Going on year three and we're still baking. Join the fun!
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Coming Soon: White Bread -- The Series
We're doing white bread and Susan is leading the charge. But she has sheep, beans, and tomatoes distracting her -- not to mention the bakery she's trying to launch -- so we'll get her post online as soon as we can.
5 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Hey Ya'll! Been out of pocket for a while. Seems everyone is busy right now. Had company (my sister), and then I took her home and visited with family. I have had a lot of garden and yard work too. I decided to plant annuals this year (I had laid off for several years), and since I had been lazy for a few years, it has taken me longer to get the soil ready to plant. We have also had a ton of lettuce, and mustard greens, picking and washing, picking and washing and cooking. I'm sort of over it, but there's still lettuce and greens to pick, wash and cook. Anyone out there want some?
Anyway, the bread looks good and of course white bread seems to be the men's favorite. Sooooo, my husband will be glad there are no seeds and nuts (as he calls it) in the bread.
I'd love to be able to make our own white bread regularly, considering the amount we go through (and, looking at the ingredients list on the store-bought stuff after cooking my own, I'd like to avoid all the unrecognizable chemicals!)
HELP! Kevin! Susan! Beth! Dear Readers! Totally off subject!At the recommendation of this site, I purchased the book "Bread Alone". I love it. I have come under it's spell. And because of this site, I know that I can finally ask, without fear of shame and retribution, the following:
What the &*(*&^ am I doing wrong with WW Breads? 50% of the time they rise - OK. Not great, but they basically double (barely) Not high. Never like the pictures. The other 50% of the time, the rise is meager. - I'm talking both outside and in the oven. I can't figure out if I am under-proofing them or over-proofing them? And if I DARE to make slits, it's a guarantee that the little rising they have done will deflate the loaf and I'll be left with - (albiet a tasty loaf) the crumb is dense, let's say this again, DENSE - not HOLES, overly moist and flat. I've been baking bread for 20+ years, but when faced with bread with 50% or more of WW, it's a crap shoot. This site has finally afforded me some one, some place to ask...what AM I doing wrong??? Robin
Robin - I'm really behind on the year in bread thing. But I had weird issues at time too. I'd kill my loaf after proofing trying to get it on the peel (and sometimes off). Sometimes I didn't score deep enough. And sometimes I'd forget the spraying. I found good scores and spraying helped TONS. And when KitchenMage mentioned the parchment paper - jeepers, that made a huge difference and I quit killing the loves after proofing. I know that Susan has conversed with readers and found issues with poor quality ingredients like old yeast and such. My last loaves had good rise in the oven and looked beautiful. But the holes were smallish and the tang had diminished a bit because I'd almost let my starter die out. Hope any of that is helpful... Chel
Hello breadie! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment at AYearInBread.com. Beth and I try our best to answer all of your questions, but sometimes it takes us a few days to get to them. And sometimes they fall through the cracks, and for that we apologize.
Lots of readers tell us they've found all sorts of helpful info in these comments sections, so you might find that the answer to your question is already here. You can also search for anything on A Year in Bread (and Susan's and Beth's main food blogs) by using the handy google search box at the top right corner of the page. Search for any word, phrase, recipe, etc.
Happy baking!
Please note that you can sign up below to receive future comments added to this post via e-mail, which is handy if you're waiting for a reply from us.
And if someone asks a question and you have an answer, by all means please join in the conversation. The more we share, the better our breads will be!
5 comments:
Hey Ya'll! Been out of pocket for a while. Seems everyone is busy right now. Had company (my sister), and then I took her home and visited with family. I have had a lot of garden and yard work too. I decided to plant annuals this year (I had laid off for several years), and since I had been lazy for a few years, it has taken me longer to get the soil ready to plant. We have also had a ton of lettuce, and mustard greens, picking and washing, picking and washing and cooking. I'm sort of over it, but there's still lettuce and greens to pick, wash and cook. Anyone out there want some?
Anyway, the bread looks good and of course white bread seems to be the men's favorite. Sooooo, my husband will be glad there are no seeds and nuts (as he calls it) in the bread.
judyinktown
Dont be too long Susan .I'm really impatient for next recipes.Thank you all for the bread baking tips.
Fishook
I'm looking forward to this! I cooked my first successful white sandwich bread earlier this week, but I know I still have a lot to learn!
I'd love to be able to make our own white bread regularly, considering the amount we go through (and, looking at the ingredients list on the store-bought stuff after cooking my own, I'd like to avoid all the unrecognizable chemicals!)
HELP! Kevin! Susan! Beth! Dear Readers! Totally off subject!At the recommendation of this site, I purchased the book "Bread Alone". I love it. I have come under it's spell. And because of this site, I know that I can finally ask, without fear of shame and retribution, the following:
What the &*(*&^ am I doing wrong with WW Breads? 50% of the time they rise - OK. Not great, but they basically double (barely) Not high. Never like the pictures. The other 50% of the time, the rise is meager. - I'm talking both outside and in the oven. I can't figure out if I am under-proofing them or over-proofing them? And if I DARE to make slits, it's a guarantee that the little rising they have done will deflate the loaf and I'll be left with - (albiet a tasty loaf) the crumb is dense, let's say this again, DENSE - not HOLES, overly moist and flat. I've been baking bread for 20+ years, but when faced with bread with 50% or more of WW, it's a crap shoot. This site has finally afforded me some one, some place to ask...what AM I doing wrong???
Robin
Robin - I'm really behind on the year in bread thing. But I had weird issues at time too. I'd kill my loaf after proofing trying to get it on the peel (and sometimes off). Sometimes I didn't score deep enough. And sometimes I'd forget the spraying. I found good scores and spraying helped TONS. And when KitchenMage mentioned the parchment paper - jeepers, that made a huge difference and I quit killing the loves after proofing. I know that Susan has conversed with readers and found issues with poor quality ingredients like old yeast and such. My last loaves had good rise in the oven and looked beautiful. But the holes were smallish and the tang had diminished a bit because I'd almost let my starter die out. Hope any of that is helpful... Chel
Post a Comment
Hello breadie! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment at AYearInBread.com. Beth and I try our best to answer all of your questions, but sometimes it takes us a few days to get to them. And sometimes they fall through the cracks, and for that we apologize.
Lots of readers tell us they've found all sorts of helpful info in these comments sections, so you might find that the answer to your question is already here. You can also search for anything on A Year in Bread (and Susan's and Beth's main food blogs) by using the handy google search box at the top right corner of the page. Search for any word, phrase, recipe, etc.
Happy baking!
Please note that you can sign up below to receive future comments added to this post via e-mail, which is handy if you're waiting for a reply from us.
And if someone asks a question and you have an answer, by all means please join in the conversation. The more we share, the better our breads will be!