I have a freezer full of stale bread and a hankerin' for bread pudding. The one thing I don't have is a recipe!
Would anyone mind sharing his or her favorite bread pudding recipe? Maybe something with a splash of bourbon? I'd love to make it tonight if at all possible.
Thanks!
Hi there!
On purpose I put this in the 'off topic' section, because I think readers/members don't really care about this issue. Still, today I wanted to purchase some wallnuts and other bread ingredients, and found them way too expensive. Normally I get these ingredients from relevatives/friends. With these prices, homemade bread would become too expensive.
I have never looked into the real cost of bread baking at home, I only look at the benefits. Any thoughts here? Has anyone ever looked into this?Or is it a ridiculous subject, especially there at the freshloaf?
Cheers,
Jw.
My husband asked me to please make baguettes for him today. I had the starter already going . I already knew how much I liked this formula since I had done it once before. So I subbed 250 g of my 100% hydration starter for the yeast. I didn't adjust the flour or the water at all. I wanted a really wet dough. Boy did I get it. It was like a ciabatta. But I persisted and am very pleased. I tried to score the loaves but they were so wet and I didn't do the best but I got huge oven spring and grine so I am OK with it . The crumb is lovely and creamy and since I don't keep my starter out on the counter it is a very mild flavor. Here is the crust:
: 
and the crumb: 
I am looking for information on a home dough sheeter. Does anyone have any experience with the Somerset CDR-100 Dough Sheeter? I am most interested to know if it will roll croissant dough. Any other suggestions?
These were baked yesterday ...
I wanted to try some variations on a couple of breads that I have baked a lot - The "San Joaquin Soudough," which is a pain de campagne that has an overnight cold retardation at the bulk fermentation stage and the Sourdough bread from SusanFNP's Wild Yeast blog.
My San Joaquin Sourdough (SJSD) derived from Anis Bouabsa's baguette formula, as related to Janedo. See this blog entry:
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/8454/pain-de-campagne
I used KAF European Style Artisan flour with 5% each Giusto's whole rye and KAF White Rye. I also add 100 gms of firm sourdough starter. For this variation, I added to 500 gms total flour (not counting the starter) 3/4 T barley malt syrup and 3/4 T toasted wheat germ.
The malt probably resulted in the darker crust color. I really could not perceive a distinct effect from the wheat germ. In any case, this was a very tasty, wheaty, mildly sour bread. The bâtards were somewhat under-proofed, resulting in exuberant oven spring and bloom, as you can see.
San Joaquin Sourdough Variant
San Joaquin Sourdough crumb
SusanFNP's Sourdough bread formula has proven to be a reliable and easy bread to make. Her formula can be found here:
http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/07/08/my-new-favorite-sourdough/
I used a mix of high gluten and bread flour with 10% Giusto's whole rye flour.
The boule was formed and cold retarded overnight, proofed for 5 hours in a cool kitchen.
Susan's formula calls for 68% hydration. For this variation, I made a 70% hydration dough, trying for a somewhat more open crumb, which is what I got. I plan to boost the hydration even higher next time.
The cold retardation results in a somewhat more sour flavor in this bread compared to the SJSD. The bread was fully proofed, so I got decent oven spring and bloom, but less than with the under-proofed SJSD pictured above.
Sourdough boule
Sourdough boule crumb
David
I had ripe bananas and I had a cup of discard. Ir isn't Sunday so no waffles. I turned to TFL and what did I find but a GREAT recipe for sourdough banana bread. It tastes and smells FANTASTIC. Here are the pics. I added a streusal topping before baking. I used pecans in the batter and the grated zets of one whole orange for flavor. You won't believe how great this is and how easy to stir up.
Here is the recipe, I used the search for sourdough banana bread: Submitted by buddye on March 23, 2005 - 12:46amSourdough Banana Bread This is an outstanding sourdough banana bread that I would like to pass on. This came from Don and Myrtle Holm's Sourdough Cookbook in 1972. I have used it many times with excellent results. 1/3 cup shortening 1 cup sugar 1 egg 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 cup mashed banana 1 cup sourdough starter 3/4 cup chopped walnuts 1 tsp vanilla or 1 tsp grated orange rind Cream together the shortening and sugar, add egg, and mix until blended. Stir in bananas and sourdough starter. Add orange rind or vanilla. Sift flour, measure again with salt, baking powder, and soda. Add flour mixture and walnuts to the first mixture, stirring just until blended. Pour into greased 9x5" loaf pan. Bake in moderate or 350� oven for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool before slicing.( make sure and sift flour before measuring the final amount)
I've seen Hamelman's five-grain rye sourdough bread recommended a couple of times, but it wasn't until this morning that I had the opportunity to bake it for myself. It's a modest 25% whole rye, but the loaf is also studded with seeds and cracked rye, and there's a lot of flavor in it.
No easily obtainable "high-gluten flour" around these parts, so I used my regular flour, but made sure the dough was strong and well-developed before bulk fermentation. It looked delicious even at that stage: A nice brown ball, flecked with dark flaxseeds and cracked rye. The rye sour infuses each slice with great taste, and the soaker and the high hydration keeps the crumb ultra moist and tender.
So, when breakfast's over, and you pour yourself a cup of black coffee, what better way to finish off your meal than with some Viennoserie? Last week I made a batch of croissant dough, using some prefermented dough and putting 20% whole wheat flour into the mix. Half of the dough was rolled around spinach and feta cheese filling, and the other half was brushed with pastry cream and sprinkled with raisins. Yum!
Greetings -
When a recipe calls for a 'package' of active dry yeast, how much is that in grams?
(I have a jar of Active Dry yeast.)
Thanks kindly.
- Richard
First I would like to thank Julie J for posting her mother-in-law's recipe for Finnish Cardamom Buns, ie. Pulla on 02-11-09..Her recipe was my inspiration for modifying her MIL's recipe..I am the only one in my family that likes the smell and taste of cardamom..When I announced that I was thinking of trying out the recipe, all hell broke loose..So, to appease the family I sat down and reworked the recipe in order to substitute cinnamon for the cardamom, substitute some dark brown sugar for part of the granulated sugar, and to add raisins where there had previously been none..
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/10702/recipe-finnish-cardamom-bunns-pulla
I really like the use of some kind of pre-ferment in my recipes, so I created a sponge stage to get the yeast activated, and to start flavor development..I converted her MIL's volumetric measurements to weight measurements..I also use the bowl of my DLX mixer for the sponge stage, kneading the final dough, and for the first proof of the finished dough after washing out, drying, and oiling the bowl..The recipe follows..
Finnish Cinnamon Raisin Buns---Pulla
Sponge:
22 oz. milk, heated to 100F
3.5 oz. granulated sugar
4 oz. dark brown sugar
20 oz. bread flour
3 tsp. SAF Gold instant yeast
Heat bowl of DLX mixer under hot running water..Heat milk to 100F..Add to bowl of DLX..Add sugars, and mix with whisk until sugars dissolve..Add yeast, and mix to combine..Add flour and stir until all lumps are wet, and flour is well incorporated into wet ingredients..Cover tightly with plastic wrap..Proof for 60 minutes, or until doubled in volume..
Final Dough:
Sponge in DLX's bowl
4 oz. unsalted butter, very soft--(I had to use margarine as my budget is very tight at this time..The extra salt in the margarine did not seem to effect things)
1 large egg, room temperature
20 oz. bread flour, plus 2 oz. to bring dough to a ball stage, and 1 oz. for kneading on bench--total = 23 oz.
1 tbsp. coarsely ground cinnamon--To try and mimic the crushed cardamom in the original recipe I took cassia cinnamon sticks, broke them into 1" pieces, and ground them into a coarse meal in my spice grinder--This worked out very, very well!!..
1 tsp table salt
8 oz. raisins soaked in 4 oz. warm tap water--After soaking for 60 minutes, the raisins were drained and re-weighed--Final weight was 9.95 oz, for all intents and purposes 10 oz..
Bowl was installed on the mixer..Sponge was punched down..Scraper and roller were installed..On low speed the butter and the egg were mixed into the sponge until well incorporated..The flour, cinnamon, and salt were added, brought to a ball stage, and kneaded for 4 minutes..The drained raisins were then added and the dough kneaded for an additional 2 minutes..It was at this time that I added the additional 2 oz. of bread flour..It took some stopping and starting of the mixer, and cutting the dough with the blade of a Cuisinart spatula to keep the now wetter ball of dough from wrapping itself around the roller and spinning uselessly..After realizing that the raisins were not incorporating evenly into the dough, I removed the dough to the top of my wooden kitchen cart, chopped the dough up into about 20 pieces with a bench knife, added 1 oz. of flour, and hand kneaded until the raisins were evenly distributed..This took approximatelt 1 minute..Internal dough temperature was 85F..Yield was 5 lb. 7.6 oz. of kneaded dough..Dough was put back into the washed and oiled DLX bowl, covered tightly with plastic wrap, and proofed until doubled in volume..This took 60 minutes..
The proofed dough was punched down, turned out onto the cart's top, cut into twenty-one 4 oz. portions, and one 3.6 oz. portion..Each portion was rounded tightly up into a ball and placed on parchment lined 1/2 sheet pans..Eight buns on two of the pans, and six buns on the third pan..I used a staggered pattern..The pan with six buns was bagged in a tall kitchen garbage bag, sealed tightly, and retarded in the refrigerator for later baking..The two pans of eight buns each were placed on top of the stove to proof, and covered with clean cotton tea towels..At the 20 minute mark the oven door was closed, the temperature raised to 375F (my oven bakes about 20 degrees hot), and the oven allowed to come to baking temperature..The buns were allowed a third, and final proof of 30 minutes..A depression was made in the center of each bun, a 1/4" x 1/4" cube of margarine placed in the depression, the entire bun brushed with egg / milk wash (leftover French Toast mix), and sprinkled with granulated organic cane sugar..The buns were baked, both pans together at the same time, for 10 minutes..The pans were then rotated 180 degrees, switched shelves, and finished baking for another 6 minutes..Tops were a dark golden brown, and the internal temperature was 200F..The third pan was removed from the refrigerator when the first pans went into the oven..It proofed, covered with the tea towel, for 45 minutes, everything else that was done to the first two pans was repeated; except that with a single pan of six buns in the oven it only took 14 minutes to bake to completion..
Finished yield was 22 buns with an average weight of 3.75 oz..The buns are approximately 3.5" across at the bottom, and 2" thick with a domed shape..They taste FANTASTIC!!!!..I definitely want to try my version of the recipe with the crushed cardamom, as well as the original recipe from Julie J's mother-in-law..I have the cardamom seeds in my pantry that I purchased from Penzeys Spices..
Thanks again to Julie J, and her mother-in-law (whatever her name may be!!)..Please do try her recipe..I am sure that it tastes as good as my version does!!..
Bruce
So i've recently jumped both feet in to sourdough baking, but sadly with little success. I succesfully made a starter with equal weights water and rye flour, feeding it twice a day until it doubled and then converting it to a stiff (50% hydration) breadflour starter.
I then broke out RLB's bread bible and tried her recipe for basic sourdough. My starter and subsequent dough doubles within all the times she recommends, but when I get the dough out to shape it into a boule for the final proof it is icnredibly slack. To the point where I cannot handle it without it sticking to my hands and anything else it comes in contact with.
I looked around here a bit and immediately thought I might be letting the dough sit for too long, but as I said, my doubling times are all well within RBL's estimates. I also thought I might not be developing the gluten enough, but after kneading the dough is plenty elastic. Could it be the heat? I'm letting it rise at temperatures around 81 degrees, is the heat negatively affecting it? The dough percentage is flour 100%, water 68%, starter 30%, salt 2%. So with that hydration I guess it's not supposed to be too stiff, but this is ridiculous.
Any advice here is highly appreciated it as I'm at my wit's end after making my third straight loaf that just spreads out once I'm finally able to wrestle it into a ball. I tried to proof it in a bowl with a floured towel the last time, and the stuck to the towel!