Christmas Baking 2011

Finally I find time to post.   It's been a busy festive season, with a mamoth baking session on Boxing Day, and a smaller one today.   To the detail, beginning with pre-ferments for the initial large bake.

RYE SOUR DOUGH

Stock Sour 288g [D. Rye Flour 108; Water 180] Saturday 18:00

1. Rye Sourdough  288

D. Rye Flour           292 [+ 108 = 400 TOTAL]

Water                     220 [+ 180 = 400 TOTAL]

TOTAL                   800 mixed Sunday 10:00

2. Rye Sourdough 800

D. Rye Flour          330 [+ 400 = 730 TOTAL]

Water                    330 [+ 400 = 730 TOTAL]

TOTAL                1460g mixed Sunday 20:00

“SCALD”, or “ZAVARKHA”

PÂTE FERMENTÉE

Wholemeal Bread Flour  500

Salt                                   10

Butter                               10

Fresh Yeast                     10

Water                             340

TOTAL                           870g

mixed Sunday 19:00, fermented 1 hour, then retarded overnight

WHEAT LEVAIN

1.Stock Levain  216 [Bread Flour 135; Water 81] Saturday 18:00

Bread Flour      300 [+ 135 = 435 TOTAL]

Water               180 [+  81 = 261 TOTAL]

TOTAL             696 mixed Sunday 10:00

2.Levain           696

Bread Flour     600 [+ 435 = 1035 TOTAL]

Water              360 [+ 261 =  621 TOTAL]

TOTAL          1656 mixed Sunday 14:00

FLAX SEED SOAKER

Flax Seed Blond     200

Cold Water             600

TOTAL                   800 mixed Sunday 10:00

“POOLISH”

Bread Flour    840g

Fresh Yeast   003g

Water             840g

TOTAL         1683g [use 561g for Croissant Dough and 1122g for Bloomers]

mix Sunday 20:00

BIGA

Bread Flour    400  

Water             240

Fresh Yeast   002

TOTAL           642g mixed Sunday 19:30

The first six of these were all made on Monday 26th December using a combination of both wood-fired brick oven and electric oven to complete the baking.   A Christmas Marathon, totalling 25 loaves, plus a range of laminated pastries!   Sorry, there are no photographs from this bake; I was just too busy trying to cope with the hectic schedule preparing for family visiting etc.

1.    Sourdough Seed Bread with Wheat Levain, Wholemeal Flour, Roasted Seeds and a Cold Flax Seed Soaker

For the levain build and cold soaker, see above.

Method:

• Build the levain as above, and prepare the cold soaker.
• Roast the Seeds under the grill with tamari to taste; turn as needed.   Cool.
• Prepare an autolyse with both flours plus water for the final dough.   Leave 1 hour to stand.
• Add the salt, leaven and soaker and mix on first speed for 5 minutes, scraping down as needed, and adjusting the hydration if necessary.   Mix for 3 minutes on second speed, then scrape down and check development.   Add the roasted seeds and mix on first speed until cleared.
• Retard the dough overnight.
• Bulk proof for 1 hour to return the dough to 26°C.
• Scale and divide.   Mould each dough piece round, and rest whilst preparing bannetons.   I made 9 various sized boules from this dough.
• Re-mould, then prove upside down in bannetons for 3 hours
• Turn each loaf onto a peel, score the top, then set to bake in the wood-fired oven.
• Cool on wires.

 2.    100% Wholemeal Panned Breads made with Pâte Fermentée

For the Pâte Fermentée schedule, see above

Method:

• As described above, for the Pâte Fermentée, combine all the ingredients in a mixer, and mix on first speed for 5 minutes, scraping down as needed.   Mix a further 2 – 4 minutes on second speed.   Bulk ferment for 2 hours, then retard overnight.
• To mix the final dough, firstly autolyse flour and water for 1 hour.   Then add the Pâte Fermentée and the other ingredients and mix for 2 minutes on first speed.   Scrape down and mix for 7 minutes on second speed.   DDT 28°C
• Bulk ferment 40 – 50 minutes at 28°C
• Scale, divide and mould round.   Rest covered for 10 - 15 minutes and prepare bread pans.   Shape dough pieces and place into pans.   I made 3 different-sized panned loaves, plus 1 bloomer.
• Final proof 2 hours at 28°C.
• Bake in the wood-fired oven.
• Cool on wires.

3.    Bloomers made with a “Poolish” and Rye Sourdough

For the schedules for both the “Poolish” and the Rye Sourdough, see above.

Method:

• Build levain and “poolish” as above.
• Combine both pre-ferments with all the other ingredients for the final dough in a mixer.   Mix with the hook attachment on first speed for 3 minutes, scraping down as needed and making any necessary adjustment to hydration.   Mix a further 4 – 5 minutes on second speed to develop.   DDT 26°C.
• Bulk proof 50 minutes @ 26°C.
• Scale and divide and mould round.   Rest covered and prepare baking sheets.   Shape for bloomers and tray up.   I made 3 large bloomers.
• Final proof @ 28°C for 2 hours.
• Cut the tops of the loaves with 3 diagonal slashes, spray with water, and bake on the sole of the wood-fired oven.
• Cool on wires.

 4.    Ciabatta with a “Biga”

For the “Biga”, see schedule above

Method:

• Prepare the biga as above.
• For the bassinage, add all ingredients to the mixer, attach a dough hook and mix on first speed for 3 minutes, scraping down as needed.   Mix a further 3 minutes on second speed.   For the final stage, change to a paddle beater and let the down down to required wet consistency on first and second speeds.   Scrape down as needed.   Final DDT 26°C
• Line a container with some olive oil, and pour the wet dough into the container.   Cover and hold at 26°C for 2 hours, using stretch and fold after a ½, 1 and 1½ hours.
• Move to the “dry” stage and scale and divide dough pieces using a combination of Gilchesters’ flour and Coarse Semolina.   I made 6 ciabatta breads.
• Final proof for up to 1 hour.
• Bake on the sole of a hot wood-fired oven.
• Cool on wires.

 5.    “Rossisky” using the Auerman Method

See above for Rye Sourdough Build

Method:

• Build the sour as described, make the Scald, then combine the 2 to make the Sponge.   Ferment this for 4 hours.
• I sifted through the Bacheldre Organic Dark Rye flour, reserving the fine flour to use here   Add the Gilchesters’ Pizza flour to this, plus the water and autolyse for 1 hour.   Add the salt and the sponge to the autolyse in a mixer, and combine with the paddle beater to form a paste.
• Bulk proof for 1 hour.
• Line a Pullman Pan and other bread pans neatly with silicone paper and scale the paste into the pans, neatening off carefully.   Attach lids.
• Final Proof 3 hours.   Bake overnight in the “dead” wood-fired oven.   Sadly, these did not work, as the oven was just too dead, so the loaves did not bake out.   I made a half batch again today and scaled the whole mixture into one large Pullman Pan.

 6.Croissant Dough with a “Poolish”   [See the “Poolish” schedule above]

Method:

• Mix the “poolish” as above, and leave to ferment overnight.   Chill both the flour and water for the final dough in the fridge overnight.
• Combine all the ingredients for the final dough in the mixer.   Attach a dough hook and mix on first speed for 4 minutes, scraping down and adjusting the hydration as necessary.   Develop the dough on second speed for 3 minutes.
• Retard the dough for 1 hour.
• Incorporate the laminating fat using the English method.   Retard 1 hour.
• Give 4 half turns to the dough with 1 hour rest between each turn, in the chiller.
• Process as required.   I used the pastry dough to make a Chestnut loaf for Christmas Dinner with my family, plus a selection of croissants, pains au chocolat.   I made “Palmiers” with the scrap dough.
• Prove finished pieces for 45 minutes and bake in the electric oven using a convection setting at 210°C.
• Cool on wires.

 7.    Bloomers made with a “Poolish” and Rye Sourdough and Wholemeal

For the schedules for both the “Poolish” and the Rye Sourdough, see above.

Method:

• Build levain and “poolish” as above.
• Combine both pre-ferments with all the other ingredients for the final dough in a mixer.   Mix with the hook attachment on first speed for 3 minutes, scraping down as needed and making any necessary adjustment to hydration.   Mix a further 4 – 5 minutes on second speed to develop.   DDT 26°C.
• Bulk proof 50 minutes @ 26°C.
• Scale and divide and mould round.   Rest covered and prepare baking sheets.   Shape for bloomers and tray up.
• Final proof @ 28°C for 2 hours.
• Cut the tops of the loaves with 3 diagonal slashes, spray with water, and bake on the sole of the wood-fired oven.
• Cool on wires.

Photos from today’s baking shown below:

A Very Happy New Year to you all!

Andy