I have been using basically one recipe (the one I posted as good for toast). I cook the bread in tins as I like the uniformity. I never get any oven spring, but the size that the bread rises to and maintains after cooking, is fine, so that has never really worried me.
I am now trying to make bread with a recipe which only uses 1/4 cup of starter (to 6 1/2 cups of flour) as opposed to 2 cups of starter (to 3 cups flour) to try for a more pronounced flavour. Whilst I can get the bread to rise to double (takes approximately 16 hours), oven spring alludes me. This particular recipe does not say to spray with water, or steam.
So my real question is - can someone please share a San Franciso Sourdough recipe with me with the necessary steps to achieving oven spring as well as a great tasting loaf? I know I'm a pain, but I still want to cook in a tin. Please take pity on me. PS I use a bread mixer and followed previous advice of shortening up the kneading time. Thanks, Latest Fad.
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Replies
Latest Fad,
Is it possible that your dough is over proofed before you bake it? This may not be as apparent in tins as it is free-form.
Matthew
Hi, I was looking at the article about proofing last night by Jack Lang? re putting some dough in a beaker and marking it so that you know when it is nearly double. Have decided to given this method a go - the old adage - when it's measured it's managed - might be the thing I need, and my "eyeballing" is probably just plain crook. Just because I feel frustrated, I am now doing Sourdom's Pane Francese as it doesn't need me to knead much and then just stretches and folds. Obviously I will be cooking this free form so I am presently discarding both the bread machine and the tins. Who knows, if I have even a slight success, they may be banished permanently. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Looking forward to hearing about the results.
Hi Latest Fad, Dom's Pane Francesse is a great recipe to start with. Apart from being a great bread, it gives a very good introduction to the stretch and fold method, and it introduces you to proofing overnight in the fridge.
Highly recommended.
I second Bill's comments about trying Dom's recipe ... it works everytime. Give it a go, get your hands in it and it will work beautifully.
And Bill, what's with the fraudulent lime-green lames being flogged on the site?!!!
Carol.
[quote="SourYumMum"]
And Bill, what's with the fraudulent lime-green lames being flogged on the site?!!!
[/quote]
I imported some of these from Germany.
Was my Xmas present to myself
[quote="SourYumMum"]
And Bill, what's with the fraudulent lime-green lames being flogged on the site?!!!
Carol.
[/quote]
I had nothing to do with it
Hate to knock a competitor, but it's like the difference between sourdough and commercial bread.
Bill!
Some people just don't appreciate hand-crafted tools!
Carol
I thought the one that could be adjusted to give a curved or straight blade looked quite cool. I believe that some style of slash work better with a curved blade and having the option in one tool could be better than having to swap tools. And hey, Graham's running a business and trying to attract a range of amateur and professional clients. Providing a wide selection of products is going to help him do that. People who have used the "green" lame style for decades might be reluctant to change.... People who want a curved blade can now get one here rather than somewhere else. Without his shop I'd be looking at stores in the Northern Hemisphere for specialist baking equipment. Many of his products are not available retail here in NZ (that I've managed to find anyway). Buying from trade suppliers is often not possible or very convenient. So I say "Go Graham!"
My 2 cents worth.
Matthew
No intention to knock Graham for his provision of choice in lames.
Let me just say that Dan Lepard has purchased one of my hand crafted lames, and for a person who has access to all the "goodies" to buy one was taken as a great compliment.
I was hoping for wonders but this did not happen for me. It seemed to be ok but I was heavy handed with the oil. Anyway, have made it a second time, but this loaf has gone into the freezer.
In the interim I decided to really study SourDom's tutorials. I noted his suggestion about sticking to one recipe and mastering it and thought that made really good sense - but I then decided to try donyeokl's Sourdough Vienna White posted Wednesday June, 21 2006 - - the scales were lifted from my eyes and I had immediate insight into "more betterer" sourdough than I had previously made. For a beginner at shaping bread, I found it easier not to have to remove bread from a basket or colander and slash and spray and get onto a hot tile and add steam etc. I think this recipe is the one for first time bakers, as, as noted by Bill44 in a previous post - turns out nice enough to eat, is not a huge success or failure - but encourages you to do it again. This was definitely the best bread I had made to eat as fresh bread. Now if I could only figure out what is the full path of the file, I would post some photos into my album and then put them into the forum. Maybe someone will explain to me very simply how to do it as my many attempts to this date have failed Am baking again tomorrow, so hope to have more good things to report Latest Fad.
1. [url=http://www.sourdough.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=326]Read this[/url] if you're using the sourdough.com.au gallery.
2. If it's from your own album, copy your url, click on the Img button, paste your url, then click on the Img button again to close code.
Quick! I want to see pix!
Hi, I just don't get the photo thing - when I go to my computer the pictures I want to put into my gallery (and then into the forum) are at C:\Documents and Settings\Compaq.Owner\My Documents\My Pictures \First Attempt at Pane Frances (this is what it says when I highlight the pictures I want and right click on properties). I'm sorry but I just don't understand how to do this and need "simpleton" instructions. If you are a bright person, who wants to help a simple person - I would be happy - my hand needs to be held and taken through step by step - I promise that I will print out any instructions that I receive so that I can follow them religiously. So basically, the problem is, that I have downloaded pictures from my camera onto my computer, I wish to paste them into my album and then post them to my forum topics. There must be someone who can instruct fools - because that is how I am feeling.
Hmm....I see your problem. I'm not smart at all...just spent too much time online ever since a modem took residence in our home 3 1/2 years ago.
OK, when we say our pictures are kept in an album or gallery, it means an [u]online location[/u]. This could be the sourdough gallery (see top line of this screen, leftmost) or any other galleries like flickr or photobucket, and etc... Your picture in your computer will have to be uploaded at one of these places. Since you haven't parked your pix in any of the public galleries, I suggest you upload it to the sourdough gallery.
Follow the link at my previous post. Relax, take a deep breath....one step at a time. You have to do it to understand...then everything is easy-peasy.
Hi TeckPoh, you gave me the hint I needed re: posting photos I have been able to post some photos onto an MSN Users on line Gallery and then was able to transfer them to my album. I haven't done the transfer to the forum yet as I have had enough for one day. I now get the concept, but am unable to post to the Sourdough Gallery as I was only offered two Gallery options from my system to post photos to the web. So I guess there are heaps of galleries that you can choose from, but I tried to add the Sourdough one and it wasn't possible. I will not give up though and will still try to find out how to post them to the Sourdough Gallery and not to the one I am currently using. Thank you very much for your response as you definitely put me on the right track.
You're welcome, but, hang on....
You said you've posted some pix in the MSN Gallery. Well, you're in business.
Just copy that url, click the Img button in your reply menu, then paste it there. No need to post it to the sourdough gallery if you don't want to.