I've moved house, 500 Km away. New oven (now gas, instead of electric - it still goes during a power outage), new environment - long, HOT summers (starting in November, ending in May)- ambient temperatures 17- 39 C, 30-65% humidity. I transported my oven tiles and my (now 6 years old) sourdough culture (it's given birth to around 5 offspring now - I guess this makes me a (?) grandfather- in Alice Springs and Melbourne). I've converted it, over a few days, from a white sourdough to a wholewheat sourdough. I'll keep it like this for a while, until I master the Miche.
I'm devoting more time to bread.
I tried making a Miche yesterday - it stuck to my bread linen!! It tastes good, though. I love the fermented wheaty flavour and just the right amount of acidity.
I had another go today, using lower hydration (around70%). I used 90% wholemeal wheat and 10% white (unbleached) bread flour.
1.9 Kg round loaf. I'm going to enter a similar one in a baking competition next week.
This time, it didn't stick to the linen! It's still baking, but it looks good!!!
I'll take some pictures and post them in a few minutes..........
Replies
Was just browsing this website researching baking stone when I saw the words Alice Springs in this topic. You had made a post, so I had a look at your recent posts and see that you have now moved to Tennant Creek. There's comfort in seeing someone else living close by, or in similar conditions who also are keen home bread makers. I have been baking bread at home for a little time now, but only started showing interest in artisan bread recently due to non availability of fresh yeast in Alice Springs. Dry yeast has always given me success, but I have always liked crusty, chewy, filling bread like sourdough. I don't exactly call Brumby's a bakery either. Luckily, with Afghan Traders around, different flours are more readily available (ie strong stoneground wholemeal - and in bulk, rye flour, barley, spelt, unbleached white).
I currently have a rye leaven starting to ferment, only day 2 and I am seeing more positive results than my unbleached white one which was a failure 2 weeks ago.
My research on a baking stone has revealed that my pallet of unglazed terracotta tiles will come in handy. I bought 2.5 pallets 2nd hand off a builder with intentions of re-tiling my house. So far we have used about 1 pallet, so I will take a few from my left over pile and put them to use in the kitchen.
Regards
Same here after browsing this site I came across your respective posts. I've started getting a starter going a week ago and keep thinking when can I start baking? I find my starter works better if I feed it 12 hourly - is that the experience you have as well (assuming because of the heat and humidity).
I thought you might be able to help with some hints that work for you when baking in a hot climate. I used to bake bread with dry yeast but really want to move to natural sourdough. Hope to hear from you - cheersHello Aggie3,
At the moment I feed my culture twice weekly and find good success with organic rye flour. I haven't baked for a while but this seems to keep it lively enough. Before I do bake, I usually do a really good refresher which gives me a decent rise, and I refresh with the flour that I want my bread to be made out of e.g spelt or wholemeal. I do use bought springwater for the feeds though.
I find the warmer weather does provide a good condition for rising, I am yet to bake bread in the winter. However, we don't get the humidity that Darwin gets. I wonder if this will affect your risings and proofings.
One of the things I did buy was a oven thermometer. It does take a little while for the oven to reach the desired temp, so I find this instrument very useful. The terracotta tile gives a good bottom crust aswell, and goes well with pizza bases. In fact, I rarely take the tile out. I cook everything on it.
Regards