Procrastination

browndog on 19 Apr 2007 at 14:46
Submitted by browndog5 on April 19, 2007 - 10:18am.

After being graciously guided through the process of starter CPR by BWraith, I found myself with a significant (and growing) stash of starter cast-off. Thought I would save it for the next batch of dog biscuits, but a remark of Mini Oven's that the discard can be pressed into service as poolish gave me paws. (I am SO sorry...) So instead of actually making sourdough bread with my born-again starter, I took the spare and made some yeasted oatmeal bread. (About 5 cups of flour, about a cup of rolled oats, about a third cup of maple syrup, a handful of raisins and some other stuff.) That's a pretty anemic spiral, I agree, but further in it blossomed a little . The other loaf is a spiral-free zone.


Oatmeal About Bread

Don't care about the paws, I have four. And what was that about biscuits? Biscuits, I want a biscuit. In fact, I NEED a biscuit! A whole bunch of them! Now!

Gizmo the Dawg

(Susan's Yorkie)

 

 

What purrrrrrrrrrr-dee loaves.  (Sorry, I'm a cat person.:o)  You are a skilled slasher, too.  Those are really nice.
zolablue--horses, reptiles, plus a couple reps from the primate class that pop in now and again to say hi and have dinner. I used to think I was a pretty clever puppy cuz I can usually get a decent result with cross-hatch slashing. Then I found there are folks here can practically create murals on their loaves (Bill and Paddyscake spring to mind.) But thanks, and by the by, I see Ciabatta was your first choice to introduce yourself to bread-making. I find that very telling, and I bet you produce some extraordinary artwork as well as beautiful bread!

You are way too kind!!  I want to try your crosshatch!! really nice. I am always having a hard time with left over starter..I hate dumping it..I know, it's just flour and water, but when you spend your time cultivating a "living" yeastie beastie..it's hard to say sayonara!

Just when I get discouraged, someone like you post beautiful pics of your creations. You are a credit to your kitchen! My hats off to you!

                                                                               Audra 

Now that is art!

It's been said, I couldn't slash my way out of a paper bag. Care to reveal any secrets?

Can't--what if my husband visits this site? Oh, did you mean-? Gosh, you're sweet, redivy, but upon reflection, the only 'secret' I can claim to be privy to is having some idea according to the character of the dough, what kind of slash it'll bear. The slacker the dough the less adventurous I'll be cutting it, I can assure you. With the cross-hatch I've found that results vary tremendously depending on how well-proofed the dough is, sometimes there's so much ovenspring it looks like you plopped little wooden blocks all over the top of your bread, which in fact is kind of neat. And sometimes if it's baked 'late' or it's a lot of rye or whole wheat the cuts just sit there in the most un-dramatic fashion. Also how deep you cut has a significant impact- I think on this bread the depth was about a quarter inch. My long serrated bread knife works best for me, I wouldn't be brave enough to try it with a razor. All that being said, there are people here who can do stellar slashes on very soft dough that are quite beyond me.

I don't know at all what to expect. When you slash with your serrated bread knife, do you get clean cuts or does the dough drag. I have a really sharp, thin bladed filet knife. Might that work? Dip in water first or something?

I've been avoiding the whole thing up to now by snipping with kitchen shears. There is absolutely no drama: no one will ever say "Oooh, look at those lucious snips!"

Will leave it at that as I have used up all the self-control I have to insert zero off-color witticisms!

Good Lord, I need someone to play with! It kills me every time anyone posts anything about buns...My bread knife does a very clean job, otherwise I'd be quite angry with it, unless there are bumpy things in the dough, like, well, raisins or oatmeal, cracked wheat, whatever. then I just have to be careful to attend to whatever the road block is, do a bit of sawing, don't try to bull through it. No water-dipping neccesary, the caveat being that I have not graduated to higher-hydration doughs and it may be the rules are different there. And the knife I use for breads that have pretty good surface tension and an even texture? My curvy thin boning knife which is awfully like a filet knife, your filet knife might be better (longer, thinner?) In fact it seems to me so perfectly suited shapewise I don't see why it's not everybody's first choice, but I'm sure the high-end slashers around here have their reasons. Hey, I just realized that pumpernickel trout is you! I LOVE that photo--and I hope you're not doing anything untoward with that filet knife.