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When is a mistake not a mistake?

"Schmitt, Barbara E." <BSchmitt@goulstonstorrs.com>
Tue, 8 Jun 2004 11:01:11 -0400
v104.n027.2
This weekend, I decided to make the basic (not sourdough) pumpernickel 
raisin bread recipe from Rose Levy Berenbaum's Bread Bible.  I made the 
sponge, and sprinkled the flour mixture over it as directed.  As I was 
putting away the ingredients, I realized that I had used 2T of diastatic 
malt powder instead of 2T of gluten.

I knew that the bread would need the gluten, so I sprinkled that over the 
flour mixture.  Then, I decided to make a second batch, without the 
"mistake" of adding the diastatic malt powder.  (Especially since my handy 
KA Flour catalog indicated that about 1 t, not 2 T, would be the usual 
amount of diastatic malt powder for this recipe!

I made both batches following Rose's directions, including refrigerating 
the sponge/flour mixture overnight.  I also let the bread rise longer than 
called for, both at the first rise stage and after shaping, as that is how 
my schedule worked out.  I kept the dough very wet -- well beyond tacky 
into sticky.

The "original recipe" bread was very good -- nice flavor, beautiful color, 
great chewy texture.  But the "mistake" was even better -- in short, it was 
fantastic.  It was sweeter than the original recipe, and the flavor is out 
of this world.  It is even light enough in texture that I think I will try 
adding a bit of first clear flour in place of some of the white flour next 
time.

So, I draw two conclusions from this:

1.  If you like pumpernickel, this is a great recipe with the added 
diastatic malt.
2.  Once again, the fun is in the experimentation.  Bread is tremendously 
forgiving -- make it your own way!

Barbara