Any breadmakers in the house?

[bomber]

All -- after making naught but pancakes with my home-grown sourdough starter for the last 25 years or so, I got curious and started making bread a few months ago . . . . . (no one every called me quick).

I've gotten so I can turn out bread that disappears quickly 2 times outa 3, which is good, and complimentary and all that.

However, the crust might withstand the impact from a .38 fired from no too far away.

The last loaf (named Jaba while it was rising) nearly shrugged off the ministrations of a sharp bread knife, and had me considering getting my Milwaukee Sawz-All from the shed.

Any experienced bakers here that can offer a suggestion on alterations to recipes (tough, as it' basically dough, water and salt), or baking techniques that might yield a loaf that is not quite so unassailable?

thanks!

[falconati]

Heyoooooo!

That issue is usually indicative that you're baking at too high a temperature, or don't have enough wet ingredients.  If you're using a breadmaker (and therefore cannot adjust temperature), add an 1/8 of a cup water each time you make the bread, until you reach the desired crust consistency.

[bomber]

Heyoooooo!

That issue is usually indicative that you're baking at too high a temperature, or don't have enough wet ingredients.  If you're using a breadmaker (and therefore cannot adjust temperature), add an 1/8 of a cup water each time you make the bread, until you reach the desired crust consistency.

Thanks, sir -- plain old elecctrical oven -- I'll try knocking the temp down a bit -- adding moisture seems to make the resulting bread more "sour," if that makes sense.

[falconati]

Sure does.  Try lowering the temp 5-10 degrees, and adding a little honey (maybe half a tablespoon)

[bomber]

Hell, EVERYTHING is better with honey! Thanks -- I'll try that next weekend!

[kevin_stevens]

Sure, I make bread every time I do a load of laundry.  They seem like the same kind of activity in that they both require about ten minutes of effort but the whole process takes three hours, so I do them together.  

My *best* suggestion is to go to Fleischmann's web page (it's "breadworld" or something, google it) and use one of their beginner recipe.  The important thing for bread is to get a baseline; a good workflow of ingredients, equipment (yes, different pans and ovens make a difference) and process that produce consistent results.  Once you get to that point it's pretty easy to start tweaking things to get them where you want them, and to experiment.

KeS

[morganlafaye]

You can also try putting a pan with a little bit of water in the oven with the bread, usually on the rack below the bread, helps with humidity.

[bomber]

Kev -- I've not been the sight you suggested (thanks for the tip, though) -- I'm sure there's overlap between sourdough bread and bread that required yeast (hence the sponsors of the sight, yes?) . . . . you're right, though - to bake on Saturday Morning, I set the sponge on Thursday evening -- I am actually involved in the process directly for about 25/30 minutes ;-}

Morgan -- sounds good, but we'd expect no less from Merlin's nemisis.

[coho]

Three tips,
Always measure your flour by weight, not volume.

Adding a baking stone or stones to your oven and preheating them and the oven well in advance (an hour or more) of putting in the loaves will help improve your crust to crumb ratio and give the loaves more loft.

Also, if you go the pan of water in the oven route, preheat the pan (not necessarily for the whole hour) and add the water with the loaves (close the door quickly so you don't let all the steam out).

Good baking!  

[kevin_stevens]

Kev -- I've not been the sight you suggested (thanks for the tip, though) -- I'm sure there's overlap between sourdough bread and bread that required yeast (hence the sponsors of the sight, yes?) . . . . you're right, though - to bake on Saturday Morning, I set the sponge on Thursday evening -- I am actually involved in the process directly for about 25/30 minutes ;-}

Morgan -- sounds good, but we'd expect no less from Merlin's nemisis.

http://www.breadworld.com/

First Google hit.

KeS

[bomber]

Thaks, Kev -- you're welcome over anytime -- ;-}

[kevin_stevens]

Thaks, Kev -- you're welcome over anytime -- ;-}

Sourdough is a whole different critter.

KeS

[knolltop314]

Who'd have known there was so much to know ..........  
But ya'll have been successful in making me hungry!

[KenH]

Ditto on the little things making a difference. My grandmother swore weather had to be compensated for. She always got bread that disappeared in seconds. I kept a log and that helped with consistency. Sourdough was more difficult to get consistent results than wheat, but I was baking in a wood-burning oven at the time.

[bomber]

I'm sure your Grandmother was right -- this stuff has a mind of it's own -- I've given up trying to get the same result over and over (I can go to San Francisco for that), and happily settle for "is there any more of that bread."

[HipGnosis]

I spent a winter trying to make really good italian bread...
Serious bread makers are meticulous about the temperature of the water used.

[JeffM]

I like to make my bread from this recipe, which I originally heard on NPR's Splendid Table:
http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=1616

Makes a nice crusty loaf, great with olive oil or butter.