Bread - What are you baking today…..

[Giles]

If it is any consolation, I'm in the same boat.

I've had completely crap oven spring for the last month or so (bread still tastes good, but it's pissing me off).

So today, I am making an 80% Biga with 100% white flour.  Going back to basics to try and rediscover my mojo….

[neph93]

It is a consolation…

I’m in the habit of having two doughs on the go at the same time, basically because of the small army living here. That complication affects my timing and coupled with the higher ambient summer temperatures is clearly my issue when it comes to the lack of oven spring. Time and temperature... the fifth and sixth ingredients.

The overnight country blond was my first stab at a new method with a new starter so with the benefit of hindsight I can live with the failure.

80% white biga is a safe place for sure. Happy baking.

[Giles]

Well, we'll need to see the crumb…

I'm pretty happy with this one, it was done in a Dutch Oven):

This one was done in the steam oven and looks challenged in comparison:

Normally I would brush off as much flour as I could before putting into the oven, but the dough was spreading so fast I couls see it flattening, so had no time for de-flouring (I set that one up for you Reuben)…

[neph93]

@Giles:

the dough was spreading so fast I could see it flattening, so had no time for de-flouring…

There should always be time for a bit of de-flouring. On the other hand, if things start losing their rigour, then «use it or lose it» is a good motto to live by…

(I couldn’t let you down).

[Giles]

Crumb's OK….

[neph93]

Looks tasty! I need to sort out my Dutch oven soon.

We have Le Creuset available as well as Sabor and some other premium brands, but there is also Fiskars at less than have the price. I may just start there….

[Giles]

IMO, you just need something that is relatively airtight.  Le Creuset is overkill, I just happen to have one….

[Giles]

Amazon Basics does some reasonably priced cast iron pots….

[neph93]

@Giles:

IMO, you just need something that is relatively airtight.  Le Creuset is overkill, I just happen to have one….

That’s what I was thinking.

[jordanscollected]

agreed that Le Creuset is not worth the $$. I got mine at Homegoods (a discount home store) for around $70 for an 8-quart and its lasted years and years.

I baked up some sourdough burger buns. I kept them soft by substituting Whole milk for water, and then brushing them with butter when they came out of the oven to cool.
Farmers market pickles, colby jack cheese and heirloom tomatoes from our deck garden along with the Grass fed beef patty and we have dinner. We did a side salad instead of fries and we tried to have some restraint.

[neph93]

@Giles:

Amazon Basics does some reasonably priced cast iron pots….

Amazon is slowly moving into Scandinavia, but currently it isn’t the quick, cheap, one-stop solution it is in the UK and USA. Shipping is costly, import duty is high and things take weeks to arrive.

[neph93]

Looks absolutely delightful @jordanscllected. The only way I’d show restraint is if you only made one each. Even then I’d be trying to nick yours…

[neph93]

We all know social media advertising algorithms are a pain in the butt and deeply irritating but now and again they do throw up something that is appropriate… I’d have this on a t-shirt.

[Giles]

Same range, different ovens, same temperature on the dial…..Got a feeling the left hand oven runs a little hotter than the right 

[neph93]

Bake them dark as Forkish says. Be interesting to hear how it affects taste.

I’m going for an ambitious bake this weekend. Tonight I will be prepping a poolish (I’m a poolish virgin) and biga, to bake tomorrow and a levain to bake on Sunday. Wish me luck.

[Giles]

Poolish is like a Biga, no biggie

[Chap]

I use this „Made in Germany“ oven thermometer… my „Made in UK“ oven usually indicates 20 Celsius plus...

[neph93]

@Giles:

Poolish is like a Biga, no biggie

So like Biga that I decided to do it alone and move the Biga to a Sunday bake, after the Country Blonde. Makes more sense in terms of scheduling.

I’m also going to move away from The Forkish method of an overnight bulk ferment with the country blonde, and instead do an evening bulk ferment and an overnight proof in the fridge.

The only question now is whether one, two or all three of the bakes are going to go tits up.

[neph93]

Good morning poolish…

[neph93]

Mmm…. that is damn tasty bread. There are subtle differences to the biga which is surprising given the similarities in ingredients and process.

I’m going to go again tomorrow as they were verging on over proofed again. I’ve bought a simple room thermometer and it turns out the average air temp in my kitchen is 24C which explains why things go so much quicker than they should do. It will be cooler in the winter.