Experimenting with Bread

[Thermomixer]

Great work indeed - I made some bread at the weekend and it was amongst the best I've made for a while - started the proving in the fridge for 24 hours because I had some sour dough starter that I wanted to use and refresh and didn't expect to be out of action.  But the result was great - will take a pic of what is left.

[Thermomixer]

OK - picture for what it's worth - the final proving was over an hour - lost track (maybe that is the way to make good bread  ) of the time - but it worked well (I think)

[Meagan]

Looks scrummy thermomixer 

[gertbysea]

Oh my theromixer you are such a show off.  Yours is bigger I assure you. 

Gretchen

[faffa_70]

lol is that a baby gate I see in the background Thermomixer?? You looking to keep the little buggers darling little treasures out of the kitchen already 

[Meagan]

I noticed the baby gate too faffa

[Thermomixer]

Oh my theromixer you are such a show off.  Yours is bigger I assure you. 

May be an optical illusion  - but it did rise nicely -think this is because it went into a hot oven (if anybody has made choux pastry that is the same idea - so ban putting bread into cold ovens - my new campaign!)

lol is that a baby gate I see in the background Thermomixer?? You looking to keep the little buggers darling little treasures out of the kitchen already 

Fortunately he can't even crawl yet!!!  The gates are for the four-legged ferals that cohabit    Worse than the kids when left at home alone.

[gertbysea]

I concur thermomixer. I just don't get the cold oven thing. But... having said that my consultant does it and her bread rolls are teriffic. I just would not do it myself.  Now show us your ciabatta.

Gretchen

[cookie1]

I've tried bread in cold ovens a couple of times and I don't like the results. Hot ovens for  me too.  I did a bread course at TAFE in the days of the dinosaurs and it was always hot ovens.

[meganjane]

Just to let you know a couple of tweaks I've made. I'm trying to include different grains into my diet, so not so reliant on wheat. I subbed out 50g of the grain bread mix for 50g spelt bread mix and reduced the yeast to 2 1/2 tsps. I didn't need to prove quite as long and had my loaf made in a morning. Yummy, light and fluffy!

[judydawn]

I start it in a warm place like the car, then move to the house after an hour or so (so I don't forget it!).

  I put a loaf on the dashboard in the car out in the sun once, kept checking it every 10 minutes or so and one time as I approached the car I couldn't see it where I had left it.  The car was locked so I couldn't work out how anyone could had removed it but when I opened the door, there it was sitting upside down on the passenger seat.  Obviously it had risen so much it had overbalanced.  Sure had me puzzled though.

[Thermomixer]

Just to let you know a couple of tweaks I've made. I'm trying to include different grains into my diet, so not so reliant on wheat. I subbed out 50g of the grain bread mix for 50g spelt bread mix and reduced the yeast to 2 1/2 tsps. I didn't need to prove quite as long and had my loaf made in a morning. Yummy, light and fluffy!

Good to hear it's improving.

JD - glad to hear it wasn't stolen.

[achookwoman]

Judydawn has asked for my modified recipe for the EDC recipe for basic bread.  I will keep it simple and it is basically for those who have not made bread before or who have not any success. 
Ingredients.good as stated except - use 2 full teasp. of yeast.
                                                -no salt if using a bread premix (like Laucke) which is a good idea if starting.
                                               -can replace wheat grain with wholemeal bread flour or premix.
Process in EDC is good for mixing and kneading, then-
                                            - roughly form the dough into a ball , place in a lightly oiled bowl. spray with water,,
                                             - cover  with plastic,( I use a shower cap !)you could place it in a plastic shopping bag that you can see through.
                                           - place bowl in a warm place,   this will depend on your climate,  the best temp is between 20 and25 degrees.   A friend puts her basin in her bed with the electric blanket on ! We are in a cold climate.
                                        -   It needs to DOUBLE,  the time will depend on the temperature.    At the above temp.  it will take 30 to 40 mins.
                                           -when double tip out on to the lightly floured bench or ( better still the T.M.mat.) decide what you are going to cook your loaf in. you can use what ever you like - bread tin, Pyrex loaf pan , cast iron cass. dish.,french bread stick pan.
                                           -oil the dish well , and generously sprinkle baking dish with seeds or oat flour or rolled oats.
                                           - flatten out bread, fold sides into center,  and tuck ends under.  form into the shape that will suit the baking dish.  Place into dish.
                                         -  spray with water, sprinkle again with seeds etc.,  Make 3 or 4 slashes across top about 1 cm. deep and cover with showercap or plastic bag. ( tie the bag so that the moisture is kept in)
                                        - place in the same warm spot that you used before.  Let it again DOUBLE. This will take slightly less time than the 1st. rise.    I have found you can cook the loaf in a cold start or hot oven with very little difference.
COLD - place loaf in oven , spray with water and set temp. to 200 degrees.    Set timer for 30 mins,    After 30 mins take bread from oven and turn bread upside down into tin.   Put back into oven.    Set timer for 20 mins. Cook for 20 mins.    If base of bread does not appear to be nice and brown,  turn oven up 10 degrees and cook for another 10 mins.
HOT - warm oven to 400 degrees. and cook as above , except the loaf  should not need the extra 10 mins. at the end.
                                Try to resist cutting loaf for 1 hour, or you will rip the dough and not be able to assess the quality of the loaf.      If there is a doughy layer at the bottom,  you have not let it rise enough .   If there are big holes then it has risen too much  .
             Reading through the posts made me realize just how our  likes differ in what we expect from a loaf.   You can add a tablespoon of any grain or seeds without making a great deal of difference to the texture.     Judydawn likes a soft loaf so could add a tablespoon of leftover mashed potato.
           Many of you are already making very good bread,   keep at until you get it exactly as you would like it.
           For members who live in warm climates I suggest you might like to read 'Wild Sourdough" by Yoke Mardewi.  Although she deals with sour dough she does live in W.A.    You might like to experiment with doing the 1st rise in the fridg over night.
         

[Thermomixer]

Thanks chookie - the thing with cold start oven baking is that the consultnats (and maybe the EDC) says to put it in BEFORE it doubles again - that doesn't work for me.

[judydawn]

Thanks Chookie, now it is there for all to see and for me to print out so that I don't lose it again