Bread! Bread! Bread! Oprah's commercial...
10 years ago
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- 10 years ago
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Comments On Bread Clay Baker
Comments (8)As mentioned in another recent thread, usually clay based cookers will absorb moisture away from the doughs. A big commercial oven uses steam or even just water sprayed inside during about half the baking cycle. The more moisture used, the harder the crust will be, as thats what my grandfather said. Small pizza stones and clay based cookers act similarly in that they take away moisture from the bottom of the baked product. Thats why pizza baked on a stone will have a crisp bottom compared to a meta pizza pan. My mom had a clay roaster and used it only a couple of times in hopes it would give here the same texture has her father the baker, but they didn't even come close. The stones are also preheated in most cases and a peel is used to place the risen dough on the stone surface. I also add extra gluten to my doughs as todays bread flour has less gluten from flour that was milled 50 years ago. All purpose flour is a OK for soft breads, but if you want crusty and chewy, it needs a higher amount of gluten. For a home oven, you can use a spray bottle of water every few minutes while its baking....See MoreMore on Seasoning as well as Bread and Sourdough
Comments (6)Thanks, Annie, Ann and Linda! It's the same basic bread I usually make, though the exact contents vary a little. :) Ann, big holes are formed the same way bubble bath big bubbles are--the interstices between bubbles break and they combine to make a bigger bubble. That might also be an indication of good gluten development because the structure around the bigger bubble holds up rather than collapsing. When you punch it down, your strong, long gluten will reinflate. Small amounts of gluten might be broken to let the air out, but most of it is still there. With the quantity of (sharp) bran in this kind of bread, where one can see the big holes while handling the dough--that is, where the side of the bubble is open--it's seeing where the gluten has been cut and will never inflate again once the air has been let out. It's not that the gluten hasn't developed. It loses its legs because there aren't enough long strands left, even with the high protein wheat I've been using. When that happens, the degassed shaped loaf can't rise. While the crumb structure doesn't look very different from usual, having the banneton to cling to did wonders for it....See MoreGluten Free Dairy Free French Bread
Comments (8)Please, let me know how your bread turned out. Because I make so many breads to sell weekly I buy my flours at a nearby co-op in bulk - like 25# and 50# bags, xanthan by the ounce, fresh baking powder, almond meal, dry milk powder, and yeast in bulk, plus dried fruit, chocolate, nuts and honey, etc. They do offer on-line sales, you don't have to be a member to order, no minimums, and have thousands of products. The Grain Mill Grocery Cooperative www.grainmill.com; you can pick up in Wake Forest NC or Myerstown PA, or have it delivered to you. You may want to check locally for food co-ops or call your County Extension Agent. You might be surprised to find one quite close to you. Another on-line store I like is Barry Farm Foods (www.barryfarm.com). You can buy some of their products on Amazon but going to their website to order is less expensive and much more comprehensive. You can buy a huge variety of flours in 1# or discounted 5# bags but they also have an abundance of cooking and baking ingredients, and all gluten free things are clearly marked and verified. When you buy cornstarch locally check the price per pound. The fancy yellow plastic packaged containers cost $1.59 to $2.39 per pound - for the same stuff as the plain white box off brand box for $1 at my local grocery store. It pays to check prices on everything gluten free because it is a "fad" so a lot of places have inflated their prices. I'd be cautious buying from stores like Trader Joe's, Fresh Market, and Whole Foods. Yes, the things are available but I find prices quite high relatively, so even if I buy on-line and pay shipping it's cheaper, especially if you buy in larger quantities than the little 22 ounce pre-packaged bags. GF flours keep a very long time, unlike wheat flour, so buying in bulk saves you money, and you know you are going to use it in the near future. A little advice for storage - buy some good food-grade storage containers for your bulk flours. The disposable Glad, Rubbermaid, Zip-lock, Hefty bags and boxes, even plastic wrap and freezer boxes breathe. Pantry pests can get in along with oxygen that degrades them quickly. Containers that are rigid plastic, or glass, that are noted as air-lock and/or spill proof are best - Snapware, Glasslock, Pyrex, Cambro, even my favorite - Mason jars. For big quantities I use food grade 5 and 7 gallon buckets with very tight lids from the restaurant supply store, where you can also buy good smaller storage containers. Never use your vacuum sealer bags to store flours or other loose ingredients - they make them taste and smell funny. Using the sealer on Mason jars is a better option to remove the air in the jar. Nancy...See MoreQuick bread: Slice before freezing?
Comments (4)I wouldn't slice before freezing. Over time, ice crystals may form between slices. At least that is my experience. Doesn't seem to matter how well wrapped it is. I do cut loves in half, even thirds for larger loaves. Wrap tightly in Saran or Press n' Seal, then over wrap with foil....See More- 10 years ago
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