Here are my first 2 bakes following Mariana and Benito's advice...After a few weeks of complete failures using a super high-end-but-impossible-to-work-with fresh milled flour, I realized thanks to Mariana that it would be best to put the aforementioned flour aside for a while and go back to a more ''user-friendly'' one...
So here I am, with 2 beautiful loaves: I am pretty happy with the oven spring, especially compared to the flat pancakes I invariably ended with up the past few weeks! The shaping could have been better, but overall, it's not too bad...
I am a bit disappointed with the crumb though, I was hoping it would be a tiny bit more open!
The fermentation seems to be on-point-ish, but I'm not sure...
I followed FoolProofBaking's protocol to the letter:
60% Anita's AP flour / 20% Org bread flour / 20% whole wheat flour
76% hydration
20% inoculation / Starter 100% 90% bread flour/10% Rye flour
1h autolyze
4h30 bulk at 27C with 4 coil folds
Cold retard in the fridge at 3C
Bake at 250C for 20mn with lid (Dutch Oven) + 20mn at 230C without lid
Beautiful breads, Gail. Congratulations! These loaves are truly perfect.
I am happy that you are relieved. Nothing compares to the misery of struggling with bad flour, or simply inadequate flour. I understand what you went through. Thank God it's over!
💖💖💖
m.
Thank you for your kind words Mariana :-)
Congratulations on two beautiful loaves. And I'll bet they taste as good as they look.
Richard
Thank you, Richard, they did taste like heaven!!
Gaëlle, they are beautiful loaves that anyone would be proud of. I think we bakers are perfectionists and our own toughest critics (I know I am of myself). I think you’ve done extremely well and I’m glad you have some success, it is so empowering when things work out so well. Give yourself a pat on your back.
Benny
You're ZE best, Benny :-)