BREAD baking

[Susan Otcenas]

Susan - Can I just say that I love that you thought to take a photo of this event?!

I thought that Pampered Chef might want to see how it failed.

I was just flipping through the book, contemplating my next batch of dough... I'm thinking either olive bread or a peasant loaf.

[five one]

I'm thinking either olive bread or a peasant loaf.

I made the oatmeal bread dough Sunday morning and baked the bread last night (variation with raisins and walnuts). It was fabulous!

[papaver]

my second attempt...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

my second attempt...

Beautiful!

Susan- here is what i do for my olive loaves:
http://strumelia.blogspot.com/2009/05/olive-bread.html

[Biciclista]

my third (and last from that batch) loaf looks like papaver's first loaf. I think next time i will make a 4 cup batch instead of a 6 cup batch, we would be more likely to use it all up in time.

[hoffsquared]

So how do I get my boule's to expand evenly along the X mark I make. My loaf this morning came out all lopsided. Only part of the cut expanded? This has happened a few times.

[tulip]

So how do I get my boule's to expand evenly along the X mark I make. My loaf this morning came out all lopsided. Only part of the cut expanded? This has happened a few times.

sprinkle some flour on the top, spread it around, and slash with a SHARP knife, a bit deeper than you think you should. I prefer three parallel slashes to the X.

[Susan Otcenas]

Thanks for the link, Lisa. Your olive bread looks fantastic.

I have enough dough for one more loaf, so I think I will try this.

I need to send my broken pizza stone back to Pampered Chef, and I don't own a dutch oven, so this loaf will probably just get done on a cookie sheet. Unless someone has a better idea....

[hoffsquared]

sprinkle some flour on the top, spread it around, and slash with a SHARP knife, a bit deeper than you think you should. I prefer three parallel slashes to the X.

Thanks I will try the three slashes next time. Also go a bit deeper.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I usually do six or eight slashes in a star pattern as opposed to a four-slash star- it gives more places to expand.
Or I slash in a diagonal 'wheat' pattern, a slash every inch and a half or so.
Or diagonal parallel slashes, 4 or 5 slashes.
Like some of these.

[papaver]

Like some of these.

oh look... bread art.

[NoNo]

I drove all over creation trying to find this book today, to no avail! It was even checked out of both libraries I went to! Part of my taking time off from work plan was to do some baking, and it's looking like that won't happen as I'll have to order the book and wait for it to come. I'm majorly bummed out.

[tulip]

I don't have the book. I got the basic recipe from the New York Times website. Google it; I'm sure you'll find it. The Splendid Table had a piece on a similar (original?) recipe over the weekend. You could look there, too, but that recipe says let it rise for alot longer than I do, unless you count the time that the rest of the dough is in the fridge.

One batch--3 medium boules--lasted me a week, and that includes giving one boule away to a neighbor. I could easily have eaten that one, though.

[NoNo]

I don't have the book. I got the basic recipe from the New York Times website. Google it; I'm sure you'll find it. The Splendid Table had a piece on a similar (original?) recipe over the weekend. You could look there, too, but that recipe says let it rise for alot longer than I do, unless you count the time that the rest of the dough is in the fridge.

One batch--3 medium boules--lasted me a week, and that includes giving one boule away to a neighbor. I could easily have eaten that one, though.

Thanks! I'll do some searching and hopefully be able to start that batch while I order the book online and wait. Mmmmmm..........bread

On a slightly related topic, what do you ladies like to put on all these breads you're making? What's your favorite? Mine changes based on the day, type of bread, what it's being eaten with, lunar cycle, etc. Sometimes I just want a good old warm, buttery piece of bread. Other times I'll choose honey, homemade jams, or olive oil. But my new favorite is Peanut Butter & Co's Dark Chocolate Dreams. Natural peanut butter and dark chocolate mixed together into every hormonal woman's dream. I find things just to dip in there. Sometimes I just take a spoon and eat from the jar. Don't judge me.

[MommyBird]

It pains me, but I guess I will have to resort to buying processed flour if I want to attempt some of this beautiful bread. My research did not reveal the information that I had hoped. There is an incredibly tedious process you can use to prepare freshly milled flour for artisan bread but all sites said "don't bother, buy a high quality processed flour."

I have a friend in SC who mills and makes a variety of bread styles. I believe she she told me she uses Kamut for her artisan loafs. I will have to get in touch with her. I add spelt and kamut to my whole wheat for a lighter flavor and texture. I have not tried a straight kamut loaf. I ran out last week, so I will need to place a BreadBecker's order. Yippee!

I use King Aurthur in my Airstream pantry because fresh milled has such a short shelf-life and there is little room for a wheat mill and a 45lb bucket. Would KA be a good choice, or is there another recommendation?

But my mill will not sit idle...my men will still want their share of hearty wheat bread. Plus, there are always the tortillas and other goodies we make. In fact, I will have it out later today to mill flour for the cookies I am making for tomorrow's regatta.