Re: Bread making during crisis

One final step before I'm finished writing the recipe. just taking a break for a little while.

Re: Bread making during crisis

FINAL STEPS: SHAPING OF DOUGH, FINAL RISE AND BAKING

Phew, I'll bet you thought I'd never finish.

Ok, lightly flour counter and dump dough on to flour.
Degas dough. Poke the dough with you fingers to pop any large bubbles.

Shape into a football (rugby ?) shape. Large oval shape.
Pull dough down and under until you have a nice very tight shape. Turn dough over and tightly pinch the seams together. Filp dough right side up. Put on a flat sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled. this may take about 90 minutes.

about 30 minutes into final rise pre-heat oven to 400 F ( 205 C.)

When dough has almost fully risen, uncover it and let a "skin" form.

This next step is for somewhat experienced bakers. Just before putting fully risen loaf into the oven, slash the formed loaf (1 cm deep) with a new razor blade to make a big "X" on the dough. This helps the dough rise even higher in oven which is called "oven spring". Tip here. You want to move the razor VERY , VERY quickly almost like you are trying to catch a fly.

Heavily mist the loaf with water and get into oven.

Bake on center rack for aprox 30 minutes or until loaf is a nice golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for an hour. . The bread is still baking at this point.

Re: Bread making during crisis

Thanks again Bakerman

Re: Bread making during crisis

you're most welcome. I'm happy to do it.

Re: Bread making during crisis

So am I

Re: Bread making during crisis

Do you mean to say that the store is out of yeast and bread flour? You can use A.P flour. (AP=all-purpose flour)

A.P. flour has less gluten than Bread flour and your bread will not rise as high and be a tad dense but it can work. never , ever try to use cake flour for bread making.

Re: Bread making during crisis

I make bread all the time, a new batch of fresh yeast is arriving today it comes in a cold pack and I freeze it. It stays usable for months.

I won't use dried yeast I think it changes the flavour of the bread. I also use a 'starter' to make sourdough and that doesn't require any yeast just a bit of devotion to keep it alive. I don't have one at the moment but will start another soon.

Re: Bread making during crisis

bakerman
You are so out of touch with shopping. They do not have anything in the shops to make bread with here in the UK.

Re: Bread making during crisis

Oh. How kind of you to let me know.

Doesn't everyone keep at least a minimal supply of flour and yeast on had at all times. I sure do.

Re: Bread making during crisis

Wow ! Good for you. not many people have the patience to make a starter.
PS: There is a famous bakery in San Francisco that has been in business since the days of the Gold Rush in 1849. Their starter is now 171 years old and is the foundation of their world famous Sour Dough Bread.