Homemade Bread Thread

[ericbw]

With the cast iron are you getting any over cooking on the bottom? How long are you preheating, and what temp are you cooking at?
I've gotten slightly uneven cooks thus far. Not major but I'm trying to dial it in further. Also, are you preheating closed or open?

It’s an enameled cast iron pot. I preheat for about 30 min at 425 with the lid on. I proof it in a colander lined with a towel (lots of flour!!). Then I flour or cornmeal the top and flip it over onto a piece of parchment on a pizza peel or upside down sheet pan.

Then slash and slid it into the pot.

 

[ericbw]

Oh, and it doesn’t overcook at 425. At 450 it was a little overdone.

 

[brewcat]

With the cast iron are you getting any over cooking on the bottom? How long are you preheating, and what temp are you cooking at?
I've gotten slightly uneven cooks thus far. Not major but I'm trying to dial it in further. Also, are you preheating closed or open?

I also bake my sourdough in cast iron. For me it bakes more evenly than just the oven. I coat the bottom of the pan in oatmeal. Cornmeal or flour would also work.

 

[applescrap]

I threw some little dough balls on the parchment just to see what would happen and made these delicious little rolls. I brushed everything with butter when they came out and after everything cooled put it in the bread box. I tried to get a picture of it with that single roll these came out really nice on top well done on the bottom. I started them above and finished them on the steel. Finishing on the steel seems like a really good way to go

 

[phug]

Spent grain no knead sandwich bread

 

[applescrap]

First time using a pan. Its glass? I finished it on steel. Took long to cook. I covered it with foil near the end. It split and isn't the prettiest. Tips on bread loafs would be appreciated. Same artisian bread master recipe.

 

[ericbw]

First time using a pan. Its glass? I finished it on steel. Took long to cook. I covered it with foil near the end. It split and isn't the prettiest. Tips on bread loafs would be appreciated. Same artisian bread master recipe.View attachment 555449View attachment 555450View attachment 555451

It looks good. I don’t know about glass pans. But I often take it out and finish it on the rack directly.

Is the split along the bottom? If so, that means it was under-proofed.

 

[phug]

First time using a pan. Its glass? I finished it on steel. Took long to cook. I covered it with foil near the end. It split and isn't the prettiest. Tips on bread loafs would be appreciated. Same artisian bread master recipe.View attachment 555449View attachment 555450View attachment 555451

Glass pans will cook differently than metal pans or silicone pans. I’m not sure how to adjust for the differences, but it definitely will change the loaf.

 

[applescrap]

Maybe finish out and adjust for pan differences are good tips thanks. its split where you see in one of the pictures towards the top right side. Not as bad as it seemed at first to me. Took a lot of dough, not sure how much to use really, but this amount made a tall loaf with enough room for a slice of baloney. Cut in half for kids pbj. I am thinking less dough and smaller slices, but idk. Having fun experimenting. Being lazy sandwich rolls might be better for kids lunches. Pretty cool they like their lunches on hm bread. Any help on rolls for kids pbj? Thanks all

 

[applescrap]

Haha, forgot to make rolls. Anyways made this smaller loaf.

 

[Hanglow]

I had a few open packs of flour and thought I'd make a quick loaf - these pics were taken only two and a bit hours after starting the mix worked quite well, no secondary rise when shaped, so was based on the technique used for pane di altamura . flours were a mix of three types of 00 and some extra strong bread flour. Hydration was about 73% or so

 

[applescrap]

Are those as big as they look? I love it

 

[Hanglow]

600g of flour so it's a fair sized load . I think the way you shape it means it opens up quite large

 

[applescrap]

Rolls, they are so good. I have been making pizza and using leftovers for bread or rolls.

 

[applescrap]

Crolls with the wet, lean recipe. Made them last night and proofed in fridge. They were soo good.

 

[applescrap]

And a loaf of bread with the leftovers.

 

[Temptd2]

Crolls with the wet, lean recipe. Made them last night and proofed in fridge. They were soo good.

YES PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!! Licking my chops here!

Can you point me at that recipe for the rolls?

 

[ericbw]

Crolls with the wet, lean recipe. Made them last night and proofed in fridge. They were soo good.View attachment 557425View attachment 557426View attachment 557427

Nice!!

 

[ericbw]

I put this dough in the fridge overnight and baked it while it was still cold. It’s easier to shape when it’s cold, so I might try it that way again.

 

[applescrap]

Thanks eric and temptd2. Here are some tips and methods I am currently using. Apologies in advance for sharing much everyone already knows. dough was the 5 minute artesian bread master recipe.
3c water
1.5 table salt
1.5 table yeast
6.5 c flour
Rise for 2 hours, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Not sure it was the best dough for cinnamon rolls but was really good non the less. Then whether using this dough or otherwise i use the following for filling.

I roll the dough out 1/8" +- , about the size of that large cutting board. I rub 1 stick of softened butter across the whole surface evenly.
Filling is
1c brown sugar
3 table cinnamon
Mixed well.
I spread the sugar mix evenly across the rolls and roll up. I pull and tuck and pinch the ends as i roll for uniform log. At the last roll I pinch hard the seam. I cut them 1" and put together touching lightly in greased pan. And let rise as long as i can stand it. Baked at 350 for 30ish minutes till set in center. Run spatula before cool and flipped upside down onto cutting board. So they dont stick. Sometimes I use a glaze and other times frosting. This was a glaze. Frosting from can even is really decadent and made that on Christmas. Here is the recipe from my bread machine. As you see, I up the sugar, a necessity imo. Best of luck.

Ps also made two more loaves for the week. One is huge. Sliced with electric knife. Really stoked, have some crolls, some bread rolls, sliced bread in freezer, and more in bin. Also full bucket of master recipe![emoji4]

 

[ericbw]

The bucket o’ dough is a great method!

 

[applescrap]

+1, thanks again for the inspiration ericbw, cant wait to make challah and other breads.

 

[Hanglow]

Another sourdough loaf, 73% hydration or so. Shaped after first rise and put straight into oven

 

[brewbama]

I just pulled together the Cook’s Illustrated Almost No Knead recipe with some Homebrew as the beer ingredient. I’ll bake it tomorrow. https://breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/

 

[brewbama]

 

[ericbw]

View attachment 558309

No slash?

 

[applescrap]

First go at cinnamon bread. Rolled the log up and shaped instead of cutting like cinnamon rolls. Dont know how it was kids ate the whole loaf!

 

[hotwatermusic]

made some ciabatta today. Ate it with these Peruvian dipping sauces left over from a dinner the other night. Don't remember what they are called but they are SO good.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Bagels with brunch today.

 

[bstacy1974]

This thread is awesome. How have I over looked this section of the board!
Juat got into baking some sourdough last fall. My attempts have been anemic in my opinion, but they are tasty.
Consistency is my goal. I'm going to try to bake every weekend for the next few months to develop some type of repeatable recipe. I think weighing my ingredients will be the starting point.
Here's last night's attempt. The crust is crunchy, the middle is chewy, but my loaves are always flat.
This was an attempt to see how dough moisture effects the end loaf. The loaf on the right was a very wet, sticky dough. The one on the left was a very dense, dry dough. I think wet, sticky dough wins this round.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Yes, moisture makes steam which helps the rise.

 

[Jwin]

I keep trying and keep failing.
I've got pizza dough to a tee(years of experience), read plenty of primers, but I can't get bread right. Even have some 5min no knead in the fridge. No luck(expect w pizza).
Anyone have something full(fool) proof? I have what I believe is a good Sourdough starter.(Bob's friends or whatever, plus a bit from my yeast and probiotic starter from months ago).

 

[schematix]

I keep trying and keep failing.
I've got pizza dough to a tee(years of experience), read plenty of primers, but I can't get bread right. Even have some 5min no knead in the fridge. No luck(expect w pizza).
Anyone have something full(fool) proof? I have what I believe is a good Sourdough starter.(Bob's friends or whatever, plus a bit from my yeast and probiotic starter from months ago).

I am currently hooked on this one. It's everything I like in bread: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-sourdough-bread-224367

Only modification i've made is I use a 50/50 blend of KA Bread and KA AP flours, and i use slightly less water in the pre-mix and slightly more water for the salt water solution, but still the same total water.

The recipe is extremely simple. It's the process that makes it good.

 

[ba-brewer]

I keep trying and keep failing.
I've got pizza dough to a tee(years of experience), read plenty of primers, but I can't get bread right. Even have some 5min no knead in the fridge. No luck(expect w pizza).
Anyone have something full(fool) proof? I have what I believe is a good Sourdough starter.(Bob's friends or whatever, plus a bit from my yeast and probiotic starter from months ago).

what is failing or what do you do you not like about your bread?

edit: I used information from this site when I first made my starter
https://www.sourdoughhome.com/index.php?content=startermyway2

 

[ba-brewer]

Seen the recent posts in this thread so I figured I should feed my starter. According to the label it was about 5 months since I used it. I made the starter originally from a bit of whole wheat flour and some water about 5 or 6 years ago. It is not very sour. I have even made a couple beers with it and they came out surprisingly clean even though the hooch on top the starter in the fridge smells awful.

The little bit in the glass is I think the fourth feeding. First feeding took 24 hours to double but the 2nd was already doubling in 12 hours. I will do one or two more small feedings then build up the starter big enough to replace the grey stuff in the fridge and make some bread.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

My starter took a while to develop the tanginess. Are you removing half the starter to use or discard with each feeding?

 

[ba-brewer]

I normally discard it, but I only keep a small amount active. If I don't plan to actually make bread I discard 90% and allow it to go 24 hours between feeding.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I've got about 2/3 cup total, so when I feed it I have plenty to bake with. Unless one has a restaurant or a huge family a small amount is enough.

 

[Jwin]

what is failing or what do you do you not like about your bread?

edit: I used information from this site when I first made my starter
https://www.sourdoughhome.com/index.php?content=startermyway2

Problems have ranged from over cooked outside while doughy in the middle to no rise.
I take pretty good care of my starter, I think. Feed it at least once a week. Cut in half every three feeds or so.
I may just go back to dry yeast for now and get my confidence back up.

 

[ba-brewer]

Problems have ranged from over cooked outside while doughy in the middle to no rise.

I start off at 450 with steam for the first 10min then cut back to 400 until the done or the internal temp is over 205.

When you say no rise do you mean before baking or while backing? If the dough does not rise before baking then your starter is not strong enough.

I take pretty good care of my starter, I think. Feed it at least once a week. Cut in half every three feeds or so.
I may just go back to dry yeast for now and get my confidence back up.

Do you keep your start in the fridge or at room temp? If it is at room temp it needs to be feed twice a day but can get away with once. If you keep it in the fridge you can get by with less feeding, but if you do you should do a few feeding at room temp before putting back into the fridge.

The main thing is you need to have a strong starter to get things to work well. Your starter should at least double in volume within 12hours of feeding if left out at room temp. When I wake up my starter from the fridge I make a small starter and feed it twice a day for a couples days until it is good and strong before baking with it. If the starter was only in the fridge a couple weeks I may only do/need one or two feeding, if it was a few months it may be 4 or 5 days before I can use it.​