So I'm a baker now?

blasting

So here it is.  My first real loaf that wasn't made in a bread machine.  Looks kinda ok, really waiting for the taste test...

Cheapest thing I've ever gotten into.  $5 for dough bucket.  $10 for a dough whisk.  Had the cast iron pot.  Let's hope it tastes ok.

Thanks @Thatgrimguy

Thatgrimguy

Yes sir!! Looking great! I love that book.

Thatgrimguy

It's amazing how simple it is. I love that book.  Congratulations!! Do you need my homemade butter method?  The too make a great combination. 

Don't forget to let the dough develop some. A few days in the fridge can really bring out flavor.

SGH

Thatgrimguy said:

Do you need my homemade butter method?  

Yes. I want to deep fry some of it

SGH

@blasting
Looks great buddy!!

blasting

Thatgrimguy said:

It's amazing how simple it is. I love that book.  Congratulations!! Do you need my homemade butter method?  The too make a great combination. 

Don't forget to let the dough develop some. A few days in the fridge can really bring out flavor.

Thanks.  Sure if you don't mind sharing.  Homemade butter sounds great.  

You're right, it really is amazingly simple.  So simple I really need to make it seem a lot harder to those I'll share bread with.

DMW

Looks great, you are well on your way to being a master baker.

NPHuskerFL

Rocked it!

Thatgrimguy

Man I don't do anything special with the butter other than try and find local grass fed cream. When I find that, my butter is AMAZING. Otherwise it's only really really good.


Here's a write up I did on another forum

"Do you have a kitchen aid mixer? Make butter itself. Just whip heavy whipping cream on high till the butter separates out (make sure you cover the top with paper towels and that those paper towels don't get caught in the beater). The better the cream, the better the butter. But any cream will be better than typical shelf butter.

The cream will turn to whipped cream first then start breaking down to a cottage cheese constancy. After about 15 minutes? of beating it will separate violently and the solid and liquid will separate. You need to be paying attention or it can quickly become a mess. Turn it off when this happens. You should have a big clump of what looks just like butter stuck to the beater and a bit floating around in the milk. Time to strain the milk and keep the butter (cheese cloth makes this next process easier) I keep the liquid and use it in anything that calls for buttermilk. 

Now, using ice water rinse the butter till its free of any remaining milk. I fill a glass of ice water and pour it over the beater in a bowl and then dump it out keeping the butter over and over till it runs clear. Ice water keeps the butter from melting away and getting messy. Next you need to get as much water out as possible. I wrap paper towel and kind of ring it. Then I put it back in my beater and spin out more water. 

Finally it's time to put your butter back in the mixer and beat till creamy and add salt to taste. i put a teaspoon per pint of cream.





Here is a good video, she does the exact method I use to make the butter. A couple notes: Try and find local grass fed heavy cream. The better the heavy cream the better the butter.

oldgeezeystax

That loaf looks awesome! Care to post the recipe? 

blasting

Thanks for the butter recipe @Thatgrimguy , and again for getting me started.  
Taste test was great btw.  I'm literally shocks me that I could bake a loaf like that. I thought there would be much more to it.

I appreciate everyone's feedback.  Thank you.

SciAggie

@blasting "Cheapest thing I've ever gotten into" Bwaahahahahah, I love your innocence. 
There are bannetons, bench scrapers, lames... then you move on to eggs just for baking and wood fired brick ovens.
you know this place will suck you dry...
Great looking bread friend.

blasting

oldgeezeystax said:

That loaf looks awesome! Care to post the recipe? 

@oldgeezeystax   It's just water, yeast, flour, and salt.  It's more so the method that I think is different than traditional.  You mix a batch of dough up that is enough for 4 loaves (or double it).  You barely mix it, really just incorporating the ingredients.  Then you stick it in the fridge overnight.  Remove a portion - form into a dough ball and stick in a hot cast iron dutch oven.  No proofing, no kneading, NOTHING!    I haven't read the book yet.  This is just the first basic recipe presented.

bgebrent

Brother, that's one fine looking loaf!!  I'd hit that to crumbs.

badinfluence

I have made that bread also. Think the recipe is also in either one of my Dutch oven cookbooks or a boy scouts cookbook. I was amazed at how good it was with only 4 ingredients. 

Thatgrimguy

The brioche recipe done in "pull apart rolls" is my favorite thing in the book so far.

blasting

Thatgrimguy said:

The brioche recipe done in "pull apart rolls" is my favorite thing in the book so far.

I'll check it out, thanks.  Sourdough is my favorite, so I'll be working my into that fairly soon as well.

Thatgrimguy

blasting said:

Thatgrimguy said:

The brioche recipe done in "pull apart rolls" is my favorite thing in the book so far.

I'll check it out, thanks.  Sourdough is my favorite, so I'll be working my into that fairly soon as well.

PM me you address. I'll shoot you some proper starter. I've had mine going for nearly 2 years now.

dogfoot

The same ingredients, my second try, I didn't refrigerate the dough, I'll retry

tarheelmatt

I thought you meant like last name "Baker".  

https://youtu.be/xX2uWjj6a1c

hondabbq

I have made butter but only by mistake, well it really wasn't butter just over whipped cream that was neglected.

One of my prep cooks is dating a dairy farmer so I just asked her to get me some fresh cream from him.

blasting

@dogfoot  those are some good looking loaves

epcotisbest

That looks great. I recently gave up bread. Dang diabetes.

nolaegghead

Nice lookin bread.  I have 2 kg dough fermenting as we speak.  

blasting

epcotisbest said:

That looks great. I recently gave up bread. Dang diabetes.

Thanks - giving up bread would be rough.

nolaegghead said:

Nice lookin bread.  I have 2 kg dough fermenting as we speak.  

@nolaegghead those are some professional looking loaves

nolaegghead

Thanks....that's a culmination of lots of practice.  I've made hundreds of loaves...it's therapy for me (and I need it obviously).  I give away 90% of the loaves I bake.  It is a cheap obsession, fortunately.

SciAggie

@nolaegghead What % hydration are those loaves? They look great by the way. 

nolaegghead

@SciAggie - I pretty consistently stick with 70% (of the flour weight).  I'll add more water if I have dry additives....lately I've been adding whole mustard seed, dried garlic flakes, dried chipotle flakes....I mix it up.  Also I'll go 20-30% rye or wheat flour in addition to the bread flower.  I've used Tipo 00 also (out of it right now).

SciAggie

nolaegghead said:

@SciAggie - I pretty consistently stick with 70% (of the flour weight).  I'll add more water if I have dry additives....lately I've been adding whole mustard seed, dried garlic flakes, dried chipotle flakes....I mix it up.  Also I'll go 20-30% rye or wheat flour in addition to the bread flower.  I've used Tipo 00 also (out of it right now).

Thanks. That's about where I have settled. I've been mixing about 74% using King Arthur bread flour. 

Griffin

Nicely done. ITs amazing that its so simple and easy to do. I was making a lot of it pre-diabetes, now just every once in awhile. I miss making home made bread.

bluebird66

Very nice!