Bread

Any N.C. Home Bakers?Submitted by CJRoman on May 23, 2013 - 8:43am. ....who have gone through the Dept. of Agriculture certification process? I know you can't use "acid" foods in your kitchen...but are their any other ingredients you've discovered you CAN'T use? Like, mustard is an acid but can you use it IN a recipe? Can you add beer to your bread? Just curious if you've come across any.

Dense Loaf (moist) & Crumb is not WhiteSubmitted by walshie69 on May 23, 2013 - 5:51am. So I have been playing with recipes and modified a no knead to the following.3.5 cups flour1.5 warm water1tsp active yeast1 large tbsp sourdough starter1tsp saltcurls of marble cheeseprocess:Let sit for 4 hours, then refridge overnight.Turned it once and added cheese then back in freidge for 5 hrstaken out of frdige and placed in a round cake tin to proof.It might have over proofed as i left it unattended (at work) where by the plastic wrap was holding back the dough from further rise.I put another tin on top of the cake tin (dont have a dutch oven so I was creating my own)Baked at 475 for 30 minthen 15 min with lid off.results as you can see. Tastes great could have used more cheese! But not spring in the oven the top was flat but it was fully expanded all around. The loaf is moist but not a fluffy white which is what I would like to get.I am thinking no kneads dont get fluffy white?Any ideas? Cheers

Being from the Midwest, I didn’t know anything about Cuban sandwiches until I moved to California. You read that correctly. It took a move 1,600 miles in the wrong direction for me to finally experience the warm, toasty delights of the Mixto — roasted pork, sliced ham, swiss cheese, pickles and yellow mustard on fresh Cuban bread pressed with a plancha (iron) and cut diagonally across the center. ¡Delicioso! So far be it from me to shy away from sampling the newest addition to the Hot Pockets line-up, the Limited Edition Cuban Style Hot Pocket. Much like the East Coast/West Coast hip hop feud of yore, there’s a rivalry between Tampa and Miami regarding ownership of the Cuban sandwich. Tampa appears to be the original home of the Mixto (a.k.a the Cubano), which was introduced there in the 1890s by hungry Cuban cigar factory workers in the Ybor City neighborhood. They did, however, add salami to the sandwich — a highly controversial move, especially considering how Miami’s sandwich artists have adhered to the traditional recipe. I suppose this would be the “Who Shot Ya?” event of the sandwich war because things really popped off after that. Suffice it to say, the salami-free Limited Edition Cuban Style Hot Pockets seem to welcome me to the city where the heat is on, all night on the beach ‘til the break of dawn. Bienvenido a Miami… These Hot Pockets are demanding that I get Pitbull on the phone and tell him to meet us in the V.I.P. at LIV for some bottle service after the Heat game and then afterwards, crank up the salsa as we speed to the Ritz-Carlton South Beach in our yellow Lambo for the after party. But before I book that plane ticket, let’s pause for a moment and talk about Cuban bread. It’s delicious and airy with that necessary touch of fat that makes Cuban bread Cuban and almost all other bread crap. I can’t be sure that the Hot Pockets people have injected lard into their crust, but the Cuban Style Hot Pocket is soft and delicious. True, the crust isn’t crispy since these Hot Pockets are heated in the microwave and don’t come with a crisping sleeve, but it isn’t soggy either. It manages to maintain a perfectly bread-like exterior with the right amount of give and softness without becoming a mushy mess. When it comes to the innards of the Limited Edition Cuban Style Hot Pockets, they closely approximate the makeup of authentic Cuban sandwiches. They are full of pickle flavor, but I’m at a loss trying to explain where the intense pickle-y taste actually comes from. How did they manage to get so much flavor out of these itsy bitsy chunks of pickle? The meat portion of this Hot Pocket consists of diced ham and sliced pork — two delicious meats that come from the same magically delicious animal. There is a hint of mustard in the Hot Pocket, but it definitely takes a backseat to the pickle flavor. The Limited Edition Cuban Style Hot Pocket is a winner with a pleasantly soft crust, savory pork bits, gooey Swiss cheese, tangy pickles, and no salami. Though it lacks the crispy, toasted texture one can only get from using a sandwich press instead of a microwave, I am positive that anyone looking for some Cubano goodness won’t be disappointed. Just don’t tell Tampa. (Nutrition Facts – 1 sandwich – 260 calories, 90 fat calories, 10 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 680 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, 10 grams of protein, 15% Calcium, 10%Iron, 0% Vitamin C, 2% Vitamin A.) Item: Limited Edition Cuban Style Hot Pockets Purchased Price: $2.00 (on sale) Size: 2 sandwiches Purchased at: Ralphs Rating: 8 out of 10 Pros: Pickles, pork & cheese. Thick, soft bread. Lard injections. Pitbull. Cons: Teensy mystery pickles. Sandwich feuds. Definitely not plancha crispy. Only around for a short time. Related posts: REVIEW: Hot Pockets Limited Edition Spicy Hawaiian Style Pizz

Egypt tourist attractions!Submitted by Angellas on May 22, 2013 - 10:55pm. Egypt, the jewel of Africa, is a delightful country and a major tourist attraction. Globe-trotters from all over the planet love to pack their bags and scurry over to this historical land to feast on its myriad attractions and marvelous manmade creations. Egypt travel brings with it a wide range of things including plenty of sightseeing and even the memorable Nile cruise. Meet you in Egypt......:)

Reinhart's Pain à l'AncienneSubmitted by kenlklaser on May 22, 2013 - 8:08pm. I always meant to try Reinhart's Pain à l'Ancienne, and today was the big day.  This was an easy formula and process.I used a hydration of 70%, whereas Reinhart recommends a value somewhere in the range 70-88%. I diverged slightly from his instructions in a couple of places. I use a pressure cooker to pump steam into a gas oven through a copper pipe which I installed in my oven, which is a different from Reinhart's pan with a cup of hot water added when the dough is loaded. I did two batches in succession, I ended up steaming both bakes for the first 10 minutes, and stopped the steam for the final 8 minutes of 18 minutes total bake time.  He said they'd begin browning by 8-10 minutes, but with the pressure-cooker steam applied, they hadn't yet browned at 10 minutes when I turned the steam off.It took about 3 hours for the yeast to wake up from its refrigerated slumber at a room temp of 75 °F, the dough temperature was just hitting 62 °F. When the gas:dough ratio reached 0.2 just a short time later, I shaped the logs and placed them to proof.  I only had enough room on the baking tile to bake three at once in the way I planned it, so I did two batches in succession.  The first one was baked when the gas:dough ratio was 0.7:The second batch was by necessity 30 minutes later and the gas:dough ratio was 1.0 (a doubling):I preferred the shape of the batch baked at a 0.7 gas:dough ratio, but believe it's not yet an optimal value.  The 1.0 dough expansion baked flatter, more like a wetter ciabatta.  Both had a reasonably open crumb.

Hamburger and Super Size Hot Dog BunsSubmitted by isand66 on May 22, 2013 - 4:40pm. It's Memorial Day this weekend believe it or not.  Doesn't feel like it's almost June, but it is certainly time to grill some hot dogs and hamburgers.  I hate using store-bought rolls since I know I can make ones myself that are far superior.My wife insists that the only rolls worthy of using for hamburgers and hot dogs must be light white bread rolls.    I have been real busy at work so it's been difficult to find time to bake as much as I would like so a quick yeasted roll recipe would have to do.  With that in mind I adapted a recipe from Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Dayand added a few twists.I decided to add some parmesan cheese powder and some dried chives just to make it a little interesting.I used the overnight retardation method which helps build some extra flavor.I must say that overall these came out nice and flavorful and were perfect for our hamburger and hot dog dinner the other day.DirectionsMix flours with yeast to combine.  Next add remainder of the ingredients keeping about 30 grams of milk back.  Mix on low-speed or by hand for 1 minute and let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes to absorb the flour.Add the balance of the water if needed and mix for another 4 minutes.  The dough should come together and be scraping the side of the mixing bowl and be nice and fairly smooth but still tacky.Remove the dough to your work surface and knead by hand for 1 minute.  Do about 3-4 stretch and folds and put in a well oiled bowl or container with a cover.  Put it in your refrigerator immediately.You can keep it in your refrigerator for about 24 to 36 hours.  I ended up baking it in the morning so it was only in my refrigerator for around 14 -15 hours.   The dough should double while in the refrigerator.When ready to bake the rolls or bread, take it out of the refrigerator and immediately weigh out your pieces or loaves and shape as desired.  I made simple round rolls and some hot dog buns.  I think it is time for me to buy a hot dog pan since I can't seem to get the size right and ended up with gigantic size hot dog rolls.  Next, let them rise for 1 hour on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.After 45 minutes turn your oven up to 350 degrees F. and prepare your rolls as desired.  I beat 1 whole egg mixed with a little water and put an egg wash on each roll.  At the 1 hour or so mark pop them in the oven with steam and turn once after about 15 minutes.  These should take about 25 minutes to cook thoroughly.Let them cool on wire rack for at least half an hour before digging in if you can wait that long.

Pugliese "Pillow Bread II" with OnionsSubmitted by isand66 on May 22, 2013 - 4:04pm.  Ever since I baked my first "Pillow Bread" last month I've been wanting to try baking this again with some modifications.  I wanted to use a 24 hour bulk retardation instead of baking it on the same day and I wanted to add some onions as well.I also decided to use some of my apple yeast water in the levain and in the final dough but not as a rising agent.  Instead I  just to add some extra flavor and soften the crumb.I also changed up the flour combination a bit using some Spelt flour in place of some of the Kamut flour and also in the levain.I used a chopped onion and mixed it in with the sour dough levain build along with some Yeast Water which ended up adding a nice subtle sweet onion flavor to the final bread.I cut the amount of yeast in the final dough slightly to compensate for the bulk retardation.The final bread turned out excellent with a nice open crumb and crisp crust.  While the crumb is not as open as the last bake it actually is better suited to using for a nice sandwich or to dip in olive oil.  I like the flavor profile very much and the addition of the spelt and onion as well as the overnight bulk retardation really makes this one a winner.Levain DirectionsMix all the levain ingredients including the chopped onions together for about 1 minute and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it sit at room temperature for 6-10 hours or until the starter has doubled.  I let it sit overnight and used it in the final dough in the morning.You can use it in the main dough immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 day before using. Main Dough ProcedureMix the levain with the water and add the flours, and yeast and mix for about 1 minute.  Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes or longer.  Next add the salt and mix in your mixer for 2 minutes on low, and 2 minutes on medium .  This differs from the original procedure which required you to mix for over 6 minutes increasing the speed all the way up to high.  I'm not sure if maybe that may have helped pump some more air into the dough so next time I may go back to that procedure and see the difference.Take the dough out and place it in a clean oiled bowl and leave uncovered for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes do a stretch and fold and cover the bowl.  Let it rest for another 10 minutes and do an additional stretch and fold and immediately place back in the bowl, cover it and place in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.When you are ready to bake, take it out of the refrigerator and shape it gently into a boule and proof in a well floured basket or bowl and cover with a moist towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 2 hour or so.  The dough will only rise about 25 to 30% since it already has risen in the refrigerator.In the mean time pre-heat your oven to 500 degrees F. and prepare it for steam.  I have a heavy-duty baking pan on the bottom rack of my oven with 1 baking stone on above the pan and one on the top shelf.  I pour 1 cup of boiling water in the pan right after I place the dough in the oven.This bread does not need to be scored so when ready to bake, place it on  parchment paper on your peel and then add 1 cup of boiling water to your steam pan or follow your own steam procedure.After 1 minute lower the temperature to 450 degrees.  Bake for 35-50 minutes until the crust is nice and brown and the internal temperature of the bread is 205 degrees.Take the bread out of the oven when done and let it cool on a bakers rack before for at least 2 hours before eating.This post has been submitted to the Yeast Spotting Site here: http://www.wildyeastblog.com/category/yeastspotting/.

Plastic Bannetons?Submitted by GregS on May 22, 2013 - 2:08pm. San Francisco Baking Institute (SFBI.com) is offering a well-priced plastic "banneton". The description includes some cautions about high-hydration dough sticking.Has anyone had direct experience with these containers? What are your thoughts?GregS

Designs for a small bakerySubmitted by arifainchtein on May 22, 2013 - 2:00pm. Hello,I am a software developer slowly becoming a farmer. My project is described in www.chilhuacle.com andwww.gingeros.org.  I am reaching a point where I need to build a small bakery to produce sourdoughs as well as other yeasted breads. ( I finally have the teleras I grew up eating in Mexico City down to perfect).  My idea at first is to supplement my CSA boxes with bread.  I am not growing the grain myself, but source it from a neighbour who grows it biodynamically.My current very high level design includes a small building for the actual preparation, a wood fired breadoven and a dryer/smoker  (this is for another side of the operation but is logical to have it there because of the proximity to the wood storage area).I have a couple of books for the oven, and have googled about the smoker.  The bakery is where I thought this forum could be a great place to ask for help. Because of the site, money and other council planning reguations, I am thinking  a 3.2m x 2m (ie 10 feet by 7 feet more or less) enough for a a 2 meter long  table and  a milling machine, a kitchen aid type machine that could mix  dough for 9 1.2kg loafs and a proofing cabinets.I would love any suggestions for anything anybody thinks i should and should not do. All my ip is open source and will eventually end up formatted and uploaded to the above sites.

Designs for a small bakerySubmitted by arifainchtein on May 22, 2013 - 1:58pm. Hello,I am a software developer slowly becoming a farmer. My project is described in www.chilhuacle.com and www.gingeros.org.  I am reaching a point where I need to build a small bakery to produce sourdoughs as well as other yeasted breads. ( I finally have the teleras I grew up eating in Mexico City down to perfect).  My idea at first is to supplement my CSA boxes with bread.  I am not growing the grain myself, but source it from a neighbour who grows it biodynamically.My current very high level design includes a small building for the actual preparation, a wood fired breadoven and a dryer/smoker  (this is for another side of the operation but is logical to have it there because of the proximity to the wood storage area).I have a couple of books for the oven, and have googled about the smoker.  The bakery is where I thought this forum could be a great place to ask for help. Because of the site, money and other council planning reguations, I am thinking  a 3.2m x 2m (ie 10 feet by 7 feet more or less) enough for a a 2 meter long  table and  a milling machine, a kitchen aid type machine that could mix  dough for 9 1.2kg loafs and a proofing cabinets.I would love any suggestions for anything anybody thinks i should and should not do. All my ip is open source and will eventually end up formatted and uploaded to the above sites.Thanks