First time making homemade bread...

JacksDad · January 2019

Not directly egg related, but when the weather improves around here, I'm definitely making this bread on my egg instead of in the oven...

I got this book for Christmas, and started with their first recipe with yeast, they call it "artisinal" bread.

Basically just flour, water, yeast, salt, and some beer and vinegar. Rises for 8-12 hours, knead for one minute, rise for another 1-2 hours. Then cooked in the dutch oven, which makes this beautiful crust:

I gotta say, I'm extremely excited about the results, given this was my first few tries. But I have some questions for you experts:

1) what's the best yeast to use? I bought some packets of instant rise yeast at the grocery store. My first attempt, the bread didn't rise much at all, so I used more yeast on the second batch and got a much better rise in the same amount of time. I know the yeast strain plays a part in the flavor of the bread, and @blind99 promised to send me some sourdough starter. Are there other strains/brands of yeast that people like to use? And where did you get them?

2) what's the best flour to use? I like the King Arthur's, but it was literally just the bag we happened to have in the pantry. Are there other brands that people like, and where do you get them? My supermarket selection didn't seem that great...

Thanks all! I'll post more in this thread as I try new things...

JacksDad

Photo Egg · January 2019

First time for a Win!

Carolina Q · January 2019

Nice looking boules!

I like SAF Instant yeast. Whole Foods carries it, or online. I haven't gotten into the sourdough stuff yet. Probably much better bread, but knowing me, I'd be hard pressed to keep up with feeding the stuff. Plus, I don't make all that much bread.

lkapigian · January 2019

Sweet @JacksDad !! , got to jump into sourdough next

MeTed · January 2019

The Italian bakery by me uses five roses flour and their bread is fantastic. I make bread the same way as you, in a Dutch oven and the flour that works best for me is King Arthur.

bgebrent · January 2019

Nice loaves man!

smokingal · January 2019

Great looking loaves. I use SAF instant yeast when not making sourdough. Enjoy your sourdough starter that blind99 is sending you. The flour I use depends on what I am making. King Arthur's Artisanal Bread flour works great for most bread loaves. I will sometimes cut in some Caputo Tipo 00 Chef's flour. I have purchased both off Amazon.

jtcBoynton · January 2019

For commercial yeast, SAF instant is good stuff. See https://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2016/01/29/yeast-use/
For best flavor go to a sour dough starter after you get some experience using commercial yeast.

For flour, King Arthur is good stuff. Far more important to get the proper protein content and use good procedure than the brand choice.

GrateEggspectations · January 2019

Nice results. Whenever we serve homemade bread, people can’t believe it - mostly because they imagine it is so difficult to make.

JacksDad · January 2019

GrateEggspectations said:

Nice results. Whenever we serve homemade bread, people can’t believe it - mostly because they imagine it is so difficult to make.

I know. This was almost embarrassingly easy to make. Just takes a little planning ahead...

GrateEggspectations · January 2019

Carolina Q said:

Nice looking boules!

I like SAF Instant yeast. Whole Foods carries it, or online. I haven't gotten into the sourdough stuff yet. Probably much better bread, but knowing me, I'd be hard pressed to keep up with feeding the stuff. Plus, I don't make all that much bread.

If you understand French, your first phrase could be interpreted a few ways - all of which are complimentary but some of which are quite a bit more intimate than others.

Jasonbird · January 2019

I use King Arthur general purpose flour. It very good. I use Fleischman yeast. Bread is very simple, just think of time as your most important ingredient. And be gentle with your dough. Never pound on it...ive I been making it for a couple years and that is a pretty good book. I like the ken Forkish book as well. These were the first loaves I made on my Egg.

Carolina Q · January 2019

GrateEggspectations said:

Carolina Q said:

Nice looking boules!

I like SAF Instant yeast. Whole Foods carries it, or online. I haven't gotten into the sourdough stuff yet. Probably much better bread, but knowing me, I'd be hard pressed to keep up with feeding the stuff. Plus, I don't make all that much bread.

If you understand French, your first phrase could be interpreted a few ways - all of which are complimentary but some of which are quite a bit more intimate than others.

No intimacy implied or intended. Nice loaf of bread... as if you didn't know what I meant. Jeeze.

GrateEggspectations · January 2019

@Carolina Q: Knew what you meant; just didn’t know if you were aware of the double entendre. Either way, a very nice compliment.

Carolina Q · January 2019

JacksDad · January 2019

Thanks all!

I'll order some of the 00 flour on Amazon, grocery store does not have... I used the Fleischman yeast, but like I said, I had to use more than what the recipe recommended, to get a better rise on my second attempt.

What other stuff do people like to add to make "flavored" bread? I like the olive oil and minced olives idea... Anything else? Shredded cheddar and jalapenos?

Do these added ingredients require adjustments to the water/flour/etc ratios? When do you add ingredients? I'm assuming after the first rise?

I'm also going to try another loaf but using whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour.

Thatgrimguy · January 2019

JacksDad said:

Thanks all!

I'll order some of the 00 flour on Amazon, grocery store does not have... I used the Fleischman yeast, but like I said, I had to use more than what the recipe recommended, to get a better rise on my second attempt.

What other stuff do people like to add to make "flavored" bread? I like the olive oil and minced olives idea... Anything else? Shredded cheddar and jalapenos?

Do these added ingredients require adjustments to the water/flour/etc ratios? When do you add ingredients? I'm assuming after the first rise?

I'm also going to try another loaf but using whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour.

I've made this one to great fan fare about 4-5 times now. It's a great bread. The cubes of cheese help with developing large holes and really add a lot to the texture.

jtcBoynton · January 2019

JacksDad said:

Thanks all!

I'll order some of the 00 flour on Amazon, grocery store does not have... ....
...

00 flour is a mill size. It comes in various protein strengths. Make sure you get one for bread. Procedure is far more important than trying to find some special flour.

JacksDad · January 2019

Did two more, one in front is all purpose King Arthur flour with slightly more water than I had used previously (still came out great, but the loaf is kinda flat as you see), and the other in back is King Arthur whole wheat flour.

caliking · January 2019

Nice loaves! They look way better than my very first attempt at bread.

As others have already mentioned, SAF is a good commercial yeast. It won't last forever though, so I buy a new bag once or twice a year.

WRT flour, bread flour has more protein, so will yield better gluten structure (think rise, oven spring) than AP. I usually bake with AP, because I want to just deal with one main type of flour in the pantry. I've had very pleasing results using AP.

I disagree with the comment that time is the most important ingredient. There are other factors that will impact how your bread turns out. Things like type of flour (not only brand), kneading, folding, bulk rise and proof times, steam, baking temperature, etc. interplay to affect your bread's rise, oven spring, crumb, crust, etc.

But it's a very fun, organic process

. At least it has been for me. I strongly recommend keeping a bread log/journal, so you can track what tweaks worked for you and what didn't.

And if you're getting some sourdough starter from @blind99, know that it was grandfathered from a couple of blobs in Houston. So happy to see it make its way around the map!

The Cen-Tex Smoker · January 2019

And if you're getting some sourdough starter from @blind99, know that it was grandfathered from a couple of blobs in Houston. So happy to see it make its way around the map!

Love this. Like the “pay it forward” Starbucks challenge but with bugs.

1911Man · January 2019

I've been making whole wheat bread for over two years now using Fleischman yeast. Was buying it in the packets, but that wasn't efficient so I just buy the jars now. I use the regular. Not instant or bread machine version. Just good old yeast.

I'm also using Bob's Red Mill flour along with their gluten (I use just over an ounce of gluten in each batch).

If you're not measuring the flour by weight, you're doing yourself a disservice. I weigh the dry ingredients (flour, gluten, salt and yeast. Liquids are by volume (wildflour honey for the sugar and then water and some EVOO).

I'm making six batches a month. Four of those are for sammiches. The others I knead in some cinnamon (after the first rise) to make a 'breakfast bread' to have with eggs. I also split off some from each batch to make dinner rolls with (3-4 rolls from each batch).

BTW, if you're going to make a good amount of bread, get a stand mixer. I'll go one step further and say that if you're going to get a KitchenAid mixer, get the commercial model. I've killed one of the Artisan models before (making sausages) and pretty much killed the pro 600 making my bread. If you have the $$ get the Hobart counter top mixer (n50). I don't have that kind of money to spare right now, so I recently went from the pro 600 to the commercial mixer. It's a lot better than the others.

nolaegghead · January 2019

I made one of the ugliest loaves ever today. The bread tastes great and a nice crumb, but you can't win em all.

bluebird66 · January 2019

Nice work!

blind99 · January 2019

caliking said:

Nice loaves! They look way better than my very first attempt at bread.

As others have already mentioned, SAF is a good commercial yeast. It won't last forever though, so I buy a new bag once or twice a year.

WRT flour, bread flour has more protein, so will yield better gluten structure (think rise, oven spring) than AP. I usually bake with AP, because I want to just deal with one main type of flour in the pantry. I've had very pleasing results using AP.

I disagree with the comment that time is the most important ingredient. There are other factors that will impact how your bread turns out. Things like type of flour (not only brand), kneading, folding, bulk rise and proof times, steam, baking temperature, etc. interplay to affect your bread's rise, oven spring, crumb, crust, etc.

But it's a very fun, organic process . At least it has been for me. I strongly recommend keeping a bread log/journal, so you can track what tweaks worked for you and what didn't.

And if you're getting some sourdough starter from @blind99, know that it was grandfathered from a couple of blobs in Houston. So happy to see it make its way around the map!

nice bread! you're heading down a deep dark rabbit hole. it's really easy to make very good bread. but doing it reliably, with total control, every time - incredibly hard. honestly, i have super appreciation for wonder bread now. turning out the exact same loaf, time after time, is hard.

as cali notes above: EVERYTHING matters. get a recipe you like, make it a few times, and see if you can get exactly the same result each time. then start tweaking variables.

any high quality flour will work great. i usually stick with gold medal AP unbleached. try to use the same stuff, every time, because small differences in flour affect how much water they absorb and how they form gluten.

(have you tried the whole wheat yet? WW absorbs more water, and interferes with gluten strands, so it really changes the structure of your dough. but the flavor is great.)

i need to figure out the best way to send you out some starter. i think i'll try to get it really active, then dry it, as recommended by king arthur flour.

The lengths that @20stone went to get me this starter are remarkable. the starter does not disappoint.

northGAcock · January 2019

Love this thread. Not a maker myself. I purchase most of my dinner breads from a bakery out of Hilton Head Island. They travel to Columbia each Saturday to sell their rustic loaves. Always have a great selection. For now, my source will remain....jelous of you gents who bake these Gawjus loaves.

JacksDad · February 2019

Okay, dehydrated sourdough starter received from @blind99

Feeding and cultivating it for the last week or so. Following the instructions on the King Arthur website (which seems like a great resource, btw).

@caliking I want to know the pedigree of the starter! I was born in Houston, still got lots of family there...

Here is the starter being reconstituted. And the starter next to my first official loaf, started last night...

Right before going into the oven:

And first loaf, baked this morning. Waiting until the kids get home from school to slice it. It feels heavy, might be too dense, but we'll see...

I am officially hooked. Can't wait until the weather improves here in NJ and I can bake this stuff in the egg!

JacksDad · February 2019

Success

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/tm/czs2qnsg1z70.jpeg

A little heavy/doughy on the bottom, but I'm pretty happy! The sourdough flavor is there but not overpowering.

Starting another loaf tonight!

caliking · February 2019

Dude, that's a nice loaf!

Re: the starter's pedigree, I made my starter the old fashioned way in Dec 2017 (I think). It plugged along for several months, but then seemed to lose some of its vigor, so I arranged a conjugal visit for it with @20stone 's starter, which I believe he obtained from Andrew V (star butcher at Revival Market here in Houston, and all-around terrific guy). At some point, John's starter went south, so I gave him some of mine to get him back in the game. A part of that then made its way to @blind99, and then on to you.

So, this starter gets around

GlennM · February 2019

My latest challenge is to master the baguette, lots of fun getting it right, I am getting close

The other loaf I made for my neighbors, they are health food freaks. I used 50% whey for the liquid (left over from making yogurt), 25% whole wheat flour, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, rolled oats, flax seeds and sunflower seeds. I don’t know how it tasted but it looked and smelled delicious!

JacksDad · February 2019

@GlennM that looks delicious!

First time making homemade bread...

Comments

Categories