Jump to content

Baking Bread


Lori
 Share

Recommended Posts

My experience has been much like yours Judith.  I'm pleased with my progress and it all takes so little effort which makes it that much nicer.  Just a bit of 'practice makes perfect' or something along those lines.

I see the term 'strong flour' used in the U.K. recipes.  I don't know this term.  What is strong flour?  I mean is there a weak flour?

I've been tempted to ask husband to do the kneading, but he is like a hurricane turned loose in the kitchen, so I've kept the task to myself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Should be live link.

I believe that strong white  flour has more gluten in it, and we can get extra extra strong white flour here, so I suppose that would be with even  more gluten.

Thing is that I get as good a result with cheap and cheerful. It is the taste if one is eating it as it is, just bread it slightly better with strong flour. But apart from the quignon, I never do. So the bread I eat is dipped in whatever, eaten along with salad with it's sauce, spread upon with pate for example and as mopping up a good sauce on a plate and just on it's own, well, it isn't, as I always spread good butter on it.

I know I could buy flour for bread making in France, more expensive. And the link says it is T65, which makes sense, but I am sure that when I used to buy it it did say for 'pain'. As it does here in this live link.

Good for you Judith. I was taught at school and then in the 60's there was a bakers strike and I started making it at home. AND then it was about 1976 or 1977 there was another strike and due to our work hours we couldn't get hold of bread, I started baking it again and have done

more or less since that time.

I have changed my methods though over the years. And I do like using less yeast and it rising slowly. What I have found with the slow

rising, is that I need to allow a full rise the second time, so it triples, because it doesn't rise so much in the oven. Years ago I got caught out with this happening, but not know. I am sure I have more to learn,  and take on all knowledge and  if it makes sense to me, give it a try and sometimes I give it a whirl anyway.[:D]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you so much for the links Idun.  That first link is SO informative and helpful.  Also with additional excellent links I am just getting to.  The Francine link I had found.  I do use some of those flours, but not all are available in my online shopping.

I have the T55, T65, multi-cereales, T110 and T45.  I am hoping to try some of the others on that first link.  At least now I know what strong flour is.  Didn't know flours could have different levels of gluten in them (or none at all).  So, still learning.

Yet, I don't know if I will ever have the patience to bake the sourdough breads.  The link I posted would have you in the kitchen the entire day, constantly doing something to the dough.  I mean if I went through all that and then didn't end up with a wonderful bread, I'd want to shoot someone's foot off.  Probably my own !!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 My husband makes sourdough bread sometimes. I don't like it, so he eats what he makes.

When I tasted his sourdough bread, it made me realise why I do not like, not only sourdough bread,  but any indian breads, it's that sour effect, and to me, it simply makes things taste 'off and foisty'.   Each to their own.

RE those links, I don't know T110, in France I never went by the numbers, just what it said on the pack. I have bought farine complet in France but it makes quite a heavy bread so I add a third to a half   white to it, lighter.

Bread is a marvel, such very basic ingredients, to get such results.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a tv prog called le meilleur boulanger, all about people making bread.  I have only watched once for a few minutes but I think it is one of those reality programmes where people (don't know whether amateurs or professionals) make different types of bread to be tested by a panel of experts.

Might be tips that are useful?  Me, I don't need tips, the bread machine does all the work and I eat it when it's fresh or at least fresh from the freezer[:)]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Might be tips that are useful? Me, I don't need tips, the bread machine does all the work.

With you all the way there Mint. I bake bread 2 or 3 times a week since youngest is working from home. I say baking, putting the right mix of ingredients in the bread maker and it comes out perfect every time. Nothing better to smell when coming back into the flat after an 8km walk in the recent cold snap to be greeted by the aroma of fresh baked bread.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to use my bread machine to make the dough, and then bake it in the oven, as I could never get the loaf out of it once cooked.  It was put away for a couple of years, as I found a nice loaf in the supermarket I liked but with the first lockdown not always available, which is when I decided to try baking bread again.  Problem was the bread machine turns on, makes noises, but the paddle doesn't go round.  All cleaned so no idea why.  Decided not bother and went off to research no kneed bread, and voilà!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love kneading bread, such a great way to get rid of any frustrations. During that first knead you can bash and stretch it until the cows come home.

With white flour the knead stretches it to give a good crumb,  I read that once liquid goes into the flour, it curls it up. Reckon it works.

Second knead and I am gentle with that one. And brioches and fruit breads

cannot be given a good knead the first time either, but I don't make them so often.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...