Wild Yeast

TheBrewerMoose

I really need someone to guide me in this breadmaking magic. 

SonVolt

How do you get the dough from that wicker basket thing to the pot? Just inverted it? 

NPHuskerFL

@SonVolt Place the CI over it & then flip.

SonVolt

NPHuskerFL said:

@SonVolt Place the CI over it & then flip.

Thx.  So what does the basket do? Does it just maintain shape as it rises? 

blind99

nice loaf @NPHuskerFL , great scores too
i imagine it had a nice chew, if it could support air pockets distributed like that.

caliking

SonVolt said:

NPHuskerFL said:

@SonVolt Place the CI over it & then flip.

Thx.  So what does the basket do? Does it just maintain shape as it rises? 

Basically. It supports the dough during the proofing stage, and helps it rise.

lkapigian

caliking said:

SonVolt said:

NPHuskerFL said:

@SonVolt Place the CI over it & then flip.

Thx.  So what does the basket do? Does it just maintain shape as it rises? 

Basically. It supports the dough during the proofing stage, and helps it rise.

And those cool lines 

caliking

blind99 said:

@caliking you are 1000% right!  I think it's funny that FWSY uses commercial yeast in so many recipes but I see why.  When you need a speedy loaf of bread, it works.  But not as tasty as 100% natural starter with a long slow rise time.

@lkapigian beautiful loaves. i get annoyed at 72% hydration, can't imagine working with 80%.

The doughs that take just a bit of yeast and bulk rise overnight are not bad. They develop even more flavor if you then let them proof in the fridge for another 8-12 hrs before baking.

Not as good as sourdough, but still quite good.

lkapigian

So---Question-- Last couple of batches I have done I did the overnight Bulk Ferment @ room temp- Was very pleased with the oven spring and crumb, but the taste was "less sour" than usual --If you taste the starter, it is nice and "Tart" ...... Time of ferment out of the fridge same as in the fridge..any help greatly appreciated 

NPHuskerFL

@lkapigian with a longer bulk ferment and/or  a longer final proofing you will see a more pronounced flavor. At least that has been my experience.  I almost always do my final banneton proof in the cooler(frig).  It puts you in control of time and you get the added benefit of more flavor.

caliking

@lkapigian nice loaves!

after the bulk ferment, shape the loaves, and place the banneton in a plastic bag. Tie it closed and stick it in the fridge for 8, 12, or 16 hrs. Try a few loaves and see which cold ferment time you prefer. 

I prefer a 16hr cold proof/ferment when baking with sourdough.  8-12hr if I went the pinch of commercial yeast route, as the dough tends to overproof with longer cold ferments. 

lkapigian

Thanks @NPHuskerFL @caliking

SaintJohnsEgger

I've spent yesterday evening and most of today reading all 18 pages of this thread. Very good reading. Now I want to bake some bread but "levain, autolyse, bulk ferment, structure building stretch and folds, reshaping, final shaping, scoring, baking temperature etc" so many terms to figure out. Why can't you guys speak in plain English?

Now to figure out the best way to get my starter going. Then maybe someday there will be bread aromas wafting up from Da Cove on this side of the Saint Johns to counter the aromas coming from Da Burg on the other side of the river.

Just don't look for anything aromatic from me for a while. Lots to digest and learn...

caliking

@SaintJohnsEgger - if you like to thumb through cookbooks, Ken Forkish's "Flour Water Salt Yeast" is a wonderful book. It will keep you busy for a good long time, and you'll bake some great loaves. 

SaintJohnsEgger

caliking said:

@SaintJohnsEgger - if you like to thumb through cookbooks, Ken Forkish's "Flour Water Salt Yeast" is a wonderful book. It will keep you busy for a good long time, and you'll bake some great loaves. 

Thanks @ca@caliking

I had deduced that from reading this thread all the way through since it got several mentions. I've already told my girls that I want this for Christmas. Now I'll wait and see if I get it.

Any other good books or resources?

I was thinking of trying @np@NPHuskerFL 's starter post from this link - http://biggreenbrotherhood.com/sourdough-starter-how-to/

SaintJohnsEgger

I know from reading this that there are a lot of variables in bread making. I also deduced that there are a lot of different opinions of how it should be done. I'm okay with going through the school of hard knocks but I would prefer to at least start with a level playing field. So...

Are there books and websites that I should avoid as they are full of erroneous information?

Which ones can I rely on? Or should I just copy everything that Blake does?

Thanks for starting me down the right path.

lkapigian

@SaintJohnsEgger I'm a little over a year in my journey, tons of stuff online but nothing like the personal attention you will get from,the forum members @NPHuskerFL @caliking and many more ...FWIW, it all starts with a mature happy starter, be patient with it, take care of it...second , you will make mistakes, it's OK they taste great....Dont waste your money like me on a fany Lame, a razor blade or exacto knife yours fine, don't buy a Bread Cloche ,get a good Dutch Oven...Get a Bannaton however a bowl works fine.....just a few things I have learned

Edit...a good scale is your friend, learn Bakers % don't measure, weigh...i finally found I like Metric Vs Impeial 

NPHuskerFL

I read the school of trial and error
And Trevor Jay Wilson's ebook "Open Crumb Mastery" is a good read once your comfortable making sourdough bread. It is NOT for beginners though.

SaintJohnsEgger

I'm going to start with the Forkish book and go from there. I'm shooting for baking in late December or early January. this will give me the chance to use Christmas to get the book and anything else I may need.

lkapigian

Bake With Jack Video's are quick All on bread

https://youtu.be/OgCYeXloPL8

SonVolt

SaintJohnsEgger said:

I'm going to start with the Forkish book and go from there. I'm shooting for baking in late December or early January. this will give me the chance to use Christmas to get the book and anything else I may need.

If you're just starting out, I'd recommend something simple, like Jim Lahey's No Knead method and avoid the books altogether.  That'll get you focused on mixing, shaping and baking really great loaves right off the bat without getting bogged down or discouraged with all the minutia you described.  Once you're happy with the results, then work your way backwards into the deep end.  IMO bread, and by extension pizza, are one of the things you kinda want to get a basic handle on before you start getting academic. 

SaintJohnsEgger

Is Levain just really a fancy name for sourdough starter?

lkapigian

SaintJohnsEgger said:

Is Levain just really a fancy name for sourdough starter?

Yes, Levain, Poolish , Biga  are all forms of a starter ....confuses me as well so I just use starter...i think it depends on where it is in the process IE your starter from the fridge you make a levain to bake your bread tomorrow ( my understanding )

https://youtu.be/L1-5RQLkm9k

jtcBoynton

In the US they are often used interchangeably.  But in parts of Europe they have specific meanings.  

The general term is preferment (but who ever uses that term?).  There are several names for preferments, some with specific meanings, other names reflect geographic origins.  Here in the US we have imported several that had their own names and proceeded to mash them up. The academic types can provide you with the distinctions, but lots of people ignore the distinctions and just use the name they learned.

Examples:

• chef
• pâte fermentée
• levain
• sponge
• madre bianca
• mother
• biga
• poolish
• sourdough
• starter

SaintJohnsEgger

I found a 45 pound bucket of Hard White Wheat from Montana Co2 sealed n a bucket that never has been opened. SWMBO had it stored away for about 18+ years. This was from my wife who was on a health kick  back then an was grinding her own flour for bread.

Need to get a starter going.

NPHuskerFL

Basic White Sourdough 88% hydration prior to the orange blossom honey.  The cubed orange flesh, chiffonade orange rind and toasted pecans were added in two applications during final shaping in effort to get the mixture throughout the entire loaf.

NPHuskerFL

NPHuskerFL

After a quick 24-hour cold final proof here's the baked result.  Stencil with smoked paprika and a basic score.

Tarpon65

This thread is killing me as I'm on a keto diet.  I'm still taking care of my San Francisco and Ischia starters that I've had going for over 10 years.  I may have to make my wife a loaf of bread just to get it out of my system (I least I can smell it). 

SonVolt

That knive’s going places.