My First loaves

kilroy

Well - 1 week and 1 day after I started my starter, I made my first loaves. Yesterday ( saturday 1 week after starter) I mixed 1 pound of Rye flour and 1 pound of water and a cup or so of starter. Gave it a good mix, and put it into my heater closet. After 3 hours it had tripled in size and was bubbling away happily.

Today - I took that mixture - it was fairly fluid, added approximately 1 1/2 pounds of organic wheat flour, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, 1/2 cup of Natural homemade yoghurt (instead of oil), and mixed. It was stil fairly moist, but as I kneaded it about 15 minutes, I added more flour until it was a nice texture.

I cut it into 2 loaves and shaped them, covered them with a cloth, and set them aside to rise. They are nearly double in size after 4 hours and I am thinking I should be firing up the oven to pre-heat it.

I was unsure when I was supposed to slice the top, after the rising or right after shaping, so I am not going to cut the top at all this time round.

I will bake at 350 for about 5 minutes or until they sound hollow when tapped.

They are going to be baked on stoneware, so that should provide a nice base for them.

Will let you know how it turns out.

Andrew

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Replies

matthew 2007 December 3

Hi Andrew,

Congratulations! I'm glad they were tasty. They looked like a nice rye style bread.

Did you consider giving the dough a bulk fermentation before dividing, shaping and proofing them? This would stretch the fermentation out longer and develop more flavour.

The slashes are normally made immediately before placing the dough in the oven.

Matthew

kilroy 2007 December 4

So if I do 2 risings then the flavor gets better?

Is that letting it rise after I knead it - then dividing into loaf shapes - then letting it rise again, then baking it?

Thanks

Andrew

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