What are you baking?
- Thread starter kittyP
- Start date
Stellar!It does taste good but just of plain old cake. The colours are misleading
I think the key might be the freeze the stars as they broke up
This but does look almost 60% like something reminiscent of a star though, if you squint:
View attachment 98068
Two of the baguettes weren't flour coated when slashed, so turned out a bit dull. Subsequent attempts at post hoc flouting didn't really work :lol:
And not for the first time, I'm a bit disappointed by kugelhopf.
Fingers crossed, and fuckups aside, these should be the last things ever cooked in our current oven!
And not for the first time, I'm a bit disappointed by kugelhopf.
Fingers crossed, and fuckups aside, these should be the last things ever cooked in our current oven!
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
mrs quoad - why do you make the crust dusty with flour? is it just a garnish type thing?
It makes slashing both easier (it smooths the path of the knife / lame), and more aesthetically pleasing (it gives a lovely patina, and contrasts starkly with the unfloured slashes). And, tbh, most bread will be floured anyway - dough isn't *that* easy to handle without flour, and it's impossible to leave it proving anywhere without something to stop it sticking. Usually flour or oil; usually flour for the last, shaped prove.
Slashing is necessary because bread - once in the oven - *will* expand, and if you don't steer its path, then it will crack and split along the line of least resistance.
If you look at the baguette that's second down, you can see that happening. The natural fault in the dough - the seam from folding and shaping it - wasn't properly closed, so it provided a far more appealing avenue for expansion than the three slashes I'd put across it. As a result, it hasn't blown open across the three diagonal slashes, which are barely visible; it's blown open across a long crescent-shaped lengthways vent. (And that's the baguette that's third from left in the couche cloth, already showing pretty clearly what will happen once it's in the oven - you can see the fault that's going to blow! That was also the first baguette I shaped...)
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
I am always a bit reserved with flouring surfaces when kneading/shaping as I'm worried I'll be adding too much flour to the original recipe
I usually use tins as well and don't tend to get broken crusts.
I like the look of these though.
I usually use tins as well and don't tend to get broken crusts.
I like the look of these though.
You have completely uncracked crusts? I'm intrigued! Low-gluten / low-rise bread? Vast amounts of steam in the oven?
So long as a crust has formed and the loaf is still rising, I *think* a crack is inevitable
WAY back when I was baking with tins, the persistent tendency of my loaves to split along one side was one of the reasons I finally ended up slashing. (After realising what was going on).
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
I don't claim to be any good at baking and I haven't made a lot of bread, but the only time I've had big cracks in the crust is when I haven't used a tin.You have completely uncracked crusts? I'm intrigued! Low-gluten / low-rise bread? Vast amounts of steam in the oven?
So long as a crust has formed and the loaf is still rising, I *think* a crack is inevitable
WAY back when I was baking with tins, the persistent tendency of my loaves to split along one side was one of the reasons I finally ended up slashing. (After realising what was going on).
My mum baked bread when I was a kid and didn't get cracks in the top.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
This is the only photo I can find of any bread I've made:
Looks agreeably risen and none too cracked!
Edit: though suggestions here that it's likely to be under or over proved: What causes the crown of the bread to crack during baking?
Edit: though suggestions here that it's likely to be under or over proved: What causes the crown of the bread to crack during baking?
kittyP
Pluviophile
You appear to have glass owls growing out of your bread!?
kittyP
Pluviophile
I made 2 batches of florentines over Christmas.
Each batch made about 30 pieces, very uneven sizes.
They were so simple but absolutely gorgeous. I don't think I've ever been so pleased with something I've baked.
Morello cherry and coconut with one side covered in dark chocolate. All organic (for my mum).
I am however very cross I didn't take any proper photos.
These are the last two
Each batch made about 30 pieces, very uneven sizes.
They were so simple but absolutely gorgeous. I don't think I've ever been so pleased with something I've baked.
Morello cherry and coconut with one side covered in dark chocolate. All organic (for my mum).
I am however very cross I didn't take any proper photos.
These are the last two
I feel I've got bread sorted in the new oven. And it's giving them a tremendous undercrust, compared to its predecessor. (Possibly a better rise too?! It bloody well should do, given the formal steam setting!)
Other things need more work.
Macarons: yeah. Tbf, I fucked these by overworking the Italian meringue. Still disappointed that the green shells browned. (I've *never* managed unbrowned green shells...)
Sourdough ciabatta: fucked it totally. Insufficient proving. Like hot, folded dough.
Revenge yeasted ciabatta: proved on both oven proving settings, in sequence, as recommended. Insufficient folding. Kinda like cake. (Fucking hell, is that really what non sour white bread tastes like?! Bewildered!)
Pizzas: fucking awesome. And cooked at 275 degrees.
And lots and lots of loaves. Lol.
I like this oven. But need to get to know it better!
Other things need more work.
Macarons: yeah. Tbf, I fucked these by overworking the Italian meringue. Still disappointed that the green shells browned. (I've *never* managed unbrowned green shells...)
Sourdough ciabatta: fucked it totally. Insufficient proving. Like hot, folded dough.
Revenge yeasted ciabatta: proved on both oven proving settings, in sequence, as recommended. Insufficient folding. Kinda like cake. (Fucking hell, is that really what non sour white bread tastes like?! Bewildered!)
Pizzas: fucking awesome. And cooked at 275 degrees.
And lots and lots of loaves. Lol.
I like this oven. But need to get to know it better!
Artaxerxes
Look out, he's got a gnu!
Today I'm indulging an urge I've had for a while and attempting to make a Sourdough starter and ultimately a loaf next weekend.
I'd gladly offer to post some, but can't see any way of doing so that wouldn't turn out horrendously wrong
Have got a spiced fruit loaf (or two) proving.
Have intentions to make a 100% hydration loaf tomorrow too.
(Tbf, had intentions to make one of them today. But the fruit loaves were autolysing by the time I remembered!)
kittyP
Pluviophile
I got given one at Christmas and instead of binning it like I have before, I've been baking bread. It's really easy and really nice
Good luck! There's a thread somewhere on suburban about it with some good links.
Oh please share polly
The spirit in which I started this thread was about enjoying baking even if it goes wrong.
And it seems like you have not gone wrong so go on give us a peek
xx
kittyP
Pluviophile
What is this when it's at home?
polly
Well-Known Member
Oh please share polly
The spirit in which I started this thread was about enjoying baking even if it goes wrong.
And it seems like you have not gone wrong so go on give us a peek
Aw, you are lovely
I haven't got pictures but there is a 'sponge' currently doing its magical thing, so if it looks pretty when it's bread tomorrow, I'll post one. I've only made two loaves so far. One was a bit too dry and one was a bit too wet, but both tasted lovely (the wet one was waaay better), so that's what I mean when I say it's easy: you can be completely impatient and cackhanded and still turn out something yummy, even if it's not a masterpiece Wet.
Very, very wet.
Bakers %ages are the % of the total flour that any ingredient comprises.
That sounds really awkward. Best shown.
1000g (1kg of flour)
+70% (700g) water
2% (20g) salt
30% (300g) starter
So a 100% loaf would have 1kg / litre of water to 1kg flour. (Plus starter / salt).
Wiki has a page.
Baker percentage - Wikipedia
Not sure if that's more helpful / illustrative!
For reference, my bog standard loaf is 70% hydration. I'll rack that up to 75% hydration +5% oil for focaccia / ciabatta.
I've never tried anything more.
But wetter = bigger bubbles! And it's a tempting try.
(There is literally no way this will be freestanding in the oven - will *have* to be a tin bake).
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+1! Thumbs.Oh please share polly
The spirit in which I started this thread was about enjoying baking even if it goes wrong.
And it seems like you have not gone wrong so go on give us a peek
polly
Well-Known Member
Ah yeah! This was my experience too. But it didn't rise very much. Will yours or is that just normal?
kittyP
Pluviophile
Aw, you are lovely
If it eats well that's all that matters
polly
Well-Known Member
Yeah. (I am really clueless and too impatient to read any blogs properly)
wtfftw
melting like a toastie
bonus points for pretty and/or pretty disastrous.If it eats well that's all that matters
polly
Well-Known Member
I follow this one, very roughly
Simple sourdough loaves But found his quantities for the sponge far too dry, so I used more water, about 2 cups I think last time.
