- Location
- London
but do you? for me at least violent kneading is always unnecessary-mix everything together, leave for 15 minutes, mix again, leave again then give a final mix. That is always enough.
Food Lockdown Loaves
- Thread starter Bryan Collins
- Start date
- Location
- London
Still chugging along with mine. Been learning how to use the steam oven to its best effect.
One of the most nteresting things that’s come out of it is that the vast majority of the rise occurs within the first fifteen minutes of baking. The third shot (actually the second in this series -somehow the order has been jumbled) is at twenty minutes into a 70 minute bake. I’ve settled recently upon 210C at 30% humidity, but with injections of steam just prior to baking and then for the first fifteen or twenty minutes whilst the loaf is still expanding. Followed by a reduction to 180C after about 50 minutes.
One of the other interesting things is to see the precipitous drop in oven temperature immediately after an injection of steam. This is only following the physics, but still dramatic. Temperature will drop to around 150-160C and even with my powerful ovens will take around two minutes to build back up to 210C.
One of the most nteresting things that’s come out of it is that the vast majority of the rise occurs within the first fifteen minutes of baking. The third shot (actually the second in this series -somehow the order has been jumbled) is at twenty minutes into a 70 minute bake. I’ve settled recently upon 210C at 30% humidity, but with injections of steam just prior to baking and then for the first fifteen or twenty minutes whilst the loaf is still expanding. Followed by a reduction to 180C after about 50 minutes.
One of the other interesting things is to see the precipitous drop in oven temperature immediately after an injection of steam. This is only following the physics, but still dramatic. Temperature will drop to around 150-160C and even with my powerful ovens will take around two minutes to build back up to 210C.
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- Location
- London
I'd completely agree, with a normal dough. For brioche though, absent an electric mixer, I don't see how else one properly incorporates all the eggs and butter? Otherwise I'd be worried about ending up with something resembling a boarding house omelette or The Blob.
- Location
- London
Ah, I was assuming an electric mixer!
- Location
- Northampton
Mr P,
Are you sure you are not flashing off how clean your oven is?
Incredible colour on that crust.
Gives me something to aspire to once I have fathomed out how to use the Sage 400c Pizzaiolo Debbi got me for Christmas.
I like the idea of a dedicated pasta thread. I’ve been making ravioli with varying proportions of ‘Nduja in the filling.
Sorry, I have to ask, as I am ordering appliances soon. Which brand of steam oven is that?
- Location
- Northampton
I suspect the answer may leave you…… Gagging
- Location
- London
Ray is on the money!
- Location
- London
Easy to clean Ray. All you do is screw in a ridiculously expensive cartridge, turn the dial to clean and wait five hours. You get the benefit of a free show that looks like James Hunt in the rain at Suzuka if you so desire. Empty water trays (mine couldn’t be plumbed in unfortunately) and offer a quick prayer of thanks to Lord Gagg for protecting your fingernails and lungs.Mr P,
Are you sure you are not flashing off how clean your oven is?
Incredible colour on that crust.
Gives me something to aspire to once I have fathomed out how to use the Sage 400c Pizzaiolo Debbi got me for Christmas.
- Location
- Aldeburgh
Please free to start. Would love to see your efforts, and compare notes share tips.
- Location
- London
Let’s do it, the pasta making is with my other half, but all tips welcome
I haven't made any since autumn due to continuing chaos and lack of time following moving house. I was only at a very early stage of making my own pasta last summer and the results were definitely not photo material.
- Location
- Aldeburgh
I shall post
100% Einkorn; 80% hydration. Turned out better than I had expected.
100 % sprouted Kamut; 80 % hydration again. (Both times I started at 75% but felt it needed a little more after initially mixing in.)
Toast made from the Einkorn was wonderful. I will try this loaf in the morning.)
Toast made from the Einkorn was wonderful. I will try this loaf in the morning.)
I thought I had over-salted the Kamut, although I used the same amount as I do normally. But my family informs me that Kamut has a naturally slightly salty taste anyway.
The Kamut is nicer as bread, the Einkorn as toast. Tomorrow, wholemeal Red Fife.
This brand of flour seems excellent. When mixed, the dough for the Einkorn and Kamut had lovely (and distinctively different) colours.
- Location
- London
You’re on a roll. Let’s build a cellar and bake like a champion at the same time.
Are you sure that your cellar build stress is entirely down to your diy shyness?
Making me feel positively indolent…
Intended pun?!
In reality, I think I have just been very lucky on both fronts.
- Location
- London
No! Bugger…..
Unintended bun in this case then.
100 % Red Fife; 90% hydration*. I also added a tiny amount of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) powder to this one.
* I used the high hydration based on Thom's comments, somewhere above, that the best way to get large bungholes in wholemeal bread is very high hydration, in fact up to 100%. After reading that, I did do a 100% hydration wholemeal general-wheat flour loaf, so I wasn't too nervous about trying again with the Red Fife. However, I don't think I would have been able (manually) to handle the dough made with this flour with more than 90% hydration. Also, I had been ruminating at points in the night on whether a modern era hexaploid wheat could absorb more water than tetraploids like Kamut and diploids like Einkorn. I didn't look into it further until after mixing the dough but now note that this half-baked (!) idea was utter rubbish, and that it appears simply to be the bran content that causes any wholemeal flour to be able to soak up more water.
I will check the bunghole appearance in the morning when the loaf is will be first attacked.
I am bored with my slashing pattern, but other approaches just don't seem to turn out well in my cast iron pot.
Next, as I have a third each left of a bag of Einkorn, Kamut and Red Fife, a mixture of all three.
* I used the high hydration based on Thom's comments, somewhere above, that the best way to get large bungholes in wholemeal bread is very high hydration, in fact up to 100%. After reading that, I did do a 100% hydration wholemeal general-wheat flour loaf, so I wasn't too nervous about trying again with the Red Fife. However, I don't think I would have been able (manually) to handle the dough made with this flour with more than 90% hydration. Also, I had been ruminating at points in the night on whether a modern era hexaploid wheat could absorb more water than tetraploids like Kamut and diploids like Einkorn. I didn't look into it further until after mixing the dough but now note that this half-baked (!) idea was utter rubbish, and that it appears simply to be the bran content that causes any wholemeal flour to be able to soak up more water.
I will check the bunghole appearance in the morning when the loaf is will be first attacked.
I am bored with my slashing pattern, but other approaches just don't seem to turn out well in my cast iron pot.
Next, as I have a third each left of a bag of Einkorn, Kamut and Red Fife, a mixture of all three.
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Thanks to Thom for the advice on hydration of wholemeal flour above. I never would have considered or dared to go so high without that, but it works well.
- Location
- London
Not really. Just wasn’t using my loaf.