. I will make it this way in a real pinch. In a minor pinch, having the day but not two, I will use the soaker/biga combination to get the smoother taste. Bottom line is that good ingredients and a good recipe make good bread. Process, as we all know, makes better bread. The better the process, the better the bread.
Here's the original Lee version of PR's Traditional WW Sandwich Bread:
WW loaf
Here is yesterday's quick version w/honey:
WW bread, quick w/honey
If I had a better camera you would see a clearer crumb, but I think you can see that there is little if any apparent difference. While I like the other method, I gotta say this is tasty.
That's my story,
Lee
They are both really good-looking loaves. I generally favor a process that includes a preferment, particularly for whole grains, but as you well demonstrate, if you've got anything close to 4 hours, you can make some very nice bread.
Now, about those horse cookies. Can you wrangle the recipe from your daughter?
You realize these are flour, oats, carrots, molasses, for feeding to horses, not horse shaped cookies to delight the youngsters...?
Lee
PS, I'll have to ask her this weekend, unless the trip to Seattle on Thursday cancels due to weather.
Yep, that's what my horses were hoping you'd say--thanks!
Apparently these came out of my daughter's horse magazine. Sorry for any copyright infringement... and if you don't like the taste of them, don't call me.
Oatmeal Carrot Crunchies
1c dry oatmeal (rolled oats)
1c flour
1c chopped carrots (or grated?)
1tsp salt
1tsp sugar
2tsp veggie oil
1/4c molasses (she has used more, much more)
Preheat oven to 350F
Chop carrots. Mix oatmeal, salt, flour & sugar. Mix in carrots. Stir in oil then molasses until everthing is well mixed. Make into balls and place on a greased cookie sheet (or use muffin tins). Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool before making the horsie happy.
Thanks, leemid, and thank your daughter for me, as well. I spend an unconscionable amount of money on these things at the grain store--no more!
I make WW, not always 100% or if I feel like a lighter WW I sift the bran and add half or 1/4 of it.
I like preferments as the bread does taste better, but I like WW even as a quick bread :)
I add 1 C of unbleached just to lighten it up for the family :)
YUM YUM those loaves look goood!
All I can think of is the whole wheat loaves I used to make before TFL. Low, crumbly and dry. Obviously, your mom knew what she was doing and you sure do. Great loaves, either way. I gotta stop with the ciabatta and baguettes already and make some good whole wheat loaves. Love it all. You make good bread!
Now, do you have any chicken cookie recipes? weavershouse
*giggle*
I wonder what THAT recipe would look like.
Of course, that's why we bake bread, right? (Except for me, I bake for myself mostly.) You don't want to have a daily ritual of evening setup and morning baking?
Anyway, it so happens that I'm making the Reinhart WW Sandwich not-the-transitional going right now. I'm trying out SourdoLady's folding technique, but the dough is a tad wet.
Rosalie
Another weekend, another bake. I don't have to test the fast bake method anymore so this weekend I did the long method for this bread. Differences are that now I have molasses so I didn't use honey, and I did a double batch. My 12 yr old asked if she could have mini-loaves so I put half into 4 4x1.5x1.5" loaf pans that made the cutest loaves (sorry no pictures), and one big normal one. I did the initial biga and soaker early Saturday afternoon and then took the biga out of the fridge Sunday morning, letting it rise until the early afternoon. I made the dough as normal but let it rise longer than normal, maybe 1.5 to 2 hours until it was stretching the plastic wrap WAY tight on the bowl. Made loaves and baked. Couldn't wait until the bread was entirely cooled but cut it at about 80F. Wow! Best WW I have ever made. Lunch today is a ham and turkey on WW sandwich, in just a couple of hours...
Now I'm just a little torn. My sourdough is to die for, I believe and so I am told, sorry for the brag, and can't live happily without it. But now the WW is getting too good not to eat regularly too. And then there's that rye that I love but don't make very often. What am I supposed to do with all of this bread? Maybe I could start a diet fad. Instead of all protein and fat, all carbs from bread. All you can eat. Loose weight like mad. All of the celebrities are doing it...
That's my story,
Lee
It's the better part of a year later, and I am benefitting from more experience. Originally I used Peter R.'s transitional (I think that's what he calls it instead of traditional) WW recipe which is basically 50% ww. I use the long process now, exclusively, that is, the biga and soaker, and I boil the water for the ww soaker. But over time I have adjusted the recipe to suit my purposes. I like even numbers so I smalled the recipe down, mostly because it made a loaf just a little too big for the size pan he asks for, then upped the boiling water since it soaks in better than room temp., then I increased the butter and molasses, which replaces the honey. I have used honey and it is good, but molasses is traditional from Mom. I would list off the recipe now but I'm at work and don't remember the exact numbers. If I get time to log on this weekend, and if you want it, I can list it out.
These days I am trying to perfect my rye recipe so I am not doing WW until I get the rye process down. Kinda miss it...
Lee
I recently read this thread and I am curious as to your final recipe. I have pretty much stuck to the recipe in the book but why right? And how have you over come the family is eating it too fast issue. I too am using the biga and soaker method what I find that works is I make enough dough for 8 loaves of bread. Peter's book says that the pre dough can be refridgerated for up to three days. So I use that to my advantage. I oil up two plastic bags and put both the pre doughs into the fridge. Then in a day or two I will take half of the doughs out and make four loaves of bread and then the next day I use the rest to make buns. Some days I make the bread and buns all in one day. By making such a large batch I find that I have a nice freezer full and I am not tied to the oven so much.
Now I am also very curious about your Rye recipe. That is something I want to get into as well. I have a 5 gallon pail of rye calling to me. But for some reason I am a little intimated with starting a starter. Any insight you can provide will be appreciated.
Again, I can't list off my recipe right now but will later today if you really want it.
The family-eats-too-much part I deal with by making enough ahead as you do and then freezing the extra. Some weeks I guess wrong.
Actually, I haven't had time to work on the rye recipe as I hoped. I have made a couple of attempts but too half-hearted. I think I will have to wait for Spring or Summer.
Lee