Thread: Who bakes bread?

I've been baking for 50 years. I learned in the Navy working with the baker at night. I've made just about everything and still do.

What I've learned is a machine does a better job period. Also the more you put in the recipe and the heavier the dough the longer it takes to rise. A really heavy dough will never rise at most room temps this time of the year.

They sell various aides like dough relaxers and vital gluten which can make your life easier and also the variety of yeast you use can make a big difference.

In all my years in the Navy I don't remember ever getting a decent slice or piece of bread. It always seemed to be quantity over quality. However, I did think the food was halfway decent given the task of feeding 6,000 hungry men on an aircraft carrier.

I was on a small ship and our one baker was a baker on the outside so he knew his stuff.

Got a much improved loaf last night.

The changes I made for this recipe include:
1) Used the proper sized pan, was using a 5x9, went to the 4.5 x 8.5 as called for.
2) Kneading, I didn't go crazy trying to make a nice supple and satin surface on the dough. This one is on the moist side and pretty unfeasible without adding too much flour.
3) Proofing. I had my oven on/preheating during both rises. This halved the recommended time on proofing.

Worked out awesome!





I'm betting my sandwich is gunna be pretty dam good

I'd finished off my last loaf of homemade bread so I 'kneaded' to make some more.

My recipe calls for 4 cups of all purpose flour but every once in awhile I like a bit of Whole Wheat added so I used 3 cups of all purpose and used 1 cup of WW flour. I don't care for 100% WW but just a bit adds a nice bit of texture and a nutty taste.

I also decided to make two small loaves instead of one big loaf.

On the scale after the first rise and the dough divided in half (I got lucky and the two halves were within a 1/2 an ounce of each other) ;



In the oiled pans and after the second rise;



Right out of the oven and ready to be placed on their sides to start cooling.



Once cooled to room temp--the inside once I cut it open for a slice of bread and butter with my supper;



I'm happy with these loaves, taste and texture are what I was wanting.

When you are social distancing and staying inside as part of the recommendations for dealing with this pandemic, the aroma of freshly baked bread just adds to the ambience.

We have our grandsons here with us at our cottage avoiding big cities and crowds during the CORVID-19 stuff and in the last two days have made 2 pizzas, 4 loaves of bread, an orange cake and fudge. We will likely survive the virus, but I may end up diabetic.

Thought this applicable

Originally Posted by cudarunner

I'd finished off my last loaf of homemade bread so I 'kneaded' to make some more.

My recipe calls for 4 cups of all purpose flour but every once in awhile I like a bit of Whole Wheat added so I used 3 cups of all purpose and used 1 cup of WW flour. I don't care for 100% WW but just a bit adds a nice bit of texture and a nutty taste.

I also decided to make two small loaves instead of one big loaf.

On the scale after the first rise and the dough divided in half (I got lucky and the two halves were within a 1/2 an ounce of each other) ;



In the oiled pans and after the second rise;



Right out of the oven and ready to be placed on their sides to start cooling.



Once cooled to room temp--the inside once I cut it open for a slice of bread and butter with my supper;



I'm happy with these loaves, taste and texture are what I was wanting.

I usually use 50% WW. 100% is a real pain. Often times you wind up with a brick unless you really finesse it.

Here's how it looked about an hour before

Remaking the whole wheat recipe I tried. Going to without the cinnamon this time. I have turkey for my sandwiches this week, and from experience, the cinnamon and turkey mix ain't very good.