The Bread Project, 2nd Installment
Loaf 2
The second loaf of the bread project incorporates mixing in additional ingredients, and discusses what each of those ingredients does to the bread. I stuck with white bread flower this time, as I'm giving this loaf away, and I kept experimentation to a minimum. I also replaced the majority of the water in Loaf 1 with milk. I also added butter. Fat makes the bread more moist, and has a longer shelf life. However, it does make the crumb more tightly packed - it makes a good ol' fashioned sandwich loaf. I also added a sweetener. A sugar adds an additional food for the yeast, but disrupts the natural fermentation process, and can make the bread taste "beery" if too much is added, and the dough is given too much time to rise. Also, when baking the sugar in the loaf caramelizes, giving the crust a rich brown color. I used Molasses as a sweetener, which accounts for the deep color of the bread.
I was very pleased with this loaf. I tried a few other new techniques that I'd read about. 1. I preheated the baking stone for a good 30 minutes at 450. This accounts for a good final oven "puff". Second, I steamed the oven when I put the loaf in. This gives rise to a good crunch crust. I gave the loaf 10 minutes of steam, then removed the water, and reduced the oven temp to 400. I also used more liquid in this dough, making it more slack, but I did notice a HUGE difference in the texture of the dough and the end texture of the bread. Woo! I'm learning! (which is what this project is all about!) I'm extremely happy that since I was planning on giving this loaf away, it is a loaf I'm proud to give away.
The second loaf of the bread project incorporates mixing in additional ingredients, and discusses what each of those ingredients does to the bread. I stuck with white bread flower this time, as I'm giving this loaf away, and I kept experimentation to a minimum. I also replaced the majority of the water in Loaf 1 with milk. I also added butter. Fat makes the bread more moist, and has a longer shelf life. However, it does make the crumb more tightly packed - it makes a good ol' fashioned sandwich loaf. I also added a sweetener. A sugar adds an additional food for the yeast, but disrupts the natural fermentation process, and can make the bread taste "beery" if too much is added, and the dough is given too much time to rise. Also, when baking the sugar in the loaf caramelizes, giving the crust a rich brown color. I used Molasses as a sweetener, which accounts for the deep color of the bread.
I was very pleased with this loaf. I tried a few other new techniques that I'd read about. 1. I preheated the baking stone for a good 30 minutes at 450. This accounts for a good final oven "puff". Second, I steamed the oven when I put the loaf in. This gives rise to a good crunch crust. I gave the loaf 10 minutes of steam, then removed the water, and reduced the oven temp to 400. I also used more liquid in this dough, making it more slack, but I did notice a HUGE difference in the texture of the dough and the end texture of the bread. Woo! I'm learning! (which is what this project is all about!) I'm extremely happy that since I was planning on giving this loaf away, it is a loaf I'm proud to give away.