Date: Sun, 7 May 2006 09:55:52 GMT -------------- BEGIN bread-bakers.v106.n019 -------------- 001 - rvh@inteliport.com - Re: Trying for uniform open webbing 002 - "Werner Gansz" Subject: Pain a' l'Ancienne Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2006 11:29:02 -0400 "Mark Piper" writes: >The bottom of my loaves do not get very brown as I start them on parchment The parchment should not be the issue. I bake on parchment all the time and get uniform color top and bottom. Be sure to give the stone extra time (after the oven reaches bake temp) to get to uniform temperature. If the bottoms are still pale, then turn the oven temp down after the initial oven rise, say 5 minutes, to 475 F and bake longer. If the tops and bottoms still aren't even color then go down to 450 F (But start at 500 F). I usually drop about 50 F after the initial rise. I bake on parchment the entire bake. The crumb should not have "uniform" holes but neither should they be graded from top to bottom. The intent is uneven sized random holes to get a uniform average texture and density. Some folks here on the list found that they did better with this bread if they divided the dough into strips when it was cold, some waited until it warmed up before dividing as the instructions say. If I found it easier to cut the dough cold, then let it warm for 1/2 hour, then roll the strips over before baking. Werner --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n019.3 --------------- From: "Gerald Ulett" Subject: Whole Wheat Crackers Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2006 11:28:43 -0700 In order to increase the amount of fiber in my diet, I would like to make whole wheat crackers. The only recipe I have tried was one from Flatbreads and Flavors by Alford and Duguid, It was not a successful trial. Perhaps I did not get them thin enough or I did not bake them the right amount of time or some other reason. In searching for cracker recipes I find a great variation. Some are leavened with yiest or baking powder. Some add oil . Most call for pricking the rolled out crackers with a fork. The recipe which I tried did not include any of these. Does anyone have a recipe or a recommendation to help me? I make my own pasta and have a pasta machine. Would it work to roll the dough thin enough and to a uniform thickness? Thanks for your help. Jerry Ulett --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n019.4 --------------- From: Popthebaker@aol.com Subject: Pain a l'Ancienne Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 18:39:41 EDT Mark, Welcome aboard the wonderful world of artisan baking. First, Pain a l'Ancienne is more of a methodology than a bread type as such. It happens that you are making a Cibatta with it but you can also make baguettes, bread sticks, focaccia, and pizza as well. (Pizza is defined as bread with something on it.) So, let's trouble shoot this process for a bit. Cibatta is usually a good size loaf and having a bit more dense crumb is to be expected on the bottom part. Also the uneven holes may be due, in part, to the structure of the bread setting before the oven spring, or expansion after placement in the oven, is completed. I would suggest that you preheat to 450F. and then drop to 400F after you place the loaves on the stone. Also check your oven with a thermometer to see if it is at the set temperature. Also, put the stone on the next to the bottom level of the oven with the steam pan below that. I have found that spritzing is not needed if the stone is substantial and the oven retains steam for a reasonable period. As for the bottom it should brown if given enough baking time. It is actually harder to over bake bread than to under bake it so lengthen your baking time. You can use a metal stem thermometer to check the loaf and if it is at about 200F. the bread is done, if below that it goes back in the oven. You did not state but you should be retarding the dough at least overnight and you can let it go for up to about 3 days if necessary. This is the time that the full flavor of the flour is developed. Hope this helps Pop --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n019.5 --------------- From: Bri Suwa Subject: Keeping shaped dough moist Date: Fri, 5 May 2006 14:40:55 -0700 (PDT) Hi, After following all the email thread on Sourdough I finally took my step into making the sourdough starter. Thanks to all the tips and discussions on top of the books that I have, I now have a sourdough starter. Yeay ! Mike Avery, your website was a huge help too, Thanks. Now, this adventure has created more questions in the sourdough baking. I guess I'll pop the questions one at a time. First thing, first: Working with instant yeast, I've never fermented anything shaped for more than 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Fermenting this sourdough bread I'm having difficulties in keeping the dough moist. I have a nice dough that failed to rise to its fullest because at the end I have a thick crust that does not allow the dough to rise further. If I cover it with moist towel or saran wrap, the dough sticks to it and it deflates as I peel them off the bread. The only thing I can think of is to make a sealed cover big enough for the dough to rise. Do I need to go there? If so, does the yeast need to have some air to work? Can it work in an air tight environment? What should I do? Thank you in advance for any suggestions. -Brigitta --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n019.6 --------------- From: FREDERICKA COHEN Subject: celebration challah report Date: Sat, 6 May 2006 04:13:36 -0700 (PDT) Many of you have kindly responded in the past months to my many...too many !...requests for guidance in the technique of creating celebration challahs. I want you to know that a 4 lb, 19 in long, 8 1/2 in wide beauty arrived last week. The top braid slipped just enough off-center to make it look home-made and not professional! It became the centerpiece at a 90th birthday lunch party. I used your thoughts and especially the Maggie Glezer (A Blessing of Bread) techniques to do it. For instance, I was braiding tightly... like a mother, instead of loosely like a baker and not properly adjusting baking time. Actually, it was a little less than 4 lbs. The dough felt so good that I pulled off a goodly hunk to make a small loaf for me. Thanks again, Fredericka --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n019.7 --------------- From: Reggie Dwork Subject: Bread Baker's Guild of America Date: Sun, 07 May 2006 00:53:34 -0700 The Bread Baker's Guild of America publishes some very interesting educational materials. This is the announcement of two new DVDs: Reggie The Bread Baker's Guild of America writes: We are excited to announce the arrival of two new educational DVDs -- "The Science of Preferments" and "Techniques in Lamination". These DVDs were created during The Guild's Camp Bread 2005 at the San Francisco Baking Institute. "The Science of Preferments" DVD offers an intense look at preferments and how they affect your doughs. The topics covered include poolish, biga, prefermented dough, sponges and soakers. Your instructor is Jeffrey Yankellow, formerly of SFBI, now president of Simply Bread in Scottsdale, AZ. Jeff is also the Baguettes and Specialty Bread member of Bread Bakers Guild Team USA 2005, winner of the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie. Guild Member Price: $85; Non-Member Price: $100 "Techniques in Lamination" gives you insight into how mixing, fermentation and laminating techniques can change and improve your croissant, Danish and puff pastry. This class was taught by Tim Healea, production manager at Pearl Bakery in Portland, OR, and Viennoiserie member of Bread Bakers Guild Team USA 2002. Guild Member Price: $85; Non-Member Price: $100 You may order using The Guild's online Marketplace -- go to www.bbga.org and click on Marketplace. You will find the DVDs in the Resource area or click on the "Product List" link. --------------- END bread-bakers.v106.n019 --------------- Copyright (c) 1996-2006 Regina Dwork and Jeffrey Dwork All Rights Reserved