Bread

Tomorrow’s starter is limbering up nicely. I’d made a bit of an error. I’d been feeding the starter in the fridge and then using it straight into the leaven. Hopefully this will have a bit more energy to it

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You may find it rises once in the oven @dancing james

Mine didn't rise all that much at first,but when I proved it in the tray it did a lot more. Put it close to the pre-heating oven for that @pascalo

Left them for around 5 hours in the end and they finally woke up. Final bake was ok too. Combination of cold kitchen which the oven can't heat, a cold, enriched, quite wet dough and maybe my yeast isn't at its best.

anyone seen any bargains for biiiig dutch ovens/cast iron pots?
this size I guess: https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/vardagen-casserole-with-lid-cast-iron-00437271/

i love my lodge combo cooker:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lodge-3-Litre-Cast-Iron-Combo-Cooker/154112827215?hash=item23e1d71f4f%3Ag%3Az6cAAOSwsblfdcyB&LH_ItemCondition=4

i've seen bargains at sainsburys for their home brand dutch oven

That seems pretty good value to be honest

Pics?

Fucking hell

Home made home milled spelt crumpets

These might be my downfall

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Mostly scoffed. Whatever’s left of this tomorrow evening is going to be cinnamon bun bread and butter pudding!

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With the strong white and white spelt I Was only getting cow pats no matter what I changed in dough handling and hydration, added a bit of whole-wheat and a smidge of rye and it's bursting at the seams again.

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Have been adding rye to my loaves, as I had 2.5kg to use up. I don't really like working it, but a 25% add to a loaf tastes superb. Have been adding oats as well, they seem to get lost in the loaf but I quite like it.

Another readers' wife shot, I'm afraid - but just because I'm super chuffed with the way this loaf turned out, particularly as the one with the same mix last week was a bit of a pancake - 50% white, 25% wholemeal, 25% malted, 65%+ hydration

I thought I had left it to bulk prove for too long, as I had a stupidly long conference call, and it was puffing out over the top of the banneton, but it seems to have still sprung well, with a crumb better than I have ever made

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looks great

Smashing - fermentation looks spot on!

Looks great we'll done!

After today’s load I now need to reduce the amount of water in my loaf and get a different banneton. When I tip the loaf into the cast iron pan it’s quite shocked by the. So thinking longer and thinner

Just thought I'd mention something a few people have mentioned before bit I'm impressed with the difference it makes...

I'm lining the banneton with ground rice and nothing sticks at all. Dough just plops right out whereas before I'd often have to tease bits off - especially if over proved.

So who wants some flour?
I’m now no longer allowed it- newly diagnosed with coeliac.

I think there’s over 10kg left split between T65 French and shipton white.

Pick up from Putney. Car or cargo bike recommended.
Use by is February for t65 and March for Shipton

Yours for free of course, no splitting.

Yep - Rice flour all the way for me.

Early on, it was a convenient way to get rid of baby rice...

Currently making a loaf a week wfh, have gone back to baking in a Dutch pot, as I get better spring and a slightly softer crust, than when I try and cook without. Also making bigger loafs about 650g worth of flour, combination of strong white, 8 grain, brown spelt, khorasan and rye.
Just came out of the oven.

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This still up for grabs?

Yep.

Cool I'll drop you a pm to work out logistics. Cheers

Stunning

Yesterday

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An alternative is seeds , currently using flax to add nuttiness and crunch.

Also if I am sifting flour I keep the bran to either add to muesli, yoghurts etc or for adding to the exterior of the loaves.

Rather than sprinkling the banneton, I tend to roll the shaped dough in seeds and or bran before placing in the banneton.

Also I found the more I used the bannetons there came a point that the flour residue formed a sort of non stick surface.