Hi TFL folks.
Long time, no post, but I couldn't let an Easter pass without my customary hot cross bun report. First, some eye candy (healthier to indulge via the eyes than scoff these fat-and-calorie bombs, especially if, like me, you allow yourself the indulgence of slathering on the butter - it's fortunate Easter comes but once per year).
Why yes, I am. But this time, I had to tear myself away from my standard Baguette Crusade. My wife wanted me to try making a batard out of the same dough so that she could slice pieces large enough to ensure that the bread would serve as more than just a bite-sized snack. And I had just enough left over for a skinny cross-hatched baguette.
Applying what I learned when I went back to basics, I mixed up a total levain based sourdough. Of course during the rising period I had my doubts and although I have a multitude of patience being married to Mr. A.D.D., I get impatient watching the dough rise!
very happy with the oven spring
formula:-
70% bread flour
30% freshly milled wholewheat flour
1.8% salt
30% starter (over 3 builds)
60% hydration
dried longan rehydrated with hot water, liquid from rehydration then used to make up 60% hydration as per above
mix everything save for the salt until a shaggy mess
autolyse 30 mins
add salt, knead for 5 mins rest 5 mins knead another 5 mins
Lucy was going to do something else but came back to one of my favorites – Mediterra’s Pecan and Cranberry Sourdough. This great bakery, located in the small AZ town of Coolidge, AZ, supplies the local Whole Foods with some of their upscale breads – including this one. Here is there web site http://mediterrabakehouse.com/
After my less than spectacular Forkish Country Brown....good flavor, not as good oven spring as I would like, I was advised by my mentor (you know who you are) to go back to basics.
Hamelman's 5-grain Levain is one of our favorite breads. My wife and I always have some on hand in the freezer (it freezes quite well), ready to toast a slice for breakfast or for a sandwich. It also lends itself to all kinds of variations since it is easy to modify the ingredients and relative amounts of the soaker. I have used cracked rye (as called for in the original recipe) and have also had success with bulghur wheat. This time, inspired by this post earlier this year, I tried it with freek
