Any Home Bakers Here?

[Chickenchick11]

It turned out great!

It sure looks like it!

 

[theuglyduckling]

Beautiful Loaves!


Oh those do look tasty!

thanks! they make prefect egg sandwiches.
is bread flour that big of a difference than regular bleached flour? i just cant seem to find bread flour.

 

[N F C]

thanks! they make prefect egg sandwiches.
is bread flour that big of a difference than regular bleached flour? i just cant seem to find bread flour.

Bread flour has a higher protein count than all-purpose flour, the extra protein helps with the rise and the texture of bread. You can sub AP flour for bread flour, you just might have some difference in texture and the bread may need vital wheat gluten to help with the rise.

Here's a good article about the differences:
http://www.ehow.com/how_6933472_substitute-flour-bread-flour.html

 

[COChix]

Wheat berries and the spelt I have will do that. Sprout them and add them to the bread. Start with a cup and see how it goes.

I have made rolls using 7 grain cereal. I it very tasty!

Ok great thanks for that bit of info.

 

[wyoDreamer]

You do not need to punch down dough. The purpose is to move the yeast around in the dough--I do this when I shape the loaves.

@ronott1 While I usually agree with you 100%, this is contrary to what I have experienced and learned.

The punch down is necessary to allow the bread to develop the proper texture. If you skip the "punch down" and it rises too much, the gluten that you worked so hard to develop with your kneading will be broken and the bread will be dense. I learned this with my first batch of bread up in Wyoming (7200 feet in elevation).
I didn't realize that the dough would rise faster than it did in Wisconsin (800 feet), and I let it go for just over an hour before punching down and doing the second rise. The second rest didn't rise as high before I shaped it and baked it. When I baked it, the texture was off and it didn't rise as much as usual.
I bought a High Altitude Cookbook and it explained that when you are above 5000 feet, the bread needs 3 rises instead of the usual 2. Kneading and resting is all for the dough to form long strands of gluten to enable the bread to rise properly. If you don't punch the dough down and it "over-rises" those long strands of gluten will break and the bread will be dense.
I find that for whole wheat breads, this is especially important. The longer rise time is needed for the whole wheat flour to properly hydrate and soften.

 

[N F C]

So is it a question of where you are making the bread? High altitude vs. lower altitude?

 

[wyoDreamer]

The high altitude was an issue only because the bread rises so much faster, and it is easier to miss that critical point of over-rising. Allowing the dough to rise properly is important also. If you don't punch-down the dough at a lower altitude, you will get to the point where the dough will over-rise - but it will take longer to get to that point and most people don't get to that point.
I followed the recipe and only let the dough rise for an hour max, so it was not an issue at the lower elevation.
I make the 1-hour French bread recipe that was posted on this site. It is wonderful for those nights that I need a fast, fresh bread to go with supper. We enjoy it, but it has a different texture and taste when it is allowed to rise in a bowl until doubled and punched down for another rise before baking. Someday I will be organized enough to make bread using a poolish that sits in the fridge overnight and see what kind of wonderful flavor develops.

 

[ronott1]

@ronott1 While I usually agree with you 100%, this is contrary to what I have experienced and learned.

The punch down is necessary to allow the bread to develop the proper texture. If you skip the "punch down" and it rises too much, the gluten that you worked so hard to develop with your kneading will be broken and the bread will be dense. I learned this with my first batch of bread up in Wyoming (7200 feet in elevation).
I didn't realize that the dough would rise faster than it did in Wisconsin (800 feet), and I let it go for just over an hour before punching down and doing the second rise. The second rest didn't rise as high before I shaped it and baked it. When I baked it, the texture was off and it didn't rise as much as usual.
I bought a High Altitude Cookbook and it explained that when you are above 5000 feet, the bread needs 3 rises instead of the usual 2. Kneading and resting is all for the dough to form long strands of gluten to enable the bread to rise properly. If you don't punch the dough down and it "over-rises" those long strands of gluten will break and the bread will be dense.
I find that for whole wheat breads, this is especially important. The longer rise time is needed for the whole wheat flour to properly hydrate and soften.

Yes, we must remember elevation.

I live at 70ft. so nearly sea level. High altitude needs less yeast too and maybe a bit more salt to regulate the yeast.

You must have other challenges. A pressure cooker would really help at high altitude too.

 

[N F C]

The high altitude was an issue only because the bread rises so much faster, and it is easier to miss that critical point of over-rising. Allowing the dough to rise properly is important also. If you don't punch-down the dough at a lower altitude, you will get to the point where the dough will over-rise - but it will take longer to get to that point and most people don't get to that point.
I followed the recipe and only let the dough rise for an hour max, so it was not an issue at the lower elevation.
I make the 1-hour French bread recipe that was posted on this site. It is wonderful for those nights that I need a fast, fresh bread to go with supper. We enjoy it, but it has a different texture and taste when it is allowed to rise in a bowl until doubled and punched down for another rise before baking. Someday I will be organized enough to make bread using a poolish that sits in the fridge overnight and see what kind of wonderful flavor develops.

I agree with you on the 1-hour French bread recipe posted here. It's a great one!

 

[theuglyduckling]

haha last night night i used that french bread recipe and i only used 1/2 cup of water i didnt see the 1 1/2 cups of water. lets just say i was a little confused when everything didnt turn into dough.