Bread and Dough... Where to Start??

I haven't read it myself yet, but have seen FWSY mentioned a few times

Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza https://www.amazon.com/dp/160774273X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_b9brybTT40N07

Basics are good place to start.  I own 0 specific books in bread making. But, I've always heard good things on Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza https://g.co/kgs/wsHkST 

@SciAggie: Summoning one of the bread gods.

I have been using Fleischmann bread machine yeast.  I don't proof it, I use room temperature tap water

I just came across this yesterday and haven't tried it yet. Whole wheat loaf in 90 minutes. All you need is a loaf pan, though a mixer is nice. Looks great coming out of the oven, but she doesn't slice it so you never get to see inside. I want to try it... even though I have no cleavage.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWsY8IaoAV8

enameled is fine. personally, i prefer smaller. mine is only a 2 1/2 qt,

Just finished doing the camp bread again today,. Turned out great.   Leaving top off a few extra minutes when cooking really made the bread have a great crust.

I haven't tried bread on the grill yet.

The book that got me started on bread is the Bread Bakers Apprentice.  I wore that book out and a new edition just came out.  So, the new version is on the way. Most recipes tend to call out to make a pre-ferment (starter) dough and leave it out for about 4 hours before putting it in the fridge.  I just make the pre-ferment dough at night and leave it out oveernight to develop more flavor.

I never have too much problem with the rise, but I have considered making a proofing box.  I just purchased a sourdough culture and it recommended 90 degrees for the first 24 hours while waking up the culture.  I took some temperature control equipment that I use for brewing beer and rigged up a proofing box out of the container that I usually use to let dough rise.  I usually do not punch down the dough.  I think that I get better results handling the dough as gently as possible after the knead.  Also, I think slightly moister dough may rise a little better.  I had a tendency to add too much flour while kneading to make the easier to handle.  

My crust has always been just OK.  I get decent results from putting a pan of ceramic briquettes at the base of the oven and pouring water on them right after the dough goes into the oven.  So far, no briquettes have exploded on me.  I wouldn't recommend this procedure to anyone.  I do have an Emile Henry cloche on the way.

I use SAF instant yeast from King Arthur Flour.  I never re-hydrate it before throwing it in with the other ingredients.

I've used a several different methods. The mix I make uses a sourdough starter, and mostly durum wheat/semolina flour. Doesn't do well if proofed and punched, and re-proofed.

For awhile, I would take the kneaded dough and let it sit in a bowl inside a bowl w. 90F water and wait till there was a good swell. Then I'd wet my hands, and plop it into a loaf pan.

When I got the cloche, I started transferring the kneaded dough to the cloche and set that across the burners on my stove while it pre-heated.  When the dough expands at least 1/2" (well, on a bad day, just 1/4") above the bottom of the cloche. I slash and lid, and set aside until the stove is at temp.

I did have some good loaves from the Egg, but typically, I do this 1st thing in the morning in my kitchen oven. I can't manage to fire up the Egg and put the dough together, and be done by mid morning.

caliking said:

outrageous said:

Just finished doing the camp bread again today,. Turned out great.   Leaving top off a few extra minutes when cooking really made the bread have a great crust.

Try baking it uncovered for even longer. Until the crust looks chocolate brown. It makes a considerable difference. Until I tried this, my crust would turn out somewhat chewy vs. crisp. 

Will do,  this bread turned out much better than yesterdays.   I let mixed up dough sit out on counter top overnight.  I could see and taste the difference.   still learning, but it is fun....

I have never baked bread on the egg. I have had my cloche for several years, but never used it until about a month ago (in my oven). Love it! However, it occurs to me that the purpose of a cloche is to retain moisture. The egg retains moisture, eh? Wondering if a boule placed on a raised indirect pizza stone (no DO, no cloche) would turn out like a loaf in a cloche. Hmm?

@Cashfan Sorry I'm late to the party. I understand the frustration of trying to make a loaf of bread that suits you. It is definitely a journey with successes and failures along the way. 
@caliking posted the link above to a post I made recently with the method that yeilds good results for me. Here it is again: http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1200631/bread-i-finally-figured-it-out/p1

Some onservations I have directed to your post: If your bread isn't rising there are but a few things to check. First, make sure your yeast is good. You can measure it out in some of the water for the recipe and make sure it is active. Be sure the water isn't too hot - above 110/120 it will kill the yeast. Second, chlorinated water is hard on yeast - if your city water is heavily chlorinated that could be an issue. You can see if bottled water makes a difference. Third, give the dough TIME. Think of time as an ingredient. Yeast is a living thing and as such sometimes it doesn't know to follow the instructions. During the first rising you will have to learn how to make things work for you. More yeast and warm conditions make the dough rise faster. Less yeast and a cool room and it will rise more slowly. The flour makes a difference. AP flour makes a more blonde colored loaf. Bread flour is higher in protein and makes a darker loaf. Brands matter. I like King Arthur much more than Gold Medal flour. 

Regarding a cloche or DO: the purpose of either is to retain moisture as the bread begins to bake giving the crust a favorable environment in which to form. I haven't tried it, but I'm not sure that inverting a SS mixing bowl over the bread for the first 15-20 minutes might not work as well as a cloche or DO. 

lastly, it is my opinion that how you handle the dough is equally as important as the recipe. You are trying to develop the gluten in the flour so it can capture the gas produced by the yeast. When you handle the dough be mindful of those tiny gas chambers and try to preserve them with gentle handling. Folding and kneading develops the dough. Rising, preshaping, and final loaf shaping preserve the gas in the dough until baking.

Have fun. Don't let the process make you nuts. If you stick with it - you will master the process in no time. 

I have coached many people to bake bread both in person and online. 

1) start with Jim Lehey NYT no knead recipe. It doesn't get much easier.  

2) josey baker bread takes you from nonknead loaf bread to hearth baked artisanal SD over about 9 loaves.  I have seen many people grow their skills using that book as well. 

Feel free to PM me. 

Cashfan said:

Thanks for all the replies!

@caliking - Thanks for the links, interesting reading. Camp bread looks like it would be worth a few tries. I will start using my DO for baking, hadn't been doing that. A Cloche looks pretty spendy, better hold off on one for now. 

What size dutch oven do you use? 

@gdenby - What temp do you proof at? Pretty funny y that the birds wouldn't eat the loaf. Ive made a few like that i'm sure.

Forgot that i had the 5min book  on my kindle, so I whipped up a batch with old yeast, will see what happens.

What brand or type of yeast is good? Red Star is readily available, have been using the one with the red lid, not the blue one for bread machines.

 

Red Star, red jar is good.  That is active dry yeast.

Red Star, blue jar is instant dry yeast.  

Good to have both on hand, depending on recipe.

Store in freezer to extend their life.