I really enjoy Buttertart’s monthly baking thread on that other site, so let’s have it here too. Please tell us what you’ve baked, what you’d like to bake, what tips you have and what advise you need. Pictures and recipes/links to recipes are appreciated. Sorry, I don’t take pictures of my food.
I’m so happy it’s finally cool enough to bake in L.A.
So far in November, I’ve baked Sea Salt Chocolate Chunk cookies from Smitten Kitchen and Banana Poppy Seed Muffins with Almond Streusel from Technicolor Kitchen. Both came out very good. The links to the recipes are below.
This is the first time I’ve chopped chocolate for chocolate chip cookies instead of using chips. I liked it because of the variety of sizes. I’m one of those people who likes different bites of a dish to taste different. I’m also a big fan of salty and sweet together.
I’m fond of poppy seeds. I’ve never had them paired with banana before. They play nicely in the sandbox together.
I was inspired by @JeetKuneBao and his mention of the bread formerly known as Squaw, maybe we should call it California Brown bread (I’m open to suggestions).
This was based on an LATimes recipe from the early 90’s. My mom especially likes these high rye content breads (20%). Also used the end of my bag of Roan Mills Red Fife flour [from way back when you could get a 5 lb bag for 10$! That’s not happening anymore lol!
Anyone interested in the recipe just DM me amd I’ll send it. Had to weigh as I went along because it was in cups and halved it to make one full size loaf.
Love the flavor! Probably should have upped the hydration a little since red fife is pretty high protein. Hydration is a very low 52% btw maybe why the dough was so easy to handle with that much rye! For a first attempt I’m pretty happy with it, Only about 40% of the flour is white flour
Love this!!! I find you should lean into the flavor of this bread. So I like it deli sliced turkey or chicken. Chicken salad or even egg salad. With super cronchy iceberg lettuce and a great tomato. Skip the pickles, but mustard can be a great add.
I think this will be a good place to use my Savora mustard. It’s like yellow mustard but actually from France lol, so good! The flavor of the honey and raisin puree in the bread just go so well with the whole wheat/rye flavor
Thanks. It was especially good. IN addition to our regular ‘stuff,’ I added some cooked morel mushrooms and asparagus and cooked pancetta! Woo hooooooooo
Yeah, I was thinking something sweet would go well.
I also think something like a spread (vs. a sandwich) on just a slice would be great.
I like California brown as a name. Was this something that was served in a lot of hotels and (at the time) fine dining? I have a vague memory it a bread like that…
Soft butter and bonne mamman jam is first up! So good. I was worried it looks a little dense but it doesn’t taste heavy at all. Can’t wait to try some sandwiches with it.
I made it again and it came out much lighter. Had an ‘aha’ moment regarding dough temperature (ddt) and water temperature. The ddt (desired dough temp) should be 75 f. Feel like I had a breakthrough now i want to bake more lol
Does indeed look less dense and quite tasty! Do you have a rough sense for what your dough temp was the last time?
I get that DDT and water temp are super important, but, for long rise doughs and w/o a proofing box, I don’t know how I’m supposed to maintain a steady 75 deg! I know you generally do more quick rise breads. Did a water temp of 75 deg result in a dough temp of 75?
Basically it’s just the target temperature of the dough after mixing you don’t have to keep it there the whole time. The water temperature should be colder especially since the flour is probably warm in my un air-conditioned place!
As a matter of fact I didn’t come to this realization until after I had already messed it up lol. My temp after mixing was 85 (that’s not just a little bit off!) So I threw it in the fridge until it hit 75 changing nothing else
Keep in mind different doughs will have different ddt’s. But I think keeping this in mind will really help me dial in my breads and hopefully make the successes more repeatable.
Proofing dough in the fridge. All signs were positive, but, once I put in the banneton, I was so proud of it that I tried to show it to partner by lifting it, and my misjudged how far down the counter was and banged it pretty hard on the bottom side. WIsh me luck. Will bake tonight and post in the sourdough thread.
