Brokeback Cowboy's blog

Levain

237g/  95% White Bread Flour, unbleached

13g/   05% Whole Wheat Flour

250g/ 100% Water (12C)

100g/  20% Mother

1. Dissolve 100g of Mother in 250g water at 12 degrees celcius. 
2. Add liquid to flour and mix until a slack mass forms
3. Refrigerate dough for 6 hours
4. Remove Levain from fridge and let rise at room temperature (18C ideally) for a further 18 hours
5. Allow 24 hours of maturation before using

As the winter season is still in full swing up north I thought it'd be appropriate to post an old school pain d' epice or as it's better known gingerbread. This recipe was inspired by Pierre Herme's Alsatian specialty and is quite similar to his creation in format as well as yield. I've adapted some of the proportions and ingredients to better suit a North American product. I would also like to note that spices in the recipe are variable to the baker's taste and should absolutely be adjusted if you see fit.

I've applied here instructions for a classic Brioche Nanterre. This specific brioche is baked in a loaf pan with 8 individual portions which are brilliant for setting at a tea service to be easily pulled apart. This loaf does break from convention in that it is egg washed twice. Once before rising and the second before going into the oven. This creates a richer and more luxurious color as well as shine. I also break up the ingredients list in to three sections consisting of;

Pre-Ferment (Poolish)

Main Dough

Egg Wash

Being a pastry chef by trade, hazelnut is a fundamental ingredient in my repertoire. Yet it seems a bridesmaid to Walnuts in conventional bread making. While devising a baking menu for an upcoming job I decided to feature a hazelnut bread as my nut based loaf. The difficulty in using hazelnuts is that their flavor is semi subtle and must be exaggerated through other ingredients which in pastry is most commonly done with brown butter, caramel or an earthy chocolate.

As stated by Jan Hedh in his book Swedish Breads and Pastries ‘The advantages of scalding include better kneading abilities, a strong aroma and flavor…making the bread more durable.’

I'd like to start a discussion on the direction that the baking industry is going in. Why is something so fundamentally essential to qualities of human life, trending towards inhumanity. Frankly, the logistics are this; It's a difficult industry to make a living at, the personal costs are innumerably higher than most professions and the overall quality, including of staff as well is decreasing dramatically each year.