A few weeks ago I asked around at TFL if I could freeze my starter. Thanks for the all the tips: I turned half of the starter into ice cubes, left the other half in the fridge. The result: the icecubed starter needed some awakening (feeding for 2-3 days). It has a stronger taste then the starter I put in the fridge. Both as still very useable.
Being a new member in this cool informative site, i would like to share my newest attempt to bake a Mild Rye loaf (50% AP). Pictures attached will do the talking. However, the crumb was gilatinous and rubbery, beacuse the dough was very hydrated. The end result, had a bland taste rubbery crumb, though airy and somewhat spongy. I'll reduce hydration next time.
I don't have any vital gluten, so i kneaded the dough in runnung water to get rid of some starch.
Iam learning as i go..
I made another batch of the baguettes described previously in http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/11925/baguette-surprise-and-challenge.
The only significant changes in the procedure were:1) I did not add the salt until after a 50 minute autolyse, 2) I was more meticulous in gently pre-shaping and shaping and 3) I let the loaves proof more fully. 4) I also poured about twice as much water over the pre-heated lava rocks to steam the oven.
Firstly, thanks to those who welcomed me to TFL!
Recently, I inherited some rather large loaf tins - 12" x 5". At the time, the person that passed them on said "I wouldn't even bother using them, I just can't get a loaf baked in the middle!" to which I scoffed a little. Hah! I am quite the baker now! I won't have those problems!
Now, these tins look big. You could drop the Grand Canyon in one of them. Well, compared to the cute little 9x5, that is. And I now have four. What to bake first?
My "San Joaquin Soudough" formula grew out of explorations of the technique used by Anis Bouabsa for his prize-winning baguettes. I have discussed this in detail in earlier blog entries on TFL. This remains one of my favorite breads, but I'm always looking for ways to improve on it.
Hamelman's 5-grain Levain and Seeded sourdough from "Bread" have been among my favorites for some time, but his 5-grain Sourdough Rye somehow had escaped my attention, in spite of several posts by others, until LindyD recently made it. At first, I was not clear that this was a different bread from the 5-grain Levain, but I eventually caught on. When I looked at the formula, I knew I would love it, and I do.
Thanks, Lindy! This is a wonderful bread.
David Snyder's thread on these baguettes seems to be closed so I will post this in my blog instead. Here is his recipe, in case you missed it the first time around.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/11925/baguette-surprise-and-challenge
I found a vintage waffle maker by Munsey at the thrift store this morning, and of course there was no manual included. I have never owned a waffle maker of any type but plan on making sourdough waffles when the grandgirls spend the night. Does any member own a Munsey, Model BW-4, and what are the basic rules for making waffles? Apart from not putting in too much batter, that is. There is no light so how will I know when it is ready? Maybe I'll stick to pancakes... A.
I forgot that I could post photos right here on this site! This is my aromatic rosemary olive oil bread. I think I overbaked it, considering the dark coloring even in the scoring. I think it's beautiful, but did I bake it for too long? It registered 205F when I took an internal temperature after baking.
This afternoon I had some starter left over from a refreshment and decided I would make something from my newly acquired BBA. Aha! Poolish baguettes sound good. Until halfway through I realized I had no ww flour. So I substituted the 4oz of spelt flour left from my co-op shopping spree and some rye, spiked with 1 tbsp of vital wheat gluten. I also noticed I was out of instant yeast. Oh well, I used a tsp off of the block of active dry I got at Costco. Then I saw I was out of filtered water (our tap water is unpredictable as far as hardness goes). Oh well, too late to turn back.
