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Sponge Bread and Cold Kitchens

Veronica Callinan <vcallinan@asgo.net>
Mon, 19 Feb 1996 21:45:58 -0500
v006.n074.12
Hello all! I'm new to the list - from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  
I tried baking bread years ago, and the results were beautiful, golden door
stoppers. 
Completely inedible! I started using a breadmaker, 3 or 4 years ago, and the
results 
have been fabulous! My husband loves homemade bread.  I sometimes make the
dough in 
the machine, then form and bake it in the oven. Regardless of where the
baking is done - 
the loaves are eaten quickly and completely!

I want to thank Bev in MN for your suggestion for timed dough.  Your
explanation wasn't
confusing at all. 

To Pat Hewitt, I'd be very interested in your light whole wheat bread recipe.  


1) The discussion on sponge bread has really pricked my interest.  Kay
Klier, wrote:
"basically, you just put half the flour (or so -- it should be about like 
brownie batter in consistency) in the first rise, allow the gluten to 
develop, stir the sponge down, and add the rest of the flour for the second
rise."

In my breadmaker, adding flour after the knead cycle won't mix the
ingredients properly.
The second rise is preceded by a very minimal knead - 1 or 2 turns of the
paddle at most.
Are you talking about machine baking, or do you mean by hand? 

2) Comments on gluten flour.  The temperature in our kitchen varies greatly,
from summer to 
winter.  Timed bread didn't used to rise in winter, or on very hot summer
nights.  
We turn the heat down at night in winter, so the kitchen gets chilly. Then I
started 
adding gluten flour to the mix. By mixing 1/4 cup gluten flour to 1 cup
all-purpose, 
the bread rises every time.  So the mix is 20% gluten flour.  I hope this
helps others
who have the same problem.

Keep on baking!!!vc