Comments on: A sourdough bread question

By: Laurie

Laurie — Sat, 23 May 2009 11:26:54 +0000

Libby, thanks for commenting. Yes, what you’re saying does make sense and does help. I’ll give your technique a try – it isn’t something I’ve tried before, and since what I’m doing isn’t working, it’s worth trying something new.

The loaf you linked to is lovely! It also, to me, looks like a perfect example of what you’re talking about. And, actually, I’ve stumbled across that post before and have been meaning to try out your recipe. Thanks for reminding me.

By: Libby

Libby — Sat, 23 May 2009 04:49:21 +0000

The real key to getting good shape and rise is getting some good dough tension. Peter Reinhart refers to it as “preforming”. For a straight loaf, like a plain white bread, after first rise, degas and fold dough into thirds, while sort of pulling on the dough. Then turn the dough 90 degrees and fold into thirds again. Cover dough with towel, bowl, plastic wrap/whatever, and let it rest for 12-15 minutes. This will relax the gluten. Then do your final shaping when pulling the boule into shape. This preshaping to get good tension will help keep the spread under control.

See this link – this one shaped up beautifully for me because of the great dough tension

http://attheveryyeast.blogspot.com/2009/05/rosemary-and-olive-oil-loaf.html

Hope this helps.

By: Karl Heinz Kremer

Karl Heinz Kremer — Tue, 19 May 2009 01:24:55 +0000

Here is what I do with french bread:
http://khk.net/wordpress/2008/07/03/french-bread/

I use a piece of parchment paper, form it like seen on the photo and then put something on both sides to keep the sides from falling down.

Karl Heinz Kremer’s last blog post..Strawberry Muffins

By: Laurie

Laurie — Tue, 19 May 2009 01:06:57 +0000

Wendy, thanks for commenting.

Nope, no choice in flours here. There’s one type of white wheat flour only, all-purpose I would gather, with no indication of gluten content on the packaging. Bread flours and other specialty flours that are so common in the US and Canada simply do not exist here.

Honestly, I don’t know how baking soda or baking powder would affect things with a risen bread. I imagine that their effects would have worn out by the time the bread hits the oven, but I don’t know that for a fact. In reality, I don’t want to add them and for no reason other than because I don’t want to. I’m just being ornery on that score, I guess.

I’ll check out your links – thanks!

Thanks for visiting!

By: Wendy

Wendy — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:48:15 +0000

Laurie….

Can you get the higher gluten bread flours in Sri Lanka? Or only the all-purpose?

Have you seen this site yet? Good info, especially regarding the development of gluten in the Gen Characteristics and Tips section.
http://www.geocities.com/napavalley/4496/sour.html

How would the addition of baking soda & baking powder for the chemical reaction it provides work for increased rising in your sourdough breads? I know the bkg soda is a standard in my buttermilk yeast breads..do you think their properties would expire with the wait or add to the rising ability?

A tip from this site
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/baking-flour-facts.htm
says, ‘Self-rising flour is all-purpose flour that has had baking powder and salt added to it. Use it in yeast bread recipes in place of all-purpose flour by omitting salt’

By: Laurie

Laurie — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:09:48 +0000

Oh, yeah, I have no intention of buying shaping baskets. I’ll definitely be using existing bowls or other stuff. I actually perfer baguette or French bread shape to boules, personally.

Thanks for commenting, Adam, and letting me know your experience.

By: Adam

Adam — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:04:20 +0000

Instead of investing money in shaping baskets, I simply use my IKEA storage bowls with a flour laced towel. Shape the boules, place finished side down in the bowl and let rise. I quickly transfer to my stone and get great perfect rounded boules with the right height. Was having the same issue until I moved to this method. Adam’s last blog post..(me) Which Sancerre do you prefer? (Waitress) I only like French...

By: Laurie

Laurie — Mon, 18 May 2009 05:52:43 +0000

The more correct term for those types of breads would be quick breads, I believe, where no yeast is used, but rather, baking powder or baking soda are.

I don’t know if wet breads is a term that’s used. There are high hydration breads, like 80% or higher, but those are yeasted (either commercial yeast or wild yeast). An 80% hydration bread (as an example) would have 800 grams water (or milk or… ) to 1000 grams flour. I’ll do a much more detailed post on bread hydrations later, but that’s the general idea.

By: rosemerry

rosemerry — Mon, 18 May 2009 04:45:58 +0000

I’ve only made wet breads, is that even the right term, like banana bread and lemon bread. There is no kneading, or yeast although there is baking soda and baking powder.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Mon, 18 May 2009 01:36:41 +0000

Karl, thanks for commenting. It’s really useful to hear what other people do and what their experiences are. Thanks for confirming my suspicion.

I have enough containers/bowls/whatever to use for the round loaves, but I’ll have to fake something for the French breads and baguettes that I prefer.