Thread: Who bakes bread?

Sorry. Two different pans. She did a total of 5 trays using 2 recipes. I already know how, she wanted to learn. I pointed out that in the future she should pinch the seams shut.

Originally Posted by slim6596

Sorry. Two different pans. She did a total of 5 trays using 2 recipes. I already know how, she wanted to learn. I pointed out that in the future she should pinch the seams shut.

If you've never tried it, try using unflavored dental floss to cut the log into sections.You slide the floss under the log to the length that you want and then cross the strings and pull them through.

You get a nice clean edge and the dough doesn't get smashed.

And yes pinching the end into the log once you have the dough rolled up helps keep the pieces from unraveling

Yep, she used floss. I use a serrated bread knife and gently saw down through the dough log. Sounds like it wouldn’t work but it does (for me-her, not so much).

I just use a sharp knife, too. I tried string and it was more trouble than it's worth.

Never rush your rise gents.
Popped home at lunch and decided to take the loaves from the fridge right into the oven

Look ok but there was some hemorrhage action out the bottom of both

The lesson is to let things normalize on the counter at least an hr or so before baking or the internal bubbles will not sort themselves out.
My ugliest loaves of the year.
.

Originally Posted by MikeB52

Never rush your rise gents.
Popped home at lunch and decided to take the loaves from the fridge right into the oven

Look ok but there was some hemorrhage action out the bottom of both

The lesson is to let things normalize on the counter at least an hr or so before baking or the internal bubbles will not sort themselves out.
My ugliest loaves of the year.
.

Bet they still taste good, though.

No fault in the flavour or crumb at all and it may also have been a bad pinch of the seams when I set these up last night.
The Beauty of baking is sometimes it’s all in the way you hold your tongue when everything else is equal.

My aunt was one of the best bakers I have ever met. Never used a recipe.

When she allowed me to work beside her as she was putting things together, she explained that when my grandmother taught her to bake, she would show her how the dough had to look and feel at each stage of the process and how that was effected by temperature, humidity, the nature of the flour etc.

She told me to forget the timer, use a scale, but depend on my senses once I knew how things were supposed to look, feel and smell.

Kind of like being taught how to hone, strop and shave in person by someone who knows.

I'd made "bread" a few times when my aunt asked me to bring rolls for Christmas. I was steamed. I suppose cousins ice, chips n dip, and napkins asked first and she was running out of men can't cook dishes. But I'd be at my parent's house. Oh my God, having my mother watch me...let me say, it was the first time "punch down the dough" ever made sense to me. I learned so much that one day.

Today woke up early to treat coworkers to fresh bread.

Was very well received and devoured..