Homemade Bread Thread

[CA_Mouse]

The first thing is to really let it rise/ferment until it's done. This can take 2 hours or it can take 5 hours. Depends on the temperature, the day of the week, the attitude of the yeast at the time, etc. So first, get as much gas in the dough as possible because the more air bubbles (CO2 really), the more they can expand and rise.

I'm no expert - I have a hard time with sourdough. I often cheat and add yeast.

I have gone as long as 10 hours after the initial rise. Initial rise after adding flour, salt and sugar to the starter is normal. It seems that after splitting my dough into loaves, there is little to no additional rise. I have tried both stiff and wet doughs and have the same issue with both.

I purchased regular bread yeast to add this next time, as I've gotten very disappointed in just the yeast from my starter.

 

[ericbw]

I just finished and tasted a loaf that took 29 hours start to finish. It was refrigerated overnight. Probably could have cut out 15 hours.

It's good but man that's a long time!

 

[StonesBally]

That extra retardation in the fridge equals better flavor in my opinion. My favorite bread from a bakery around here is a Pugliese type that is retarded overnight, baked unslashed, and if full of large bubbles. I find when I do that at home it's harder to get the bubbly/airy texture they get in their loaf. I make a more French style sourdough that isn't very tangy but very tasty and great for toasting. If your starter is really pumping you can make it in about 14-15 hours. I usually spread that out to more like 24 for convenience and sleep sake. If I want a great loaf faster than that I combine starter and saf instant yeast.

 

[ericbw]

It does have good flavor.

I'm curious to see if i could do one rise and then bake. I know the flavor might not be as good, but maybe puffier.

 

[CA_Mouse]

It does have good flavor.

I'm curious to see if i could do one rise and then bake. I know the flavor might not be as good, but maybe puffier.

I'm thinking the same thing. Rather than do a rise, then punch down the dough and form and let rise again. Perhaps I'll just form the loaves, let them rise once and then bake them.

 

[StonesBally]

I've tried the long rise without punching down or reshaping, and I got some very large bubbles. No uniformity throughout. I think the dough needs to be on the very wet side. I just need more time to experiment, but we barely eat bread anymore. Once a month. 5 years ago I was baking 2 or 3 times a week, and I weighed about 65 lbs more!

 

[ericbw]

I've tried the long rise without punching down or reshaping, and I got some very large bubbles. No uniformity throughout. I think the dough needs to be on the very wet side. I just need more time to experiment, but we barely eat bread anymore. Once a month. 5 years ago I was baking 2 or 3 times a week, and I weighed about 65 lbs more!

This is exactly my problem. Eating low carb and I miss baking!

 

[ericbw]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1477311293.491587.jpg

This was another 29-ish hour loaf of sourdough. The dough was really, really slack, so I let it proof in a bucket, then put it in a round cake pan to bake.

So wet I couldn't slash it. But the pan kept it round so it wasn't too flat.

I'm finally getting semi consistent results with sourdough and no added yeast!

 

[BGBC]

A tale of two loaves. Stepped up my dormant starter now that it finally feels like fall.

Made one batch of my normal dough and split it in half. One half stayed normal and the other got pumpkin, chopped walnuts, and some more flour to compensate for the pumpkin moisture. Not enough extra flour apparently. Pumpkin loaf was too wet and didn't get a good rise in the oven. Taste is pretty good though.

Having a turkey sandwich with the regular sourdough now and it's delicious.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1477329376.738564.jpg

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1477329387.652205.jpg

 

[ericbw]

A tale of two loaves. Stepped up my dormant starter now that it finally feels like fall.

Made one batch of my normal dough and split it in half. One half stayed normal and the other got pumpkin, chopped walnuts, and some more flour to compensate for the pumpkin moisture. Not enough extra flour apparently. Pumpkin loaf was too wet and didn't get a good rise in the oven. Taste is pretty good though.

Having a turkey sandwich with the regular sourdough now and it's delicious.

View attachment 374741

View attachment 374742

How much flour is in your regular loaf? It's huge!

 

[ericbw]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1477445623.999411.jpg

I made two loaves of olive oil bread for dinner tonight. This is soft and really smells like the olive oil you use.

So much easier than the sourdough I've been working on.

 

[BGBC]

How much flour is in your regular loaf? It's huge!

Usually 500g, but when I split it I split it closer to 60/40 to compensate for the extra weight of the pumpkin, so it was a little bigger than usual.

 

[Sourz4life]

Some focaccia bread. Probably one of my best tasting focaccia's. Great texture as well.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

My first sour dough, got the starter going about a week ago.

 

[RevKev]

Been stalking this thread for a while.. can anyone recommend an extreme beginner with only a hand mixer THX

 

[rlmiller10]

Been stalking this thread for a while.. can anyone recommend an extreme beginner with only a hand mixer THX

Get the book the Bread Bible https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393057941/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Been stalking this thread for a while.. can anyone recommend an extreme beginner with only a hand mixer THX

If you don't want to do the work of mixing and kneading by hand, check out some "no knead" videos and recipies.

 

[RevKev]

Thanks for tips! I'll research up while on bed rest

 

[Sourz4life]

thefreshloaf.com There is a lesson section that helps start off. Tons of recipes and Floyd also has a book.

 

[StonesBally]

"The Best Bread Ever," I'd my favorite bread baking resource. Uses a food processor, 45 seconds mixing, no floury mess, very easy and tasty. You need a food processor, thermometer, and scale. It makes baking very easy to do a few minutes here and there and still make world class loaves.

 

[Yeastieboy]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1479009931.594804.jpg

 

[ericbw]

Been stalking this thread for a while.. can anyone recommend an extreme beginner with only a hand mixer THX

King Arthur flour has one that is the "easiest loaf you'll ever make." I can't search it right now on my phone.

Any of the flour companies will have something like that, too. That's the easiest way to start.

 

[BGBC]

View attachment 376891

Almost looks like a loaf inside a loaf

 

[Paps]

Sorry...
Nothing to contribute at the time.
But this all looks interesting.

 

[Sourz4life]

I've been practicing for Thanksgiving fluffy pull apart rolls. Definitely nailed it this time.

 

[Hanglow]

Baked this at the weekend, was pleased with it

64% hydration 100% canadian extra strong white bread flour . pluss about 100g of sourdough starter

 

[ericbw]

My first sour dough, got the starter going about a week ago.

Looks like a good crust - did you spray with water? Steam?

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Looks like a good crust - did you spray with water? Steam?

Thanks, I gave it an egg wash and sprayed water on the oven walls so it steams a bit.

 

[ericbw]

Been stalking this thread for a while.. can anyone recommend an extreme beginner with only a hand mixer THX

Here is the recipe I mentioned. It is easy and basic. It makes two loaves, but if you're doing it by hand, you can cut the recipe in half for one loaf.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/the-easiest-loaf-of-bread-youll-ever-bake-recipe

Earlier in the thread I posted a pumpkin challah recipe, which is really quite easy as well.

 

[RevKev]

Here is the recipe I mentioned. It is easy and basic. It makes two loaves, but if you're doing it by hand, you can cut the recipe in half for one loaf.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/the-easiest-loaf-of-bread-youll-ever-bake-recipe

Earlier in the thread I posted a pumpkin challah recipe, which is really quite easy as well.

Aw shucks well thank you for the recipe I've been reading up over the past weekend. I'll give it a shot for Thanksgiving!

 

[RevKev]

I see some good sandwiches and a new obsession in my future

View attachment 1479263011411.jpg

 

[ericbw]

I see some good sandwiches and a new obsession in my future

Looks good! What recipe is that?

 

[RevKev]

Looks good! What recipe is that?

It was the King Arthur recipe you linked, super easy and turned out great. I'm going to make garlic bread out of some of the loaf and some French toast once it stales.

Inspired me to do sub sandwich rolls tomorrow and suprise the gf with lunch at work on Saturday. Gimme them brownie points

 

[Sourz4life]

That's literally the reason I baked my most recent focaccia bread, brownie points..

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Not as nice looking as the first sourdough loaf... No egg wash sprayed with water. Should be tasty though used all starter, no additional yeast.

 

[ericbw]

I also posted an olive oil bread recipe the other day - follow the link below. It's also easy, even mixing by hand. I would probably cut it in half if you are kneading by hand and are still getting comfortable.

All bread is pretty easy, to be honest. The only real difference is sourdough, which takes effort with the starter, and then takes longer to rise. Most other breads are similar. Shhhhh don't tell anyone how easy it is.

 

[RevKev]

That's literally the reason I baked my most recent focaccia bread, brownie points..

I'm in need of some haha, gf loves bread, glad to know I'm not the only one

I also posted an olive oil bread recipe the other day - follow the link below. It's also easy, even mixing by hand. I would probably cut it in half if you are kneading by hand and are still getting comfortable.

All bread is pretty easy, to be honest. The only real difference is sourdough, which takes effort with the starter, and then takes longer to rise. Most other breads are similar. Shhhhh don't tell anyone how easy it is.

I will look it up next week have a bust weekend, thanks for the tip but you are right.. almost too simple but the secrets safe with me! I just cut the 4 loafs letting rise for a while before baking, fingers crossed

 

[RevKev]

Finished

View attachment 1479426136760.jpg

 

[Sourz4life]

Now that your starting off from the basics you can throw in some scoring and maybe using either water, milk, egg white, yolk, or a eggwash coating. It starts to become in addiction...I'm currently waiting for a pumpkin dough to rise so I can make a challah tomorrow. An earlier poster got me intrigued so I'm making a sourdough version of it.

 

[RevKev]

Now that your starting off from the basics you can throw in some scoring and maybe using either water, milk, egg white, yolk, or a eggwash coating. It starts to become in addiction...I'm currently waiting for a pumpkin dough to rise so I can make a challah tomorrow. An earlier poster got me intrigued so I'm making a sourdough version of it.

I used a butter coating on these and whilst they were drying covered with a damp towel. Very soft, I'm now going to have to try all those coatings .. dang you lol

Kidding aside I bet that pumpkin challah is going to turn out stellar it's making my mouth water right now! I love sourdough maybe too much