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So I needed to bake more presents and planned to repeat my star shaped bake, but last minute decided to use a more traditional rolled bun shaping.  I also made some creamed cheese icing to top these.  My partner and I got to quality control this bake as I cut one bun out and can report that they are quite yummy.  although you definitely get the cinnamon, the ginger carries through the finish.  As expected, the crumb is fluffy, shreddable and so soft.  I’ll keep this recipe for another Christmas to bake again.

I’ve wanted to make a bread done with this star shaping for quite sometime so decided that Christmas baking was the perfect time to try it out.  It is fun and pretty easy overall to do.  Because I needed this to be done fairly quickly I didn’t convert this recipe to sourdough and instead just used IDY.

Formula:

Let me say at the outset that I've been reading this site for nearly 20 years but never felt compelled to post anything until this week... I've also been baking professionally for a long time and never encountered a challenge quite like this... they don't call it the Mount Everest of baking for nothing!

Please see here and here to learn more about concentrated lactic acid sourdough (CLAS). 

It had action on day 2 & 3 after that it slowed down then stopped .. using King Arthur bread flour .. was feeding once a day for 3 days then twice a day.. I accidentally discarded on day two… it’s in my microwave with a paper towel and rubber band … the first few days I had the lid on then switched upon reading .. maybe that’s the problem? Is it saveable? 
my hair accidentally dipped into one of them just a few mins ago should I throw it out? Did I poison them? 

Eureka! Though trial and error I have successfully recreated the authentic, iconic NYC Kaiser roll. Brought to America by our German Jewish neighbors. These are the big ones of breakfast sandwich fame. 

Check another one off the list.

Kaiser rolls-✅

This is a variation on the Infinity Bread from the recent Community Bake.  The original used emmer as the third flour, and in a subsequent bake I posted a bread with einkorn.  This time spelt became the third flour, and I am pleased with the result.  Not as much oven spring as with the other two, but that seems typical of spelt.  The flavor is great, and the crust has a nice crispiness.

I ran across this post by CalBeachBaker of Jalapeno Cheese Bread a while ago and put it on my to bake list.  Yesterday was the day.  

I didn't make many baguettes for several years due to having a gas oven.  Then I got an oblong combo cooker which made them, along with batards, possible again with gas.  But now that I have an electric oven after ten years with gas I remember what I was missing.  These were baked on the stone with 5 ice cubes in a cast iron pan for steam.