An experiment in whole grain sourdough bread baking showing the results of two otherwise identical loaves of bread; one using a long, cold autolyse and the other a warmer, faster autolyse.
An experiment in whole grain sourdough bread baking showing the results of two otherwise identical loaves of bread; one using a long, cold autolyse and the other a warmer, faster autolyse.
Autolysing is combining the flour and water for a period of time before adding the sourdough starter and salt. It has a few benefits: enzymes are released that make the sugars more available for when you add the starter, it softens the bran in a whole grain dough, and it gets the gluten development going. …
Experimenting with different baking techniques can yield surprising results. In this case, Breadtopia Select Bolted Organic Bread Flour performed as well with the no knead technique as it did with more elaborate gluten developing steps.
Make authentic homemade ravioli with the Eppicotispai Auto Ejector Ravioli Stamp. This very nice quality Italian made cast aluminum 1 7/8″ (45mm) square ravioli stamp has a solid beechwood handle and would also make a great pastry cutter for pieces with a crinkle cut edge. There is a low pressure spring inside the casing that …
Make authentic homemade ravioli with the Eppicotispai Auto Ejector Ravioli Stamp. This very nice quality Italian made cast aluminum 45mm square ravioli stamp has a solid beechwood handle and would also make a great pastry cutter for pieces with a crinkle cut edge. There is a low pressure spring inside the casing that automatically ejects …
Baking bread successfully with lower-gluten, heritage and ancient grains usually requires some adjustments to your process and ingredients. This post details how to achieve an open crumb and good oven spring with these more challenging grains.
Pre-mixing the flour and water in a bread dough recipe to begin the process of starch breakdown, bran softening, and gluten development before introducing the leavening (sourdough starter or yeast). See also saltolyse.
A lot of people are baking sourdough bread for the first time because of Covid-19 stay-at-home orders. Meanwhile, near-empty baking aisles in grocery stores are giving new and experienced bakers alike the challenge of substituting different flours into recipes they want to follow. Here are some tips and tricks for new and not-so-new bread bakers.
We evaluate whether the robust, often complex, sourdough starter refreshing protocol of most home bakers actually results in a better loaf of bread than using a small amount of cold, essentially neglected starter.
Whole grain sourdough bread has phenomenal flavor and nutrition. The character of the wheat comes through with a full range of vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. The ingredients and instructions in this recipe can help you achieve a tender and relatively open crumb in a beautiful artisan style, naturally leavened whole wheat bread.
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Here are some of my favorite No-Knead bread recipes. Each is distinctly different from the others, touching on some of what’s possible with this simple and hugely time saving bread baking method.
A set of tips and ideas for making fresh-baked sourdough bread a part of any (or every) weekday.
Laminating is a method of gluten development, like stretching and folding, coil folding, hand-kneading, slapping and folding, Rubaud mixing, and stand-mixer mixing.
This is a great recipe to make, and later enjoy, with kids. Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen’s recipe, based on Nancy Silverton’s Pastries from the La Brea Bakery.
Once your bread has risen the requisite 40 days and 40 nights (actually only 18 hours – but no matter what you call it, for those of us with a short attention span, it’s: Still. A. Long. Time.), you are supposed to beat it into submission, or at least spread it out with floured fingers …
Our Favorite Bread Quotes “There is not a thing that is more positive than bread.” – Fyodor Dostoevsky “Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.” – James Beard “How can a nation be great if their bread tastes like kleenex?” – Julia Childs …
This black rye bread has a delicious sweet-and-sour flavor with citrus and licorice notes. It’s soft, chewy, and wonderfully dense — perfect to eat solo, with butter or cheese, alongside soups or as part of a delicious sandwich. The recipe is Breadtopia’s take on The Rye Baker’s Lithuanian black rye bread or “juoda ruginė duona,” using toasted sprouted rye flour instead of red rye malt.
Here are two versions of a no knead whole wheat sourdough bread recipe. One uses less water, making a dough that is easy to shape and a bread that is great for toast or drip-prone sandwiches. The other uses more water, making a more challenging dough and yielding a flatter bread with a more moist, airy interior and thinner crust. You can follow either recipe or split the difference in water (452g) to find an excellent middle ground on the various bread characteristics.
Rouge de Bordeaux wheat is delicious, aromatic, and high in protein. This fresh-milled flour makes wonderful sourdough breads that pair well with cheese, soup, and more.
Dough with gluten development can hold more and bigger air bubbles without them popping and collapsing. It can be easier to shape and have more oven spring, and gluten development can result in a more chewy and pliable crumb.
Emmer wheat (aka farro) is so tasty and also high in protein. Paired with bread flour and plenty of water, the dough is manageable and yields a lovely crumb. You can try a textured crust by rolling the shaped dough in flaked emmer or leave the crust smooth.
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