[rocler]

lately I have been experimenting with recipes from :

The All-New Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbookby Tom Lacalamita
Bread Machines For Dummies

Dont laugh, but the recipes are just the right size for the 2 of us.

I dont use the machine just the recipes. I have taken to triple rising the bread, and adding 1 tbsp wheat gluten and am getting some really nice loaves.

I did the Cooks Illustrated "Multi grain Bread" yesterday, halved the recipe added 1 tbsp wheat gluten, and did a triple rise and came out with a fantastic bread.

the rises are usually
1st. 1 1/2 hrs
2nd 1 hour
3rd 30 - 45 minutes

some are cooked in pans and some on the stone.

I have some "bread salt" coming from King Arthur Flour in the next few days, and also an improver for relaxing pizza dough when you stretch it out.

This post has been edited by rocler: 08 April 2008 - 06:24 AM

[Marlene]

When you say triple rise, does that mean you're punching it down for a second time? Is there a reason for this?

[rocler]

yes, im punching down a second time, lots of older recipes call for this and i decided to try it and find in my opinon, im getting a nicer textured bread.( i have only just started playing around with dough this winter so it could only be in my mind). I find the second punching really improved the Cooks Illustrated Multi Grain alot. I think i`m going to buy the Bread Bakers Apprentenice after all and read up what he has to say about bread baking.

[James]

I would like to see our bread experts or enthusiasts tackle bagels, pretzels, and bialy's. I'm interested in the controversy (on other boards) over New York, Montreal, Miami, and soft bagels, as compared to regular Timmy types. Please put this on your back burner; I'll remind everyone in a month or two

[Matthew Kayahara]

I'm not even familiar with the controversy, but I've always wanted to try making bread-like pretzels at home, especially after watching Alton Brown do it on Good Eats!

[Marlene]

James, on Apr 9 2008, 03:46 PM, said:

I would like to see our bread experts or enthusiasts tackle bagels, pretzels, and bialy's. I'm interested in the controversy (on other boards) over New York, Montreal, Miami, and soft bagels, as compared to regular Timmy types. Please put this on your back burner; I'll remind everyone in a month or two

I think we did get a bagel recipe from Chef last week. I'll probably try them next week sometime. I'm not so interested in pretzels though. And really, I haven't eaten enough of the different places (Montreal/New York) bagels to be able to tell the difference. I like Timmy's coffee, but don't think so highly of their bagels though.

[James]

Marlene, on Apr 9 2008, 03:55 PM, said:

I think we did get a bagel recipe from Chef last week. I'll probably try them next week sometime. I'm not so interested in pretzels though. And really, I haven't eaten enough of the different places (Montreal/New York) bagels to be able to tell the difference. I like Timmy's coffee, but don't think so highly of their bagels though.

Still waiting for bialy's. MMmmm.
I'll bet Dave knows, or Skip can easily find them and duplicate.

This post has been edited by James: 09 April 2008 - 03:54 PM

[rocler]

is there any other bagel worth eating after eating a Montreal bagel?

[dave solomon]

rocler, on Apr 9 2008, 02:29 PM, said:

is there any other bagel worth eating after eating a Montreal bagel?

Montreal bagels are a bit sweet if you're used to NYC bagels, both are good but they're hardly the same thing. Sorta like deciding between Schwartz's and Katz's...

[Corgi Man]

Today I made the Farm Journal's Orange Cinnamon Swirl Bread. Imagine using orange juice as the liquid for a bread. That intrigued me. Had to make it. Here the loaves are rising.

Just out of the oven. At ICE our instructor talked about when making traditional loaf pan bread rolling out your dough, folding in the sides and leaving a space in the middle and then you roll up the dough and press the seams. I'm not convinced yet this is great. Both breads had a great fermentation and proof except for the bread behind not filling in that space. The foreground bread where I did traditional loaf forming rose fine. I used the gap for the loaf behind.

Here is the crumb. I think when I make this bread again (and I will, it's fabulous tasting!!!) I will double the amount of swirls material for a little more cinnamon taste and just a bit more there visually. This is a great breakfast bread. I'll be toasting it and trying it for French Toast, too. The orange and the cinnamon are such complementary flavors. I never thought of pairing them. I think the only time I can remember them being together is in Christmas mulled wine.

[Poutine]

I made this on Thursday( baked on Friday, needs an overnight rest in fridge). Its the BEST foccacia I've ever had and sooooo easy. Recipe can be found for free on Finecooking. com. Its Peter Reinhart's.






I only had dried rosemary and it worked fine!!

This post has been edited by Poutine: 20 April 2008 - 08:57 AM

[Corgi Man]

Looks great, Poutine! I wish I could make focaccia in my house. Every time I bring it up I'm countered with why not pizza instead?! When you say it's the best focaccia you've ever had, what are the qualities you are looking for and liking so much? I do have a focaccia recipe in the Bread Baker's Apprentice (Peter Reinhart) and will try this some day soon on a day when I get to cook what I want. I wonder if yours is the same recipe as in BBA. Mr. Reinhart is constantly revising.

[Poutine]

Corgi Man, on Apr 20 2008, 10:29 AM, said:

When you say it's the best focaccia you've ever had, what are the qualities you are looking for and liking so much? I do have a focaccia recipe in the Bread Baker's Apprentice (Peter Reinhart) and will try this some day soon on a day when I get to cook what I want. I wonder if yours is the same recipe as in BBA. Mr. Reinhart is constantly revising.

I like flavor and a nice open crumb. I've tried a few different foccacia's and most of them are made in the same day. They're doughy and not at all flavorful. This really tastes like foccacia rather than just a white bread or pizza dough.

[pixelchef]

Peter Reinhart's Basic Focaccia

[Corgi Man]

Yesterday I made baguettes from "Bread" by Eric Treuille & Ursula Ferrigno. I was intrigued that the dough rises for an hour and a half, punch down rise 45 minutes, punch down again and rise 45 minutes more and then shape into loaves and proof 50 minutes, make slashes and then bake for 20 or so minutes with a little steam.

The crust was wonderfully crunchy and the flavor nutty and more complex than any one-day bread I've ever made. My slashing leaves something to be desired. Maybe it's just the right implement - right now I'm using a serrated blade. The bread was so good that I'm making another batch right now. I would like to get the crumb a bit more open.

The book "Bread" is interesting to me because it has many breads I've never seen in any other book and some very different ways of making bread I already make.

[Marlene]

The shape of the baguette and the crumb look excellent. In terms of the slashing, you should be able to use a bread knife (we did at ICE!), but it looks like you're going across the bread rather than almost parallel to it. It also looks like you're going more straight down rather than angling the blade. My first slashes looked just like yours!

[Corgi Man]

Thanks, Marlene. On today's batch my slashing got worse! I must admit I'm afraid of slashing too deeply. I will summon up more courage - this book Bread says that slashes should be 1/2 to 3/4 " deep. That's DEEP! I'll do it next time.

The crumb came out just the way I wanted this time. It is more open and uneven - just like the baguettes I buy in the market or at the Amy's bakery. I achieved this crumb by rolling the bread less tightly than I did yesterday. We both loved it. We'll have the second baguette after my show tonight.

Someday soon I'll have a new camera and get rid of this yellowish tint in my photos!

[kim shook]

Skip - that is some gorgeous bread! I am really looking forward to having more time to devote to bread! It is one of the most satisfying things in the world to make!

[Marlene]

Kim, it really is one of the most satisfying things to make. There's just something about it. I'm not making a lot of bread this summer because we have no air conditioning at the cottage, and it gets hot inside with the oven on! But I'm looking forward to getting back to it in Sept. Skip, I'm going to have to look into that book.

[Corgi Man]

Bread by Eric Treuille & Ursula Ferrigno, DK Publishing, Inc. 375 Hudson Street, NYC, NY 10014
www.dk.com

It is a large size paperback.

I will try a few other recipes in the next few days.