Weekday bread adventures: same bread, one with stiff starter retarded an extra day; pixs at link

M

mariadnoca

Moderator
This is another batch of the SF sourdough from Crust and Crumb - I will post the recipe, but waiting to see if we get embedded photos back as is it's so long I was just going to post photos of the book pages because I think the details added are important to know..

I retarded the stiff starter* an extra day to see if it would become more sour. No taste difference between days, but yesterday's crust crisped up so that made it more interesting/more crust flavor. Think the crisper crust is just b/c it sat a day btw. The two side by side crumb shots are yesterday's and today's bake - just now cut both.

I'm not concerned I didn't get big holes in the crumb. I did see some large bubbles when shaping and for sandwiches the crumb is great, very soft too. Excellent for sammies and all around everyday bread.

*the stiff starter was made with my 100% hydration white starter, not the starter recipe he has in the book, which I think is wetter with a difference acid/bacteria balance.

I hope I'm not being too boring with all this bread stuff, it's just that it's what I'm mostly making right now. (Still have to pick something from the Yellow book.)

http://s788.photobucket.com/user/4ebay_bucket/slideshow/Food/Bread/SF%20Sourdough%20from%20Crust%20and%20Crumb/More%20from%20crust%20and%20crumb

 
PERFECTION!

You know, I gotta say your slashing and the shaping of those loaves are spot on! Beautiful crust, beautiful oven spring, you became a spectacular bread baker!

as to the big holes - I honestly think they are over-rated. Who wants to have butter or whatever sipping through holes? Bread is about crust and crumb, not necessarily big holes. Flavor comes first. Always.

 
...and she weeps for the beauty of it. That bread is perfect for the bacon, cheese, spiced

butter dish....you know the one I'm talking about?

You cut the bread vertically into a grid pattern, then add the cooked bacon, the shredded cheese and drizzle it with butter seasoned with dry salad dressing....then broil until Heaven opens its gate and St. Peter steps out to grab a handful of hot, cheesy bacony Wonderfulness. That's when you sneak past.

http://www.chef-in-training.com/2013/07/cheddar-bacon-ranch-pull-apart-bread/

 
Thanks all...I've had fun sharing this from day 1 of my first loaf of bread...

Sally, I think that recipe just doesn't produce big holes. Three of us made it and all got the same resulting crumb. Of course if I made it with his starter that might be different.

 
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