Every bake is an adventure in learning. Let’s take this month’s bread baking challenge as an example.
First: ingredients.
I didn’t have the wheat chops, so I doubled the amount of wheat germ.
Second: starter.
I couldn’t get the starter to float, so I delayed an extra 24 hours to no avail. In the end, it didn’t seem to matter as the final bread came out just fine. After some research, however, I learned that the starter needs to be tested at the peak of its rising time, about 3-4 hours after feeding. Then, it floats! I made some simple sourdough loaves to test this theory with good results.
Unless you want to be baking the bread at 3 am, it’s a good idea to feed the starter in the afternoon, then make the dough in the evening so it can rise overnight. The final shaping and rise can then be done in the morning. (Unless you want to bake in the middle of the night, of course.)
While I used the basket to proof the final shape, I was concerned that it would deflate after I dumped it into the hot Dutch oven. Once again, upon further research, I realized I could use a piece of parchment and a board to flip the loaf, then use the parchment to lower it into the Dutch oven. That should have been a no-brainer.
Despite all of the issues, the loaf turned out well, and I would be willing to make it again, improving upon the experience from the first loaf.
For the recipe, detailed instructions, and fascinating discussion on Toasted Oats Bread, head over to Elizabeth’s blog. If you bake and post by January 29th, you, too, will be included in the Buddy roundup.
Check out the other Bread Baking Babes:
- Blog from OUR Kitchen – Elizabeth (Kitchen of the Month)
- A Messy Kitchen – Kelly
- My Diverse Kitchen – Aparna
- Bread Experience - Cathy
- Thyme for Cooking - Katie
- My Kitchen in Half Cups – Tanna
- Feeding My Enthusiasms – Elle
7 comments:
Beautiful crumb! I ended up staying up much later than I intended since I missed my timer and let the loaf overproof. So I had to re-shape and wait another 90 minutes to bake!
I always use parchment and a plate for flipping my loaves! Your loaf looks great.
This is so exciting that it worked. And so well too!!
How interesting that your starter proves so quickly - clearly there is a difference (are differences?) in our kitchens. If I mix our starter at around 9pm in winter, it floats around 9am the next day - 12 hours!!
I used to use parchment too. But now I look helpless and doe-eyed at my husband who fearlessly flips the bread from the banneton into the hot baking container.
Your crumb is lovely. My starter didn't float either even after 14 1/2 hours, but I went with it anyway and it worked great!
Yeah, I’ve never tried to float my starter, just kind of judge how many bubbles I’m seeing.
Every bake is an adventure and you got a beautiful result and learned all good.
With my cold kitchen I'd never get the timing right.... I'd be baking at 4 in the morning or 9 at night lol Lovely bread !
Thanks for thhis
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