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Post by spinal on Oct 7, 2013 12:55:14 GMT
So following the advice here, I started keeping track of what goes into my bread's dough... Then I thought - why would I keep a paper diary of this, when I can put it here, get some feedback and comments and include pictures?! So... here goes... < 29 Sept Ingredients 1 & 2 Placeholder > (recipe 2 is the big boule, the others are from recipe 1) Critique: Need to keep track of rising and cooking times and temps... big boule should have been let to rest a little longer.
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Post by spinal on Oct 7, 2013 13:11:46 GMT
5-October-2013 Recipe (based on barney's recipe) 500g Molino Caputo blue flour 350g water 7.1g fresh yeast -> Mix well, then allow to rest overnight. Add: 300ml water 15g fresh yeast 500g Molino caputo flour 1 tsp salt 3 tbs olive oil -> Let that rise "a while", then stretched into sandwich-bread shapes. Allowed to rest a further 30 minutes, then put into (electric) oven at 220C (was in a rush...) Result:
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Post by brennanpincardiff on Oct 7, 2013 19:28:57 GMT
Nice looking loaves. Did they taste nice. Unusual that you bake the bread with direct fire in the oven. Does this give a smoky flavour to the bread? Is that what you are looking for. The usual way would be to cook the bread after taking the fire out.... Have you tried sourdough? Worth a go if you can... Thanks for sharing. P
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Post by spinal on Oct 8, 2013 8:58:07 GMT
Smoky flavour: yes, the crust gets a distinct smoky flavor. I kind of have to do this as I haven't finished the oven yet... one of the things I'm missing is a door, so the only way to keep the oven's air nice and hot is to have a live fire I have tried sourdough; I used to bake only sourdough... but now, I'm hunting for the perfect crumb... the last sandwich bread was an improvement... but I reckon I can do better, possibly with more water and a hotter oven... Pictures of the last loaf up. Baked in an electrical oven, so the crust wasn't that great, even with a vat of steaming water underneath... but it's ok, as those were meant to make sandwiches, so I didn't care so much. Need to get some more "rise" from the yeast though, I think my issue remains the transferal, where the dough falls on itself when I move it...
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Post by cannyfradock on Oct 8, 2013 11:55:32 GMT
Spinal Great looking loaves......I also don't have an oven door!!......although I ordered one of them digital IR laser themometers today.. www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004CFQXJG/ref=pe_385721_37986871_TE_item_image I'll be firing up the "Abersychan" oven soon as I have about 6 weeks solid stonework to do on the property. ....would like to pinch a recipe or 2 off you (if that's OK)...I'll probably just cut a thick piece of wood and soak it in water for the door. Terry
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Post by spinal on Oct 8, 2013 12:44:28 GMT
Pinch all you want, my recipes were both pinched (and adapted/messed up in implementation). I'm quite new to yeast baking, so I'm still learning and experimenting.
I have an IR thermometer, which is great (ordered from ebay, got the 999C one) but I'm concerned that it is brick temperature and not air-temperature... I may use some thermolite blocks as a temporary door next time and see if that changes anything...
Speaking of which, need to email the granite supplier!
M.
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Post by Gaelceltic on Oct 8, 2013 12:49:28 GMT
Your loaves look lovely Spinal. Smoked bread....now you could be starting a thing with that.
Terry, regarding using a bit of wood for your oven door.... I've seen that the locals here, cover the inside of the door with tinfoil and have it coming out around the front of the door. (Have also seen them sealing around the door with bread dough). Presumably, this is to give better heat retention inside the oven for slow cooking the lamb kleftico. Am thinking that covering a bit of wood with tinfoil would help in preventing the wood burning?
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Post by bookemdanno on Oct 9, 2013 18:37:39 GMT
Spinal, would baking your loaves on a pre heated stone help give the dough some "spring"?
It might make the dough transfer easier, rather than trying to do it into a heated oven? Gently roll the dough onto the stone, and slide the stone back into the oven?
I saw the Fabulous Baker Boys do this with sourdough in a wood fired oven.
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Post by spinal on Oct 9, 2013 21:00:27 GMT
I could try that as I have some slate lying about... but transferring the dough to the stone will be just as problematic as transferring it into the oven My issue is that at higher hydration levels the dough is so soft that even picking it up on a tray it starts losing volume...
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Post by Breadandwine on Oct 9, 2013 23:15:12 GMT
Hi Spinal - nice looking loaves! As brennanpincardiff says, unusual to have the loaves next to the fire, like that - although quite normal for pizzas, which don't take very long to cook. Bet you had a lot of fun 'nursemaiding' the bread to make sure it was evenly cooked - or did you? That's a huge oven floor there, you've got to fill, when you get your oven door. I'm sure you're going to have lots of fun finding out just what you can and can't do with it! Have a look at my 'no-knead' overnight bread recipe on my blog - looks like it would fit into your schedule easily. nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/basic-loaf-of-bread.htmlAs you'll see, I use baking paper to move my bread around - once the dough is safely on that, it's safe. There are very few things more annoying in breadmaking than seeing your loaf go down once it's risen, and BP avoids this nicely. Best wishes, Paul
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Post by faz on Oct 10, 2013 13:18:16 GMT
When I am cooking in my domestic oven I turn my bread out directly on to a pre-heated baking tray, then put the tray in the oven. Minimises the amount of bashing about the bread gets by handling.
On a loaf, deep slashing also helps you get a good spring in the oven, as the slash can really open up in the early stages on baking.
And finally (!) steam is good in the early stages of baking when you're trying to keep a soft crust to let the dough expand, but the final stages of baking need a drier atmosphere in the oven (assuming you're trying to get a crusty crust that is!!). Opening the door for a few seconds to let the steam out and then turning the heat up for the last 5 or so minutes works for me, but every oven is different!
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Post by spinal on Oct 11, 2013 9:56:38 GMT
Paul - thank you! I'll give that recipe a try this weekend As for nursemaiding the bread, not really. I chuck it in, wait 15 minutes then turn it around. Wait another 10 minutes or so and pull it out. Keep in mind that while the heat comes from the fire, the oven is pre-heated for an hour or so making the heat reasonably even. faz - I normally aim for crust... but at this stage I'm more interested in the crumb I'll try slashing deeper this weekend... (feel like a serial killer)
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Post by rockrocky on Oct 11, 2013 20:33:11 GMT
Thanks Paul. I went for Method C and baked for 30 mins and then a further 5 upside down! Lovely Bread and so simple to make. Attachments:
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Post by Breadandwine on Oct 12, 2013 9:48:59 GMT
Great stuff, rocky!
What will you make next!
That sounds easy enough, spinal. I'd love to have a go in a bigger oven.
Next time I bake outdoors I shall be totally organised and bake all afternoon. I generally start too late and just make several pizzas. But I should be able to make much more than that if I put my mind to it!
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Post by cannyfradock on Oct 12, 2013 12:15:47 GMT
Your loaves look lovely Spinal. Smoked bread....now you could be starting a thing with that. Terry, regarding using a bit of wood for your oven door.... I've seen that the locals here, cover the inside of the door with tinfoil and have it coming out around the front of the door. (Have also seen them sealing around the door with bread dough). Presumably, this is to give better heat retention inside the oven for slow cooking the lamb kleftico. Am thinking that covering a bit of wood with tinfoil would help in preventing the wood burning? Gaelceltic There are some good threads on the forum on "oven door" making....also some other good idea's how to seal the oven when baking a batch of dough.....I'm just lazy, so I'll go for a piece of decent thickness wood cut to the shape of the internal arch. Paul's last comment..."I'd love to have a go in a bigger oven."....has got the old grey matter working. I am intending to build a Pompeii oven at my base in Wentwood forest and I already have a clay oven...and a modular oven (mobile). I wonder if anyone one like to have a go at a "days" baking in Wood-fired ovens? (non-commercial)....just for the hell of it? Terry p.s...Paul....your chiminea would play also play an important roll in an outdoor baking event.......just "food for thought"
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