Bread making during crisis

With so many people self isolating it might be a good time to think about making your own bread at home.

It really is quite easy and requires only 4 ingredients: flour (bread flour is best), salt, yeast and water.

The main thing to remember is that TIME is your friend. With modern day yeast, it is no problem getting the dough to rise quickly BUT the development of bacteria is what gives bread its great flavor. And, that takes TIME. No extra work, just TIME.

There are two main ways of developing flavor. 1.) using what is called a preferment, and 2.) letting the dough develop bacteria while sitting in the refrigerator. Both work well.

if there is any interest in homemade bread, I'll post a recipe or two.

Re: Bread making during crisis

Yes please

Re: Bread making during crisis

Yes please from me too, Bakerman.....

Re: Bread making during crisis

Ok, the 1st thing I'd like people to remember is that it takes longer to read the bread formula than it does to actually make the bread.

No knowing what equipment everyone has, I'll start with a type of bread which the French call a Batard. A Batard only needs a flat sheet pan for the baking.

A Batard is merely a round, mounding high in the center, loaf of bread. You can slice it or, as I do, rip hunks of it off to go with my homemade soup.

Sounds yummy ?

Ok. here we go. The night BEFORE you wish to made this bread you will be making a preferment. (easy as pie.. 1,2 3)

PS, my PC is on the fritz so I'll be coming back to edit and add.

Re: Bread making during crisis

PREFERMANT FOR BATARD.

You will need a 2 cup glass container, a small custard cup and a set of measuring spoons.

First, pour 1/4 cup of water into the custard cup. Add only 1/8 teaspoon of dry yeast. (It does not matter whether you have instant dry yeast or regular dry yeast.) Stir the yeast until dissolved. Set aside.

Next, pour 3/4 cup of white flour (105 gram) into the larger glass container. Add 82 gram of water ( 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
Add 22 grams of whole wheat flour (2 level tablespoons), If you don't have W.W flour just add 2 more TBLSP of white flour.

Now, carefully measure one (1) teaspoon of the yeasted water and add it to the flour/water mix. Discard the remaining yeasted water. stir well for aprox 3 minutes. You should now have a very sticky mass.

using plastic wrap, cover the preferment tightly. Let set on the counter for 3 hours. Put in refrigerator for at least 8 hours.

Re: Bread making during crisis

NEEDED TO MAKE THE DOUGH

1 and 1/4 cup white flour
1/4
cup plus 1 TBLSP of milk, the same temp as baby bottle milk
3/8 tsp dry yeast
1 plus 1/4 tsp salt. (regular table salt)
All of the preferment.

Mix the dry yeast into the slightly warm milk. stir to dissolve. set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, pour the 1+1/4 cup flour.
add the yeasted milk. Add all of the preferment which you have kept in the refrigerator. Use a dough hook and mix on SLOW for 2 minutes or until well combined.
add the salt.

Mix on SLOW for 8 minutes. If you mix on high speed it will heat up the dough and you will destroy the good bacteria.
(You may have to occasionally stop the mixer and stir down the flour.)

You should now have a very thick sticky mass.
Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.

Dump out onto a LIGHTLY floured counter and hand knead for 2 minutes. This will further develop the gluten which makes you bread rise high. Your dough should now be somewhat shiny and may have blisters. That's excellent. cover again and let rest 30 minutes.

Re: Bread making during crisis

DOING THE FRENCH FOLDS

Please don't be put off by fancy sounding terms. They are merely terms to describe the process.

Dump the dough out onto a LIGHTLY floured surface and stretch the dough out to a large rectangle. fold the dough over on itself into 3rds. you now have a long piece of dough. Fold that long piece into 3rds again. You should now have an oblong piece of dough. cover with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes.

Repeat the French fold process 2 more times. LET REST 30 MINUTES BETWEEN EACH TIME.

Don't give up now. you're almost done.

Re: Bread making during crisis

Shop out lf yeast and flour for making bread

Re: Bread making during crisis

The "BULK FERMENT" STAGE

Very, very lightly oil a 2 or 3 liter bowl.
Put dough into bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size. How long this takes will be determined by the temp of you kitchen. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS. THAT WILL ONLY KILL OFF THE GOOD BACTERIA YOU HAVE CREATED.

A full doubling usually takes about 2- 2 1/2 hours if your kitchen is not chilly.

This doubling/rising has several purposes: 1.) to further strengthen the gluten and 2.) to further develop the flavor of the bacteria.

Re: Bread making during crisis

Thank you Bakerman, I'm saving all these posts of yours