Weekend bread adventure: Reinhart's San Francisco Sourdough from "Crust & Crumb" pixs

M

mariadnoca

Moderator
This is his James Beard award winning recipe (got the book from the library). It's a three day process. The difference is I used my 100% hydration starter, but I am going to make his starter from scratch to try it that way as well. This is my first all white bread and I did use the diastatic malt powder (thanks to Marilyn).

I don't know if it's the malt powder, but the crust is amazing. Super crisp compared to all others...at first the knife slid off it.

While it has good flavor, it's not as sour as I'd like. Next time I'm going to let the stiff starter sit two days in the fridge. For local folks, it's almost Acme flavor. There is a more depth of flavor because of the taste of the crust compared to the center crumb. If the malt does this I'm going to have to find a source and keep it in stock in my pantry.

The loaves don't even look related! The flour from the basket stuck to one and not the other (had a hard time getting it out of that basket, this was my first time using one). I tried turning the oven off and letting it sit with the last one (per the recipe), but it was just getting dark on the top of the tips, so finally pulled it. The temp of that one was 207F, I forgot to test the first one.

If anyone wants the recipe I'll type it up.

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread/SF%20Sourdough%20from%20Crust%20and%20Crumb/IMG_2792_zps888412d0.jpg

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread/SF%20Sourdough%20from%20Crust%20and%20Crumb/IMG_2793_zps877fccc8.jpg

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread/SF%20Sourdough%20from%20Crust%20and%20Crumb/IMG_2795_zpsc04b9f62.jpg

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread/SF%20Sourdough%20from%20Crust%20and%20Crumb/IMG_2796_zpsd1f9cda0.jpg

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread/SF%20Sourdough%20from%20Crust%20and%20Crumb/IMG_2797_zpsf6296d30.jpg

 
OMG! That is fantastic looking bread. . .

And it looks to have my kind of crust, dark and chewy-crispy.

Yes, I would love for you to post the recipe, please.

 
Yup, the malt will give you great crust!

I used to include liquid malt in my bread dough and the crust was always amazing.

Now I am craving a good crust loaf!

 
I found it at a brewing store, but there were 3 flavors - hope it tastes the same.

There was "dark ale" "light" and the one I got per someone in the store - "golden light"

The price was right though - $6 for a lb (an no shipping charges).

 
Beautiful!!!!!!! (more inside)

Ok, don't even try to pull the "beginners' thing" anymore, because you, my friend, you are a fantastic bread baker!

beautiful loaves, crust, crumb, slash job, A+++++ on all counts!

 
LOL! Well, I'm getting better with practice...gotta say this recipe was even better 2nd day...

I'd read that some say flavor is best on the 3rd day, but what a jump in taste on day 2. Flavors have a lot of depth and several different notes. I really think it must be this diastatic malt powder. Because the crust is not only crisper, it's the flavor creator.

So far this is by FAR the best tasting bread I've made. It's going to be interesting trying it with his wetter seed starter once I get that up and going.

 
Oh good, at least ONE of us has tried the diastatic malt powder. Which also means

it's stable (shelf-wise). Good to know!

BEAUTIFUL BREAD, Maria...I am so jealous!

 
I found the liquid diastatic malt in my local supermarket.

Look with the "natural foods". The brand I have is Eden.

 
The malt powder will be stable, but keep it in an airtight container.

It will absorb any tiny bit of humidity in the air and turn into a rock overnight.

 
hey missy...I just used your Pi plate this weekend for a mini-lemon tart.

And I followed your advice** to put the "pi" plate and crust in a cold oven and let it come to heat with the rest of the oven.

worked perfectly. I took a photo...if I remember, I'll post.

(**Advice you gave me after I cracked a handmade dish from Canada by putting it into a hot oven.)

 
Here's judy's Pi plate--with my first

Mix of uber-tart lemon curd and a container of Noosa honey yogurt blended with one 3"x8" "BRONZE" gelatin leaf (softened, then melted, then added). Crust was leftover Cape Breton Oatcakes dough. Just speculating, but the curd has its own firming agents (yolks and butter), so I think that's why one leaf worked to firm up 16 oz of filling. Most recipes call for several leaves.

I'm so proud of myself for moving beyond Knox gelatin. Kind of like when a little kid gets to wear"real" underpants to bed.

https://recipeswap.org/fun/wp-content/uploads/Finer_Kitchens/2014%20Marilyn/001-1.jpg~original

 
Lovely, Marilyn!

It warms my heart to see my pottery used and enjoyed.

And that lemon tart is making me hungry! I've never seen gelatin leaf for sale. Where did you find it?

 
Ha...I originally bought it to use for gingerbread house windows! So I've had it

for several years. Most of my French pastry books use leaf rather than loose gelatine and I've been curious about how it works. According to gelatine producers, gelatine NEVER goes bad. They have to put a expiry date on the box because the PACKAGING will eventually degrade.

I bought mine in a candy/cake/bakers supply store. It had nothing on the bag but instructions on how to melt it. Their supplier buys in bulk and then repackages it into a few sheets for mere mortals.

I've read enough about leaf gelatin to know that it can have various "strengths" based on its nomenclature.

Strongest leaf gelatine = Titanium
Then Platinum, Gold, Silver, & Bronze

As you go down the list (in diminishing precious metal cost), the strength of the gelatin lessens so you need MORE to thicken the same amount. The kind folks at D&G Occassions in Orlando tracked down the information for me...their package was BRONZE. THEY didn't know anything about the nomenclature so it was a learning process for all of us.

Most gelatines are made from animal products (beef or pork) but you can obtain vegetarian versions.

 
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