Blog posts

Recently we’ve acquired a preference for streusel topped pies over double crusted pies.  One of the nice things about a streusel topping is that you can add spices or nuts to it that might compliment the flavours of the filling.  In this case the filling has both cinnamon and allspice so they were also added to the streusel.  Another thing about streusel toppings is that you can have your pastry rolled out and crimped and then frozen, fill your pie and then throw on the streusel and immediately bake.  It is so fast and simple.

I was thinking the other day about eliminating the butter from my milk breads and remembered the bottle of toasted walnut oil in my cupboard that needed to be used, so I came up with this loaf.  I was in a rush out the door at the time I needed to shape this so I did the lazy thing and shaped it as a batard and not into my usual four lobes.  I actually quite like how this turned out visually especially when topped with black sesame seeds.

Today's bake: Weinheim Carrot Rye   Weinheimer Mohrenbrot (Germany)

Source: The Rye Baker by Stanley Ginsberg

Notes: None

Substitutions:  None

During my experimentation on grinding durum into semola rimacinata, I found out that the 50 mesh sieve I bought got me about 85% extraction on hard red wheat (not sure if it's spring or winter) after a single pass through my stone mill, so I decided to try a bake with it.

Inspired by Will's Altamura and Matera bakes made with 100% semola rimacinata, I wanted to try a durum loaf again. A couple of years ago I acquired a 50lb bag of durum berries from Central Milling while I was up in Logan visiting family, so I wanted to see if I could replicate his results with freshly ground flour.

Phase one

Newfoundland savory spice ordered & incoming. For this first attempt I will be substituting basil for the main flavor component.

Test bake #1 using sweet basil.

Phase #1

The mix

All the players are assembled.

The dry ingredients flour, salt, yeast, and sugar 

Previously i have posted about this ghost town in outback Australia which is being rebuiilt by volunteers, One of the first restoratiuons was the underground bakery which contributes  many needed dollars for further restoration .

The works programme  lasts  a short time when volunteers gather to perform their work. Bakers are essential services and volunteers  are always needed so if you want a real adventure  a holiday in Australia and fancy a unique baking experience this could be for you in 2024. attached is the news letter recently arrived 

I was going to add cinnamon to the purple sweet potato but realized that I wanted this bread for sandwiches so the cinnamon wouldn’t be a good idea.  However, if this bread was for toast, adding some cinnamon to the purple sweet potato would have been delicious.  To make this bread, you’ll need to prepare some mashed purple sweet potato.  I did this a while back, then portioned and froze the portions in ziplock bags.  Once defrosted I blend the mash with a combination of sugar and flour.

A slightly experimental bake, with a stiff French levain (for raising power), a liquid levain (for pH reduction) and an overnight yeasted sponge (for flavour).

All went well, but bulk (to 60% vol increase) was rather fast at 2hrs 10m. Retarded, shaped and baked the following day.

As soon as I turned out the loaves from the bannetons onto the peel they started to spread and I realised the loaves were "classically" overproofed.

Sure enough, the ears and loft were poor and the crumb was closer, more regular and more "frogspawn" than I like.

With Callebaut Gold and white chocolate. 

This is the highest-rise panettone I've baked yet, due in part to some changes in the way I'm maintaining the lievito madre, and some alterations I'm making to the recipe to improve the first impasto.  

The crumb is soft, moist, lofty, shreddable. There is no trace of acidity, or of toughness, dryness or other common problems. The flavor comes from 1. mellow complexity from the 12-hour rise on first impasto (which tripled in exactly 12 hours at 22-24C), the Vanilla, toffee, pecans, and chocolate.