Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 02:00:52 GMT -------------- BEGIN bread-bakers.v106.n011 -------------- 001 - "mike fuller" - SOFT pretzels like Sam's Club 010 - "Diane Brown" Subject: COWBOY BREAD (revised) Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2006 16:39:03 -0500 Cowboy Bread A rough inspiration for folks who can sleep on a bedroll. Ingredients: about 1.5 cps wet frothy sour dough starter 1 cp flour 1 healthy pinch salt 1 tbs sugar 1 dollop of bacon grease or butter Method: This is for one person, because as everyone knows, cowboys are loners. Dump a tin cup of flour into a bowl, add a healthy pinch of salt and tablespoon of sugar. Cowboys have no need for teaspoons. Pour in some active sour dough starter from the jug and mix with flour until it comes out chunky on the dry side. Impossible to say exactly how much because everybody's starter varies in hydration, but add no other liquid, just the frothy sour dough. Save water in a canteen for later. Force the dough around for several minutes with a chipped wooden spoon, cussing, and throw it onto a floured tabletop. Dust mass with flour and roll with a whiskey bottle into a flat pancake. Sprinkle both sides with more flour, go do some chores and come back about half an hour later. Carefully knock off the extra flour, and slide onto sizzling bacon grease in the cast iron griddle. Turn heat down to almost zero, cover, and toast as long as possible without burning. Flip and repeat. When both sides are browned and some rising has taken place, it is done. Eat with beans and rinse mouth well before playing harmonica after. Comments: mikesbread@gmail.com --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n011.2 --------------- From: "Gardner, Meryl" Subject: request for help with challah baking Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2006 21:06:34 -0500 Hi - I'm a novice challah (traditional braided egg bread used for the Jewish Sabbath) baker, and typically use my abm to make the dough before braiding it and baking it in the oven. Unfortunately, I have trouble getting home early enough to do the whole thing from start to finish before the Sabbath starts at sundown Friday. Does anyone know of a way to do as much as possible Thursday night and do the actual baking Friday afternoon? Any ideas would be much appreciated. Thanks - Meryl --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n011.3 --------------- From: FREDERICKA COHEN Subject: baking temperature for reeeeeeeeelly big challah Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2006 09:53:02 -0800 (PST) In Peter Reinhart's "Baker's Apprentice", he has a wonder challah recipe. The aproximately 3 lb of dough makes two loaves or one "celebration" loaf. He suggests baking the single loaf at 325F instead of the 350F for the 1 1/2 loaves. In Maggie Glezer's"Blessing of Bread", she has directions for "celebration" loaves that are 3 lbs and more but no baking directions. On pages 74 and 75 she has Compound" breads that I would like to make for a friend's 90th birthday dinner. They are basically individual braids baked so they "grow" together I can understand lowering the temperature for a greater mass so that the outer areas do not become overcooked. Does that make sense? Do I lower? Start cold? Start low and increase? Any help out there? I would greatly appreciate it Is there a formula I can use? Many thanks, Fredericka --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n011.4 --------------- From: "Diane Purkiss" Subject: SF sourdough Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 13:45:25 -0000 Thanks so much to everyone who replied. I'm very keen to compare my Paris tasting notes with the SF experience - is the boule sourer than the SF equivalent? Let's see! --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n011.5 --------------- From: Popthebaker@aol.com Subject: Scale Accuracy Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 09:40:17 EST All mechanical and electronic devices operate within tolerances, electronic and balance scales included. Even check weights are made within tolerances since it is not possible to make all weights exactly the same. My electronic scale states accuracy within 2%, or 2 grams in 100, .2 grams in 10, .02 grams per gram. The key thing is that the weights will all be relatively accurate (compared with each other) even if they are not absolutely accurate (compared to a standard weight). So, even a scale that weighs 2% light will weigh all things 2% light and the weights will be accurate enough for baking purposes. Pop --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n011.6 --------------- From: Maggie Glezer Subject: Rosette recipe Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 09:43:50 -0500 Dear Francine, What an excellent post to the forum! You have great links, a really clear explanation of Italian flour, and translated the recipe so well. I would like to say that I tried to include this recipe in my first book, _Artisan Baking_ and even have a photo of an Italian baker making his rosette, Joe Generoso, on page 196. But even his rosette were hardly ever hollow. I concluded that rosette were beyond the ability of the home baker, because of the specialized equipment needed. While we can make wonderful crusty rolls, making consistently hollow rolls is almost impossible. You need a really powerful mixer, which I still haven't found for the home baker, and I think I have tried them all, a moist proofing environment that can maintain 86F, a special stamp to make the pattern, and a hearth oven with great steam. So, when in Rome, be sure to eat the rosette! Best, Maggie Glezer --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n011.7 --------------- From: Tarheel_Boy@webtv.net (Skallywagg ...) Subject: Baker's lame - for Mary Fisher Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 10:09:56 -0500 Mary: Go to www.google.com and type "bread slashing" in the search box. Hit search and you will find lots of information on using a baker's lame (rhymes with bomb). Don't tell anyone, but I find a good serrated knife works just as well, perhaps better. Bob the Tarheel Baker --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n011.8 --------------- From: Tarheel_Boy@webtv.net (Skallywagg ...) Subject: Seeking the Holy Grail Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 10:20:46 -0500 Barb in Ocala writes: I just joined bread bakers and would like to know if anyone has a good recipe for sourdough bread? Preferably one that has a crunchy crust to it. Hi, Barb. Many of us seek that Holy Grail called good sourdough bread with a crunchy crust. And many of us have good recipes. So consider this to be a warning you that you could be drowning in sourdough recipes soon. There is a wonderful baker in St. Catharines, Ontario named Glory who bakes excellent sourdough. She is a member of this list and I hope she will post her recipe for you. Bob the Tarheel Baker --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n011.9 --------------- From: Subject: SOFT pretzels like Sam's Club Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 10:31:10 -0600 I don't know about any other Sam's Clubs but one in the Milwaukee, WI area has a "snack" area and are serving soft pretzels. What I've been able to find out is they come to Sam's Club pre-made and they run them through some short cooking process. And no, they are NOT SuperPretzels. You think bread when you eat them, not pretzel. I've tried several recipes trying to re-create them but so far just have not gotten there. They are very soft (probably more of a shaped soft bread stick) and the dough seems sweeter than most bread or breadsticks. They are very soft, inside and out. I think it would be safe to say they are not first boiled and then baked; I've made those and these do not have the traditional crusty outer shell. It may be a matter of how you bake them but I don't know how to keep bread from getting a "crust" which is what makes these unique as they are soft inside and out. Has anyone else tried duplicating them successfully or does anyone have a recipe that would duplicate this? THANKS! --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n011.10 --------------- From: "Diane Brown" Subject: San Francisco Sourdough Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 08:44:02 -0800 (PST) Not to take anything away from the breads already discussed in this thread, but just to expand the selection a bit.... My favorite breads that I am always seeking when I come back to visit in the Bay Area are the Campagna con Noci from Metropolis Bakery and Acme's sourdough baguettes. The first is a not-very-sour bread I think from a wild yeast starter but not a classic sourdough, but the combination of that plus walnuts is an amazingly fine bread worth seeking out at local groceries. It makes great toast, bread for cheese, sops up soups, or just gobbled up by handfuls torn from the loaf. And Acme's baguettes are just superb. Diane Brown (usually in St. Louis, but presently logging in from the Bay Area, where I'm planning to acquire some Campagna con noci today --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n011.11 --------------- From: Ron Lambert Subject: Recipes by weight Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 11:15:41 -0600 Are there recipe site that are dedicated to recipes by weight rather that by volume? I have seen the odd recipe by percentages but that leaves me confused. Thanks No matter the problem, a cup of coffee always makes it better --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n011.12 --------------- From: "Jack Hill" Subject: 5-Grain Bread Request Mess-up Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 11:17:44 -0600 A thousand pardons to any of you who tried to help me directly at my email address with my 5-Grain Bread request only to find out you couldn't get through. I've a new spam detector on my computer and no one showed me ..... completely ..... how to use it. That being the case, I inadvertently deleted "I don't know how many" emails without even seeing them so I could accept them. I not only made some, or many, of you mad , but I hurt myself as well. I am sorry; that was not my intention. Star Hill --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n011.13 --------------- From: Marcksmar@aol.com Subject: Babka Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 13:29:13 EST Origignal message: >I'm looking for some recipes for traditional European Easter breads, >does anyone have any family favorites they wouldn't mind sharing? Prize winning babka 3/4 c milk 2 c flour 1 pk yeast 1 T warm water 2 T soft butter 1/3 c sugar 1/2 t salt 2 egg yolks 1/2 t cardamon ground raisins, chopped nuts, chopped candied cherries optional Scald milk. Carefully stir 1/2 c flour into hot milk. When smooth and cool, add yeast softened in warm water with 1 t sugar. Set aside to rise. Add salt to egg yolks and beat until thick. Add to sponge the butter, sugar, beaten egg yolks, and cardamon. Beat with spoon thoroughly. Slowly add remaining 1 1/2 c flour and knead with hand until dough no longer sticks to the fingers. Let rise until double in bulk. Punch down and let rise again, about one hour. 30 min in 350 F oven. I had best luck with this kneaded in my Cuisinart food processor and baked in a small bundt tin. Also it is good without fruit and soaked in a rum sauce for honey babka. 1/4 cup candied fruit, mixed + 1/4 cup raisins opt or add 1/2 cups currants 1/2 cups raisins 1/2 cups golden raisins 1/3 cup chopped slivered almonds 1/6 cup packed brown sugar 1/3 t ground cinnamon 1/3 t vanilla grated zest of 2/3 orange grated zest of 1/3 lemon --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v106.n011.14 --------------- From: "Allen Cohn" Subject: Re: baker's lame Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 11:49:08 -0800 In fact, for many bakers it *is* just a double-sided (not single sided...those aren't thin enough) razor blade. You mount it on a popsickle stick or on one of these $5.75 pieces of metal: http://www.sfbi.com/baking_supplies.html scroll down to "blades" Allen home baker San Francisco --------------- END bread-bakers.v106.n011 --------------- Copyright (c) 1996-2006 Regina Dwork and Jeffrey Dwork All Rights Reserved