Homemade Bread

[Ko]

that bread looks very tasty indeed BUT I wouldn't use its name in the context of flavour... It has a different meaning in several other languages

Originally Posted by nofate

My wife makes a Finnish coffee bread called pulla. It has a cardomum flavor and is very tasty.

[YBViking]

Originally Posted by geode

a mere 195 mile trip to get there ...

Geode-

PM me if you head up this way- i wanna see what those light brackets look like on your scoot'

(and i'm up for the behind the curtain tour of the Jim's operation...)

@JIm- sorry i didn't see your post otherwise i woulda stopped in proper to say howdy.

[IDScarecrow]

In the months since this thread inspired me to bake my first loaf, I have made dozens of loaves of bread, of many variations. My family, friends and neighbors all love the bread; i typically make 3-5 loaves a week.

I have been using mostly variations on the nytimes/Lahey recipe. A question or two about the "why" of some parts of the recipe. The recipe has a few steps that i follow but don't really understand.

What does the folding do? Does it matter, and to what effect, if I fold once, twice, three, or four times?

The recipe says to fold, let it rest for 15 mins, then move to a cloth, and let it rise for 2 more hours. Why? Could I not fold it and immediately place it on the cloth? Would there be an ill effect if I folded it and let it sit for, say, an hour, before moving it?

I think if I understood better what is being accomplished, what is the bread doing in the folding and second rise, it would be enlightening.

thanks

[levain]

Originally Posted by IDScarecrow

In the months since this thread inspired me to bake my first loaf, I have made dozens of loaves of bread, of many variations. My family, friends and neighbors all love the bread; i typically make 3-5 loaves a week.

I have been using mostly variations on the nytimes/Lahey recipe. A question or two about the "why" of some parts of the recipe. The recipe has a few steps that i follow but don't really understand.

What does the folding do? Does it matter, and to what effect, if I fold once, twice, three, or four times?

The recipe says to fold, let it rest for 15 mins, then move to a cloth, and let it rise for 2 more hours. Why? Could I not fold it and immediately place it on the cloth? Would there be an ill effect if I folded it and let it sit for, say, an hour, before moving it?

I think if I understood better what is being accomplished, what is the bread doing in the folding and second rise, it would be enlightening.

thanks

In many ways, mixing is a necessary evil. Fermentation and time will develop bread dough. That lahey recipe proves that theory. Mix the slop together, let it sit overnight, give it a fold, shape, proof, bake. Sounds simple and it is, but if you tried to make the bread quickly, you wouldn't get the strength that it gets simply from sitting there. It's a pretty complex process.

So, what does folding do? We fold most of our doughs 2 times during a 3 hr. bulk fermentation. We use a pre-ferment, or another piece of old yeasted dough, or sourdough, made the day before so we can make bread in 3 hrs. bulk. Our sourdoughs then go an additional 5 or 6 hrs. The Lahey recipe doesn't use a pre-ferment and instead relies on a "straight dough" fermented for a long time. In many ways, they're the same. In others, not so much.

In this case, you're folding the dough just to bring it together as much as anything else. I would guess that at his bakery they're actually folding the dough multiple times, rather than just once. If you add another fold, it'll get stronger, and you'll likely get more volume. He's recommending the fold 15 min. before shaping to give the dough some strength. You're basically giving it what we call pre-shape. A little strength before final shaping. You can certainly give it another fold or two, or three. Every time the dough will get stronger and you'll get more volume. In my bakery, I consider a fold equal to 1 min. mixing on 2nd speed.

If it works for your schedule, give the dough the same bulk fermentation and add a fold half way through. Or, one 2 hrs. before shaping and one 1 hr. before shaping. See what you think. You'll be amazed at the difference in the dough.

[Jon_Garfio]

I´m glad to found this post!!!
This is the bread that makes my wife:

I saw all your home breads and there is a high level!!!

[AngryScot]

^^ looks yummy!

[Jon_Garfio]

Originally Posted by AngryScot

^^ looks yummy!

many thanks!! yes it is yummy.

[pilot]

Originally Posted by Jon_Garfio

many thanks!! yes it is yummy.

Tell us about it. What's it called, how does she make it?

[facetjoint]

I can't believe I was linked to this thread through a question. A total awesome find. I've got a lot of reading to do here. Plus I need a bed sheet for a bib to catch all the drool from the pics.

Thanks all for sharing your incredible skill and success with us!

[facetjoint]

Need a little guidance here. Seriously most days I need a LOT of guidance! But I usually seem to manage. All joking aside really. And I am trying to digest this thread page be page! Fascinating stuff really.! So here goes

What do I need to know about obtaining a Dutch oven to make bread in? Size, cast iron, any particulars I need to be aware of in the do and don't area of buying one? Any help is appreciated!
Thanks Bill

[facetjoint]

I bake a lot of breads, fruit breads, muffins, and rolls. I prefer to use as much of the healthy stuff that I can reasonably afford to use. As I give it all away. And give the stuff to a local food kitchen. Not looking for atta' boys here. But I've read a lot here about King Arthur's wheat flour. And not to knock the product. It is expensive. I've found it to have a very strong wheat taste in the finished baked product. And thus do not use it anymore. I try and stay away from most all of white flour as well. With the exception of very large quantities of muffins for the food kitchen.

I presently use pretty exclusive Bob's Red Mill whole wheat flour in my fruit breads. Anybody else have this experience? Or can weigh in on the subject? I find the bulk flour products at the natural type food stores are more expensive than I can purchase Bob's flour on sale. Please note that I am not in any way affiliated with Bob's Red Mill at all!

Once again, I'm looking for information and ideas as well.

Thanks Bill

[pilot]

Hi, Bill, welcome to the bread nuts thread.

I just use whatever flour is on sale. Seriously. Others use the good stuff.

I'm using an old cast iron covered pot that is the size of a 6 quart Dutch oven. We use it for making soups and stews and stuff, too. Just use whatever you can find, it will work.

[facetjoint]

Originally Posted by pilot

Hi, Bill, welcome to the bread nuts thread.

I just use whatever flour is on sale. Seriously. Others use the good stuff.

I'm using an old cast iron covered pot that is the size of a 6 quart Dutch oven. We use it for making soups and stews and stuff, too. Just use whatever you can find, it will work.

Wow, that sounds way too uncomplicated and simple! But I certainly do not need to reinvent the wheel! Several 2nd hand stores around here. so I ought to be able to score a Dutch oven fairly easy.

[Commuter Boy]

Originally Posted by IDScarecrow

What does the folding do? Does it matter, and to what effect, if I fold once, twice, three, or four times?

Stretching and folding works the gluten in the dough into an organized pattern, firming and "strengthening" the dough so that it holds it's shape and will rise better.

You can get the same effect by mixing or kneading it more, but it's hard to do that by hand with wet doughs, and a quick stretch and fold adds less air into the dough than kneading. Somebody told me once a stretch, fold, then rest was about the same as 5 minutes of hand kneading.

[NICO]

Originally Posted by facetjoint

I bake a lot of breads, fruit breads, muffins, and rolls. I prefer to use as much of the healthy stuff that I can reasonably afford to use. As I give it all away. And give the stuff to a local food kitchen. Not looking for atta' boys here. But I've read a lot here about King Arthur's wheat flour. And not to knock the product. It is expensive. I've found it to have a very strong wheat taste in the finished baked product. And thus do not use it anymore. I try and stay away from most all of white flour as well. With the exception of very large quantities of muffins for the food kitchen.

I presently use pretty exclusive Bob's Red Mill whole wheat flour in my fruit breads. Anybody else have this experience? Or can weigh in on the subject? I find the bulk flour products at the natural type food stores are more expensive than I can purchase Bob's flour on sale. Please note that I am not in any way affiliated with Bob's Red Mill at all!

Once again, I'm looking for information and ideas as well.

Thanks Bill

I'm sort of associated with Bob's Red Mill, so I say everyone should use that for everything they bake.

Seriously, it's good stuff.