The baking thread

[Reg Dingle]

^ ^ Artisan. Look great.

[PAG]

Loaf cooled and sliced, ready to be bagged and put into the freezer. This particular bread makes great sandwiches and toast.

[malmomike77]

^ that look great but i'd get bran guilt

[Buckaroo Banzai]

Loaf cooled and sliced, ready to be bagged and put into the freezer. This particular bread makes great sandwiches and toast

Bread looks great!!
Though yours look perfect, (you must have a good oven)I use a Cast iron Dutch oven that I put in my oven . I helps keep the temperature even around the bread, and prevents oven hot spots.
Very hard to get good crispy bread here in Thailand. And making your own is so easy . Love making an olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper, and diffing my bread in it . with a side order of sliced tomatoes and a bit of feta cheese.
PS: using an Air Fryer to heat the bread after you take out of the freezer makes it taste like it was just baked.
Picture is a few months back. I made bread last week but did not take any pictures.

[Buckaroo Banzai]

I have read every post in this Thread, all great efforts. The quiches look good , I haven't made any in a long. long time.
I should try to make some this week.
The problem with Baking, is that someone has to eat it. And that someone is Usually me , especially with the bread that Thais do not seem to like. My wife eats some . She has spend 14 years in the US and has developed a bit of a taste for it. But for the most part I eat most of it, and as I get older and am fighting the losing battle of the bulge ...... Well we all know the story

[PAG]

Used the last of my frozen baguettes earlier, being cut up for croutons. Time for another batch. I'd made a poolish yesterday, so all good to go today. There's definitely a finite balancing act with baguettes, where the dough has to be slightly sticky to the touch, but not stay on your fingertips. Too sticky, add some more flour, not sticky, add some more water.

Anyway, this was how the poolish looked this morning.



This added to a bowl with some water, and more flour. Once mixed together, some yeast, malt extract powder, and salt put in, and kneaded for about 5 minutes. Covered in the bowl and allowed to prove for a couple of hours until doubled in size.



Turned out onto a floured surface, cut into four roughly equal pieces, covered with a tea towel and rested for 20 minutes.



Each piece then deflated and formed into a rough rectangle.



Rolled towards you, starting at the far end, and lightly pressing down along the seam at each turn. Then rollings into shape, about 12 inches long.



The baguettes then go onto a couche (heavy linen material) which has been lightly floured, with folds to keep the baguettes separate. They get covered with a tea towel for a final prove of 45 minutes.





Meanwhile, the oven with a baking stone inside heated to it's highest setting, and after the proving finished, the baguettes slid onto the hot stone and scored with a bread lame.



20 minutes in the oven and they're ready. Actually should have been maybe two or three minutes less.

[david44]

Great stuff PAG thanks looks spot on

[malmomike77]

Actually should have been maybe two or three minutes less.

Indeed just a touch over but never the less I couldn't have resisted carving it and slathering on garlic butter

[Joe 90]

I can literally smell that freshly baked bread through your pics PAG!

Outstanding as always.

[Shutree]

The baguettes then go onto a couche

scored with a bread lame.

It seems that there is an entire baking lexicon that was left out of my education.

The bread looks excellent.

[PAG]

It seems that there is an entire baking lexicon that was left out of my education.

The bread looks excellent.

I think as I described in the post, a couche is just a heavy linen cloth used to separate bread whilst proofing. A bread lame is just a handle with a razor blade on the end to slash the dough before baking, and better than even the sharpest of knives.

[Shutree]

A bread lame is just a handle with a razor blade on the end to slash the dough before baking, and better than even the sharpest of knives.

Definitely not getting one of those. The combination of sharp objects and Thai girlfriends makes me uncomfortable. There will be no dough slashing in this kitchen.

[Reg Dingle]

Banana muffins


They taste just like those moreish ones from 7/11

[PAG]

^

Suspect dark rings around the middle (insert conjecture) but looking and I'm sure tasting very well.

[Reg Dingle]

^ I think that's from where they sat in the pan or left a little long...They look a bit darker than the ones in the book

[BLD]

Knocked up these rice bubble choc slices on the weekend, no baking required though

[BLD]

Pretty easy and the kids loved them and a good way to use up the box of rice bubbles that they wont eat.

Take a can of sweetened condensed milk, a pack oc milk choc melts , 4 cups of rice bubbles and combine the choc and milk in a pot melt it and add rice bubbles, spread it all out on a lined slice tray and pop in the fridge 30 minutes,
Next melt a bag of Dark choc melts and spread on top, bung it back in the fridge and job done.

[BLD]

Gave meself a pat on the back and rewarded myself with a few glasses of tawny port which just happened to be in the same fridge i was using to set the slice

[BLD]

Not quite pag level but no complaints from the kids, will have to make some more

[Joe 90]

Gave meself a pat on the back and rewarded myself with a few glasses of tawny port which just happened to be in the same fridge i was using to set the slice

Nice and warming is that Tawny Port and one of your 5 a day as it originates from the grape.

Respecto.

[PAG]

Foc, make a focaccia day. I enjoy a good focaccia, though never made one before. For the topping, I'm using cherry tomatoes, black pitted olives, some garlic and fresh rosemary.



Mixed some bread flour, semolina flour, salt and active yeast together, adding warm water to which a healthy amount of olive oil had been added. Mixed by hand until forming a shaggy kind of dough.



Turned out onto a floured surface and kneaded for a few minutes until smooth.



before being put into a lightly oiled bowl and covered.



After an hour or so, it's doubled in size.



and turned into a pan which has a coating of olive oil and sprinkle of salt on the bottom. Using just fingers, the dough is spead out fairly evenly, pushing into the corners.



The tomatoes and olives are pushed into the top, the chopped garlic and salt scattered over, along with the rosemary, and finally sprinkled some more olive oil.



30 minutes or so in a hot oven, and she's ready. Fantastic smell opening the oven door.





Nice and crispy outside, soft and light in the middle.

[BLD]

Goddam. Thats impressive

[PAG]

A productive morning replenishing the freezer with bread and rolls, maximising the use of the oven.

Just out of the oven.



and brushed with melted butter.



My favourite bread for great sandwiches and toast especially.



M'Sahib ate one of the rolls whilst it was still warm.

[PAG]

Another rush of blood to the head today, I think from watching some TV show or movie in which bagels for some reason featured. Not eaten bagels for many years, and certainly never made them. So, had everything needed so got started.



Mixed some yeast in warm water first in the bowl of a stand mixer, covered and left for 5 minutes.



Added the flour, some brown sugar, and salt



Mixed with the dough hook for a couple of minutes until all combined and hydrated, then turned onto a lightly floured surface to begin hand kneading.



After about 7 or 8 minutes kneading by hand, the dough becomes quite smooth.



The dough is turned into a lightly oiled bowl and covered, and allowed to double in size after about one hour.



The dough is deflated and cut into 8 roughly equal pieces.



Each piece is rolled into a ball, and you push a couple of fingers through the centre to make a hole.



They're covered for a few minutes whilst boiling a mix of water with some honey in a wide pan. The bagels are put into the boiling water for about a minute, then turned over for another minute.



Once they've cooled down a bit, the tops and sides are brushed with a mix of egg white and water before going in a hot oven for around 20-25 minutes until dark brown.







Need to refine my shaping skills, but the taste is just fine, tried one with cream cheese. Will experiment with the next batch, maybe adding ground cinnamon with the flour.

[Topper]

Very nice PAG!