Bread Making

[Roll_Bones]

I have always wanted to be a better baker. Bread in particular. My results in the past were not exactly great.
Last Friday, I saw a recipe for a "no knead" crusty load.
I made the dough, let it rest for 2 hours, and then into the fridge it went. The instructions say it can remain in the fridge for an extended period of time. That it would improve as far as flavor the longer I left it in the fridge.
Yesterday I pull out a hunk to make a mini loaf to go with dinner. I kneaded it a bit and formed a small loaf. I then allowed it to rest and rise for about 2 hours.
It came out great! Great crust and many holes inside. I was so happy and my wife said it was the best I ever made. It never made it to dinner. We ate it all with real butter.
I still have enough in the fridge to make 2 regular size loaves or four mini loaves. I am excited.
I have a couple of questions:
1) While the mini loaf was rising, it did not stay up very good. So I propped it up on each side. Is there another way to do this. It wanted to flatten out.
2) I want to incorporate seeds. I have some pumpkin, sesame and poppy seeds. Should I toast the seeds first? I would think any on the outside would not need to be toasted first?
I used an exacto knife to score with. Mistake. It did not make a clean, smooth cut and caused the loaf to deflate some. So I ordered a Lame yesterday online. It can be used curved or straight.
I also got a big square baking stone and pizza peel. I think I'm on the way to better bread baking.
Anyone have some suggestions and or things you learned while baking bread? Your mistakes? I have been getting lots of tips on YouTube. Picking up tidbits of information I can put to use. Seems I learn something each time I watch.
And I am now weighing everything. My scale purchase will finally get some use.
Happy baking everyone!

 

[Andy M.]

Congratulations! You're off to a great start. There are a ton of recipes online you could make. Consider the NewYork Times no knead bread recipe. You bake it in a big saucepan with the lid on for part of the time.

I would toast the seeds.

I just use a kitchen knife to score the top.

 

[Badjak]

Congrats are definitely in order
I always find it amazing how many different types of bread you can make with just 4 ingredients.

When you start looking around you will find loads of recipes.
I would advice you to stick with one of them first, then later on, start playing.

Oh, and learn bakers percentages
It makes it easier to remember recipes and to compare them as well

 

[jennyema]

Use the NYT no knead bread recipe. Excellent and foolproof, though it takes some time management.

 

[dragnlaw]

Congrats Roll Bones! good on you! Let's hear about the next one too!

 

[pepperhead212]

Good luck in your endeavor, @Roll_Bones! Be forewarned, it's easy to get hooked on this!

Your experience with the scoring of the bread reminds me of all the different ways I tried it - the scalpel, lame, single edge razor blade, and a number of knives. Here's the knife that works absolutely best for me - something I actually got free, in an order from Messermeister - and it is sort of like some steak knives, and is razor sharp. Like many serrated knives, it can't really be re-sharpened, but I only use it for the bread, and it goes back into a sheath, so it's like new, after almost 20 years. If no longer available, maybe something similar is available, with the slightly scalloped edge, with those almost microscopic serrations.
Here's my bread slashing knife, showing the little sections scooped out on the side, making it very sharp. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's the other side of the bread slashing knife, showing the brand and name of the knife. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

As for the bread making, here's something I'm guessing you'll have to watch for, being in the SE - humidity. When humidity goes up, it does two things when you are weighing out flour - it will be giving you less flour per pound, due to the moisture in it, and yet more water, so if you are adding the same amount of liquid, it's a double loss, and visa-versa - super dry flour weighs less, but needs more water! So you can follow those weight, and percent numbers, but make adjustments, taking this into consideration. After a while, you'll get the feel for it.

 

[Katie H]

After all this...recipe please.

 

[dragnlaw]

Your lamé will work just fine. Any knife with an edge will work. I've used a regular razor blade, a steak knife, a paring knife any and all of my sharp knives. If the first cut doesn't go deep enough, do it again! There's no law you can't do a slice in 2 strokes.
today each of these 3 strokes was 2. sorry not a good pic...

1st one was too shallow, so I just went over them again.

 

[taxlady]

I have a recipe for rugbrød (Danish style, heavy rye bread). It has seeds. In that recipe, you soak the seeds (In the video, the author used sunflower and something else.) before adding them to the dough. He said that if you don't soak the seeds, they will suck water out of your dough and mess with the hydration level.

 

[Roll_Bones]

Congratulations! You're off to a great start. There are a ton of recipes online you could make. Consider the NewYork Times no knead bread recipe. You bake it in a big saucepan with the lid on for part of the time.

I would toast the seeds.

I just use a kitchen knife to score the top.

I figured to toast the seeds that will be inside the bread and not toast those I will sprinkle on top?

Congrats are definitely in order
I always find it amazing how many different types of bread you can make with just 4 ingredients.

When you start looking around you will find loads of recipes.
I would advice you to stick with one of them first, then later on, start playing.

Oh, and learn bakers percentages
It makes it easier to remember recipes and to compare them as well

Yes. For now, I will stick with this recipe. But I am looking at the NYT recipe.
I have a KA mixer as well with dough hook. I didn't use it this time.

Good luck in your endeavor, @Roll_Bones! Be forewarned, it's easy to get hooked on this!

Your experience with the scoring of the bread reminds me of all the different ways I tried it - the scalpel, lame, single edge razor blade, and a number of knives. Here's the knife that works absolutely best for me - something I actually got free, in an order from Messermeister - and it is sort of like some steak knives, and is razor sharp. Like many serrated knives, it can't really be re-sharpened, but I only use it for the bread, and it goes back into a sheath, so it's like new, after almost 20 years. If no longer available, maybe something similar is available, with the slightly scalloped edge, with those almost microscopic serrations.
Here's my bread slashing knife, showing the little sections scooped out on the side, making it very sharp. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's the other side of the bread slashing knife, showing the brand and name of the knife. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

As for the bread making, here's something I'm guessing you'll have to watch for, being in the SE - humidity. When humidity goes up, it does two things when you are weighing out flour - it will be giving you less flour per pound, due to the moisture in it, and yet more water, so if you are adding the same amount of liquid, it's a double loss, and visa-versa - super dry flour weighs less, but needs more water! So you can follow those weight, and percent numbers, but make adjustments, taking this into consideration. After a while, you'll get the feel for it.

Thanks. I have tried a number of knives and razor blades. Maybe I'm afraid to put too much pressure on the loaf? An Exacto knife should have been as sharp as you can get? Its not evidently.
I will have the Lame today and try it. I do also have a very sharp bread knife I will try as well.
I keep my flour in the freezer. Should that negate any humidity considerations?

 

[HeyItsSara]

I would also toast the seeds first. Is it a yeast dough that you're using?

 

[pepperhead212]

I keep my flour in the freezer. Should that negate any humidity considerations?

As long as you bring it to room temp before removing it from its bag or container, as there can be condensation on it, even when we can't see it. But you probably know this already, if you are in a high humidity area!

 

[Kathleen]

Lame, razor, scapple, etc. I always tear the dough. It's clearly an issue with me because Frank can slice it with no issues.

 

[Roll_Bones]

As long as you bring it to room temp before removing it from its bag or container, as there can be condensation on it, even when we can't see it. But you probably know this already, if you are in a high humidity area!

I live in Upstate SC. Not really sure? I do know the humidity level at this moment is extremely low.
I also run air conditioning during the summer months.

Lame, razor, scapple, etc. I always tear the dough. It's clearly an issue with me because Frank can slice it with no issues.

Same here. I got my brand-new Lame yesterday and the blade is so sharp. I had to be extremely careful attaching it.
Yet I still was tearing through the dough. It barely made a dent. Even after dragging it over the dough in several attempts. Clearly I am doing something wrong.
There may have been a little skin on the dough, but it was minimal if present. I was ready to return the lame as it is no help.
But since it's me that has the issue, I will keep it until I learn to use it properly.
The mini loaf came out even better this time. But it had minimal shallow ragged surface slashes.

 

[FrankZ]

I live in Upstate SC. Not really sure? I do know the humidity level at this moment is extremely low.
I also run air conditioning during the summer months.

Same here. I got my brand-new Lame yesterday and the blade is so sharp. I had to be extremely careful attaching it.
Yet I still was tearing through the dough. It barely made a dent. Even after dragging it over the dough in several attempts. Clearly I am doing something wrong.
There may have been a little skin on the dough, but it was minimal if present. I was ready to return the lame as it is no help.
But since it's me that has the issue, I will keep it until I learn to use it properly.
The mini loaf came out even better this time. But it had minimal shallow ragged surface slashes.

I find bold and confident is best when slashing dough.

 

[Roll_Bones]

I find bold and confident is best when slashing dough.

I know I am supposed to slash right before the oven. Maybe I should slash when it not fully risen, so the top would be softer?
The lame, like the other implements I have tried, drags and catches. It's more pulling than slashing.
Watching the pros on TV, it is effortless. Confident and they can make any design they want.
I was only trying to make one slash down the middle.

 

[dragnlaw]

It's clearly an issue with me because Frank can slice it with no issues.

Next time y'all make bread, take a small ball of dough and sacrifice it to practice. Make a log and cut the length.
Yes, even the sharpest blade can "tear". It is a combination of pressure and angle of the blade being held.
If you feel/see the dough starting to tear, stop and without removing your blade, try to adjust your angle slightly. Angle it so tip of blade is lower than the hilt of blade.
The blade should be doing the cutting, not your speed or pressure. A cutting edge should be slicing the skin of the dough, do not let it get "under" the skin and pull it along.

 

[dragnlaw]

Maybe I should slash when it not fully risen, so the top would be softer?

A slight skin will develop and that's OK but you should be covering it for that last rise with a piece of plastic or wax paper that you have oiled.
I'm not talking about the angle of the blade from top of blade to bottom of blade - but the angle from the tip of the blade to the hilt of the blade.

 

[dragnlaw]

Here I've found a Youtube video that might help (or not! LOL)
How to hold your lamé (see note below when clicking)
I still feel the angle from front to back could have been a little more emphasised. Even though it almost looks like she is tearing the skin as it pulls a bit - it's not actually tearing.
I've never used a lamé but I believe the angle is still the same.

I've tried to get rid of that flash of something else before the video starts a second or two later, sorry about that.

 

[Roll_Bones]

A slight skin will develop and that's OK but you should be covering it for that last rise with a piece of plastic or wax paper that you have oiled.
I'm not talking about the angle of the blade from top of blade to bottom of blade - but the angle from the tip of the blade to the hilt of the blade.

I do keep it covered. Whats the "Hilt" of the blade? Thanks.

Here I've found a Youtube video that might help (or not! LOL)
How to hold your lamé (see note below when clicking)
I still feel the angle from front to back could have been a little more emphasised. Even though it almost looks like she is tearing the skin as it pulls a bit - it's not actually tearing.
I've never used a lamé but I believe the angle is still the same.

I've tried to get rid of that flash of something else before the video starts a second or two later, sorry about that.

Thanks. I will definitely check out the video.