Bread - What are you baking today…..

[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.

[neph93]

My levain for tomorrows country blonde just peaked

[Stuart.T]

@neph93 I just use a roasting tin, always get good results as long as the oven spring doesn't go crazy. This was last weekend

[neph93]

Missing the point of macho baking there old boy… tins are for cheaters [emoji1] I jest. But at the same time I don’t. Every time I get perfect oven spring from a flat baking tray it’s like mainlining adrenechrome. And timing is everything.

[neph93]

@Stuart.T my problem is that I’ve gone full nerd and I’m in constant competition with myself.

This is what I mean. My first country blonde tasted great but ran hot from the start and came pretty flat. This time I prepped.  I’ve explored room temps, made a revised time schedule and tried to control the environment as best I could.

The result was that the proofed dough released from the bannetons and more than doubled in the oven. Very pleased with the boules. Looking forward to seeing the crumb.

Your loaf looks brilliant btw. Glad you stuck it out after the early trials. I remember mine fondly.

[Giles]

Poolish….

[Chap]

They look tasty… will do a Poolish tomorrow too

[neph93]

Looking lovely. I really like the shape of them @Giles

Currently doing poolish with different flour blends two days a week, and a full levain bake on weekends. Feel like I have finally hit my stride to the point where I am getting consistently acceptable results.

[Chap]

Forkish Poolish with 50% Eight Grain Flour from @Giles

[neph93]

I have some eight corn flour unused. May give this a try tomorrow. Did you increase the hydration much from a white poolish?

[Chap]

@neph93:

I have some eight corn flour unused. May give this a try tomorrow. Did you increase the hydration much from a white poolish?

No… made the regular Poolish with 500g white flour/500g water and added the 8 grain the next day... same ratios as on page 98

[neph93]

Thank you sir…

[Chap]

@neph93:

Thank you sir…

You're welcome… sir!

Had it for breakfast this morning, very nice taste

[dinobarnesberlin]

My girlfriend happens to be Poolish–does that count ?

[Giles]

Only if she cant spell…..

[dinobarnesberlin]

Lets just say spelling is not her strong point….but she excels in everything else

[Giles]

Poolish - Bulk fermenting in the warmest part of the kitchen…..

[neph93]

Where your ‘arris normally is in other words?

I love poolish now and use it the most, but I did a white Biga last week that was amazing. The difference in taste is crazy when you take into account the only variation is in the amount of flour and and water used in the first part of the process.

[Giles]

This on is 80% white, 10% spelt and 10% dark rye….

I find I get better oven spring with Poolish too.....

[neph93]

@Giles:

I find I get better oven spring with Poolish too…..

I’m getting steady acceptable oven spring now, with both. I’ve gone over to baking one loaf at a time, which means one goes straight in the fridge for about 90 mins while the other proofs on the bench for 30min while the oven warms. I get consistently better spring from the refrigerated loaf, regardless of how the pre-ferment is done.

These are my two white Biga from earlier in the week. Absolutely no prizes awarded for guessing which is which.