Another bread blog

[PieSusan]

Are you proofing your yeast? Is it alive? Yeast can get too old (check the date on the package or jar). Also, if you use too hot of water you can kill the yeast.

 

[PieSusan]

Here is a great website for you:
Breadworld

You can read all about bread baking and perhaps see what you are doing wrong.

 

[JoeV]

I didn't know you could over-kneed. How would I be able to tell if I've kneeded it too much?

Check out this video. It shows how little kneading is actually required to get good bread, and shows what the dough should look like. It's really the most simple approach to yeasted bread aside from teh NYT bread.

YouTube - Bake perfect French Bread in ten minutes

 

[JoeV]

Joe, I am awaiting all my supplies to try to make the NYTimes bread. I will let you know what I think.

I was hoping to hear whether you liked the sour taste that develops over time with your latest experiment.

Tomorrow will be day 10 for the dough. Day 8 dough had a good tang to it, but it might just be at it's limit for what I like. I'll post sometime tomorrow.

 

[PieSusan]

Yes, I wondered when you would feel that would happen. However, I wonder if a little piece of the older sourdough added to regular bread dough would give you a proper tang right away. Hmmmm, wanna experiment and let us know?

 

[JoeV]

Yes, I wondered when you would feel that would happen. However, I wonder if a little piece of the older sourdough added to regular bread dough would give you a proper tang right away. Hmmmm, wanna experiment and let us know?

Interesting that you mention the old dough. The book recommends doing that very thing, or at least NOT cleaning out the storage container. I have some smaller containers (Tupperware) that I may use to make 1/2 recipes.

I just pulled the dough out of the fridge, and was greeted with the strongest "fragrance" to date. This is day 10, and we may be at the end of MY storage life decision. Both DW and me agreed to bake off this loaf just to see if it's edible, and then to start over with a fresh batch of dough in a clean container. The fragrance is quite sharp, and is not at all agreeable with my palette. I'm certain there are some sourdough aficionados who are just salivating while reading this, and this may be the point they are waiting for. Off to the oven....