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Wish me luck, I'm waiting for the 1st rise on my 1st try at bread - ever!
- Thread starter mariadnoca
- Start date
WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am sooo glad it turned out great for you, and also I'm glad I only saw this now, so I did not have to bite all my finger nails in anticipation since yesterday (or whenever you first posted)
you are officially hooked. ENJOY THE RIDE, MY FRIEND!
I am sooo glad it turned out great for you, and also I'm glad I only saw this now, so I did not have to bite all my finger nails in anticipation since yesterday (or whenever you first posted)
you are officially hooked. ENJOY THE RIDE, MY FRIEND!
barbara-in-va
Well-known member
Maria, that is beautiful!! congrats on a job very well done smileys/smile.gif
heather_in_sf
Well-known member
It looks just like Boudin!
mariadnoca
Moderator
I cut it!!! Here are the "crumb" photos....I think it's not bad...
This first photo I thought, ok it's dense, but still that fact that it came out at all I'm going to call a win, but...
http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread%20rising/IMG_2489_zps16c9cc58.jpg
Then the next slice seems better, you bread folks need to school me more on what I should be looking for, but there at least are some holes here and they seem fairly evenly spaced -- that's not bad, right?
http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread%20rising/IMG_2494_zps02603d1e.jpg
http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread%20rising/IMG_2491_zpsa424ca7e.jpg
http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread%20rising/IMG_2493_zpsa38b36a0.jpg
This is the money shot (well, at least with my lil' point n shoot):
http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread%20rising/IMG_2492_zpsac97cb54.jpg
This first photo I thought, ok it's dense, but still that fact that it came out at all I'm going to call a win, but...
http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread%20rising/IMG_2489_zps16c9cc58.jpg
Then the next slice seems better, you bread folks need to school me more on what I should be looking for, but there at least are some holes here and they seem fairly evenly spaced -- that's not bad, right?
http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread%20rising/IMG_2494_zps02603d1e.jpg
http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread%20rising/IMG_2491_zpsa424ca7e.jpg
http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread%20rising/IMG_2493_zpsa38b36a0.jpg
This is the money shot (well, at least with my lil' point n shoot):
http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Food/Bread%20rising/IMG_2492_zpsac97cb54.jpg
mariadnoca
Moderator
Now as to taste...here's where I need some more help...
It's not sour. At all.
I was so excited about how it looked and that it wasn't flat/etc that I sorta forgot about taste, I just assumed it would be good. However, honestly that's where it fell down for me, it has hardly any flavor at all, in fact I'd thought I'd used unsalted butter at first, but no. It's bland. Also, I'd used olive oil for the bowl because my canola was a bit old, and you can taste it (it's ok, but I'm not a fan).
So, what did I do wrong there? How do I develop taste?
Inside is chewy, crust is crisp, but the taste isn't what I expected. Maybe a SF sourdough developed for taste outside the region counteracts itself baked within it it? Maybe? Ok, yeah, I know...that's reaching for it.
So how does one develop flavor in bread? I'm thinking I might now be asking the hardest question of all.
Oh and I should add, I ended up using all KA bread flour instead of the organic I got, just because it has more protein. I'd meant to toss in some rye for flavor, but forgot. Note: my starter was using the unbleached organic flour, fed daily and kept at room temp (which at most is 68F, but colder at night).
PS
I did share this recipe with someone online who baked it before me and didn't have this issue, and of course Sally's made it too without issue, so that leave user error aka me.
It's not sour. At all.
I was so excited about how it looked and that it wasn't flat/etc that I sorta forgot about taste, I just assumed it would be good. However, honestly that's where it fell down for me, it has hardly any flavor at all, in fact I'd thought I'd used unsalted butter at first, but no. It's bland. Also, I'd used olive oil for the bowl because my canola was a bit old, and you can taste it (it's ok, but I'm not a fan).
So, what did I do wrong there? How do I develop taste?
Inside is chewy, crust is crisp, but the taste isn't what I expected. Maybe a SF sourdough developed for taste outside the region counteracts itself baked within it it? Maybe? Ok, yeah, I know...that's reaching for it.
So how does one develop flavor in bread? I'm thinking I might now be asking the hardest question of all.
Oh and I should add, I ended up using all KA bread flour instead of the organic I got, just because it has more protein. I'd meant to toss in some rye for flavor, but forgot. Note: my starter was using the unbleached organic flour, fed daily and kept at room temp (which at most is 68F, but colder at night).
PS
I did share this recipe with someone online who baked it before me and didn't have this issue, and of course Sally's made it too without issue, so that leave user error aka me.
How much salt did you use? It makes a huge difference. Also, tossing in a little rye flour
Even a tablespoon of rye will add character. And a long slow rise--though it sounds like you did that.
Commercial sourdough bread is more sour, so perhaps you are missing that flavor. You could increase the amount of starter you use, scaling back on the added flour and water, for a more sour taste.
(You should've seen the look on my French in-laws' faces when they bit into American sourdough. It was very foreign to them--uniquely American. When Europeans make a bread with starter they start with a small amount and develop the dough in stages to avoid the sourness.)
Your photos look great! The large holes and structure are perfect. So you got the consistency of the dough just right.
Even a tablespoon of rye will add character. And a long slow rise--though it sounds like you did that.
Commercial sourdough bread is more sour, so perhaps you are missing that flavor. You could increase the amount of starter you use, scaling back on the added flour and water, for a more sour taste.
(You should've seen the look on my French in-laws' faces when they bit into American sourdough. It was very foreign to them--uniquely American. When Europeans make a bread with starter they start with a small amount and develop the dough in stages to avoid the sourness.)
Your photos look great! The large holes and structure are perfect. So you got the consistency of the dough just right.
mariadnoca
Moderator
Oh, that's it!!! I see it's a 1/2 T and I used 1/2 t...I thought it was missing salt - that's it!
I'd actually sprinkled salt on the butter and then it tasted good, but I hadn't wanted to admit it for fear of sounding too weird (and normally I'm salt sensitive and use low salt).
I'd actually sprinkled salt on the butter and then it tasted good, but I hadn't wanted to admit it for fear of sounding too weird (and normally I'm salt sensitive and use low salt).
mariadnoca
Moderator
I'm now seeing bread recipes are written very differently than all others.
That sounds about right. I spent the day making Julia's French bread. It calls for 2-1/4 tsp. salt.
(that's 3/4 Tbs.) per pound (3-1/2 cups) flour. It's too salty for me, so I use 1-1/2 tsp., or 1/2 Tbs. per pound of flour. That's the guide I use when I'm trying other recipes. If the salt amount seems odd I use 1-1/2 tsp. per pound of flour.
It's amazing how much difference that slight deviation makes. Sadly, extra salt makes for a wonderful, dark, effortless crust, but since so much of what we put on bread is already salty, I hold back a little.
(that's 3/4 Tbs.) per pound (3-1/2 cups) flour. It's too salty for me, so I use 1-1/2 tsp., or 1/2 Tbs. per pound of flour. That's the guide I use when I'm trying other recipes. If the salt amount seems odd I use 1-1/2 tsp. per pound of flour.
It's amazing how much difference that slight deviation makes. Sadly, extra salt makes for a wonderful, dark, effortless crust, but since so much of what we put on bread is already salty, I hold back a little.
melissa-dallas
Well-known member
Another thing you can do is make your dough & put in the fridge overnight, then
continue with the rises the next day. Gives more time for flavor to develop.
continue with the rises the next day. Gives more time for flavor to develop.
But speaking of bread being forgiving, I made 9 batches today (we have a Valentine's Day event
coming up and it freezes well). Each batch needs 3 rises--2 in the bowl and one after the baguette is formed. I start off pretty organized, but by the time I got to that ninth batch:
I ran out of yeast--only about 1/2 tsp. left in the jar. I didn't want to go to the store, so I proofed it in water, then tried to help it along by adding some of the flour to make a batter. I let that sit until it started to bubble, then made the dough, hoping that the yeast had multiplied enough. It rose so well that I may always do that.
Next I confused it with a batch that had already had its second rise. I was supposed to just fold it and put it back in the bowl, but instead I formed three loaves, then realized my mistake. I smushed them back in the bowl and went on.
This batch of dough got its second rise, got formed again and baked into three perfect baguettes.
coming up and it freezes well). Each batch needs 3 rises--2 in the bowl and one after the baguette is formed. I start off pretty organized, but by the time I got to that ninth batch:
I ran out of yeast--only about 1/2 tsp. left in the jar. I didn't want to go to the store, so I proofed it in water, then tried to help it along by adding some of the flour to make a batter. I let that sit until it started to bubble, then made the dough, hoping that the yeast had multiplied enough. It rose so well that I may always do that.
Next I confused it with a batch that had already had its second rise. I was supposed to just fold it and put it back in the bowl, but instead I formed three loaves, then realized my mistake. I smushed them back in the bowl and went on.
This batch of dough got its second rise, got formed again and baked into three perfect baguettes.
heather_in_sf
Well-known member
The sourdough I used to make, I would make a starter and it would sit out on the counter
for a day, then into the fridge where I would feed it. Normally I would leave it out all of the time but my current apartment is much too warm. My baker friend, Danny Garbiner of Sour Flour, leaves out his starter and it collects "wild yeasts" which give the sour SF tang. So try making some starter and I'm sure there are nice wild yeasts in your neck of the woods.
Then you can make sourdough pancakes, yum.
for a day, then into the fridge where I would feed it. Normally I would leave it out all of the time but my current apartment is much too warm. My baker friend, Danny Garbiner of Sour Flour, leaves out his starter and it collects "wild yeasts" which give the sour SF tang. So try making some starter and I'm sure there are nice wild yeasts in your neck of the woods.
Then you can make sourdough pancakes, yum.
mariadnoca
Moderator
Hummm, what do you mean your place is too warm for rm temp starter? UR in SF!
I was thinking my place was too cool for my starter given the hiccups I had at first (and reading it was hard to begin a starter when it's cold), so what I do now to keep it warmer than the house (68F when the heat is on, but it's off at night/part of the day) is when I get up in the morning and zap water for a cup of tea, I feed my starter and put it in the now warmed up micro. That's where it lives at roomish temp. Also, I found warming the water I feed it with to say 80F makes it much happier and rises higher.
So is colder better?
I was thinking my place was too cool for my starter given the hiccups I had at first (and reading it was hard to begin a starter when it's cold), so what I do now to keep it warmer than the house (68F when the heat is on, but it's off at night/part of the day) is when I get up in the morning and zap water for a cup of tea, I feed my starter and put it in the now warmed up micro. That's where it lives at roomish temp. Also, I found warming the water I feed it with to say 80F makes it much happier and rises higher.
So is colder better?