Just getting some bread out of the oven.
This bread came about in this wise.
I made enough dough yesterday for two 16″ pizzas and these loaves. However, when I divided the dough, I realized as I placed it on the pizza pan that the first bit for the pizza was too much — the pizza was going to turn out too doughy. I had already put a lot of olive oil on the pan (as is my wont), but… I wanted to start over.
So I pulled that dough off and gently re-formed it and put it into the banneton. So this loaf has some olive oil folded into it:
I then redistributed the rest of the dough to make two smaller portions for pizza and one larger for bread, to rise in my bigger banneton. So that and “olive oil dough” went into the fridge (yes, lots of times I raise the dough in the fridge, especially if it's high hydration aka wet and hard to handle), and this morning I baked them.
The larger portion I split for “hacked” baguettes — you can read about how I do it in this post: Baguettes and how to fake them.
If your starter is strong, your dough can take this sort of handling.
I also have found that if I do two or three “coil folds*” as the dough is first developing, my gluten structure is much stronger and the dough can be handled more.
*Something like this only I'd never make this tiny amount of dough, nor would I use such a narrow deep bowl.
This time I stretched the resulting narrow shapes to be even longer.
Not perfect — you can see that the one loaf did split a bit across the slashes — but good enough for a Saturday morning!
This dough has a little whole wheat flour and a little dry milk powder, which I find makes the resulting crumb very soft but not gummy, even with a wet dough (this one was about 75-77% — mostly all-purpose flour). I'm happy with this crumb development (the open holes, which makes this a baguette and not an oddly shaped roll).
bits & pieces
- Do you know about “telling the bees”? Relatedly, the survival of the bees on a roof of Notre Dame Cathedral seems miraculous.
- Local politics really matter and as we move into the national election cycle, I would urge you to consider that our limited political capital is better spent closer to home. Equity Warriors: The “equity” movement is “an unfalsifiable idea: if you reject the contention that unseen bias is at work in your school system or court or city hall and demand actual evidence of discrimination, it’s either because you are a part of the supremacy culture or have been co-opted by it.”
from the archives
- In the Traditional calendar, tomorrow is known as Septaugesima Sunday, a sort of “early distant warning” about Lent. We who run households do have to start getting our heads in the game and out of the Christmas candy (although I do have one or two more desserts I want to try before, well, you know). We love soup, and I welcome a season to just have more soup! Lenten soup ideas.
- Common sense care of your sick child (because we need to know these things that have flown out of the collective memory, and really, truly, if we look at this rationally, the worst idea of all is needlessly dragging sick people to the doctor to be told “he has the flu, he needs rest and liquids” — talk about vectors for spreading germs).
liturgical year
St. Josephine Bakhita — pray for us!
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Carol says
We read about “telling the bees” in Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge. I didn’t know it was a real thing!
Anamaria says
So, wet bread dough is easier to work with if you put it in the fridge?? I have a very tasty recipe that I have such a hard time shaping because it’s so wet!
Corinne says
Do you bake straight out of the fridge, or let it come to room temp first? Or do a second rise in addition to the fridge rise?
Leila M. Lawler says
I usually bake the loaves straight out of the fridge. If my spidey-sense tells me that the overall condition of the dough is not optimal — if I am aware that the first rise (bulk, when the dough is all in one mass) was not complete, I might let it sit out for 1/2 an hour — but then it will be harder to handle. Usually it works out fine straight from the fridge.
Lisa says
The Equity article is fascinating, although disturbingly so. I always appreciate the articles you link to! I have a pizza dough question…..I can never get mine to roll out thin enough: it’s like trying to roll out a circle of elastic with a rolling pin. Any tips?
Leila M. Lawler says
Try making your pizza dough with a bit more water so that it’s not at all stiff. After you separate the pieces, form each piece into a ball and then let it rest for about 15 minutes. Then gently pat each piece into a circle about 8-10″ in diameter — then let it rest for 5 minutes. Flour your board and gently pull and roll with the rolling pin, pull with the backs of your hands and gently roll, until it’s almost the diameter of the pan you are using. Transfer it and let it rest if it feels resistant — then gently pull it out all the way to fit the pan.
Dixie says
Lisa, with the pizza dough it’s resting it that is the most important thing in order to get rolling or stretching it to work. Let it rest after every step. If you’re having trouble, add 5 mins to your rest times!
Lisa says
Oh thank you!! thank you both so much. I’m excited to try this again!