[aaronatthedoublef]

Baking bread every day and razor thin margins drive a lot of behaviors at bakeries. The kitchens I've worked in did not throw away anything. My boss in Seattle could always squeeze out at least one more whatever we were making. Her bowls usually looked like nothing had been in them. And if it wasn't saleable we put it our for samples. Home bakers are less concerned with margins and controlling costs - even us here who are always watching the price of supplies and looking for bargains.

With bread it seems like it takes so long but the mixing, kneading, and shaping are actually pretty quick. If you can refrigerate of freeze it your bread before, during, or after proofing it makes it easier. But many don't think that way - they think you have to do everything at once and hang around while it's happening. Also I know lots of people afraid of baking and even more afraid of yeast baking. So they make bread less often I think.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Thanks BA. I autolyzed the water and flour for 2.5 hours. Then added all the dry ingredients and ran the food processor for about 75 seconds. Then added the water and oil through the chute, as you said. Not sure what I am missing and the bread is light and tastes good and we haven't missed store-bought sandwich bread.

Here is an interesting recipe for almost sourdough bread. It's almost a recipe - no specific amounts just making dough by feel but it uses what might otherwise be wasted starter.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Was at Costco and they had no shortage of yeast. Blue Star I think. And I just ordered SAF red from my friend.

But I am also making a starter and I am going to try the old dough method next time I make pizza dough. It's fun to try different things and my wife, who has never wanted a starter sitting on the counter, is very interested in it now that they've been in the news.

Someone posted this on the BBGA forums. I haven't finished it yet but it's a neat story about 4500 year old yeast!

[aaronatthedoublef]

Kimbob, nice to meet you.

BA, I love Elizabeth Alston's book and made my variation of the raisin scones this week. It was my wife's birthday. I subbed in chocolate chips as I didn't know we had raisins.

I made another loaf of Stella Park's 100% whole wheat sandwich bread. I've done it four times now and it is consistently too soft to rise above the edge of the pan. It just kind of overflows it. I will start to add a little more flour and a little less liquid. But my family likes it.

I am on day four of my starter. I moved it to a warmer spot and I have a little more activity. My daughter wants to know when it will be ready to use in bread. I think it's on day nine. Have to admit I am anxious too.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Ugh! Sorry. I cannot find anyone who has whole wheat flour to sell. I can get SAF Red for $6/pound and KAF bread for4 $5/pound. I think I can get Caputo oo but not sure of the price.

I am still searching for whole wheat. I do not know what shipping will cost but I am saving boxes.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I am on day one of my first starter! I decided to go with the Serious Eats starter as it's simple. I started with an ounce of water and .5 ounce of white whole wheat, stir, and cover with plastic. Day 2 is just stir. I will see how it goes!

I also have flour and water autolyzed and frozen. I'll thaw it and see it I can make it into whole wheat bread!

[aaronatthedoublef]

Thanks Mike. This helps a lot. I will definitely need to experiment! Been meaning to do that anyway.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I realized as I was making pizza dough I always have left overs. I'll keep the leftovers from batch to batch until I have enough to make a pizza. But how much old dough would I need for a new batch of dough?

I make five pounds of dough from two pounds of water. I have 1.5 pounds of either cake flour or Caputo tipo oo when I can find it, 1 pound of KAF white whole wheat, and 4 ounces each of BRM flax meal and chickpea flour.

Also, how would I turn this into baker's math amounts?

Thanks

[aaronatthedoublef]

I have the paddle with the rubber edge and the paddle without from an older mixer. I prefer the older style. There was a third party that made a paddle with rubber on both sides and KA drove them out of business by telling people like me that using this beater voided my warranty. Shortly after the double edged paddle company went out of business KA came out with their own, one sided version. It's supposed to function as both a paddle and a bowl scraper. I used it for a while with cakes and cookies and breads but I like the regular paddle now and just use a scraper.

Most of my bread making is done by hand because it's too big for our mixer. Stella Parks is fan of using a food processor for her whole wheat bread over at Serious Eats. She mixes the bread using the metal blade and for a very quick mix - probably about two minutes or less. I've made this bread three times now and it's as light and airy as promised. Now if I can just figure out how to keep it rising up instead of flopping over the side of the bread pan it will be perfect!

[aaronatthedoublef]

I've never tried the dough throw method but I'm not sure how I could not degas it when I cut it into smaller balls.

I've hand stretched dough in college and it degassed it but if the dough sat it would puff back up (on big nights we would roll out pizzas ahead to keep up with demand and they rose as they sat).

I used to hand stretch dough but it's less messy to roll it and most of my family actually prefers it without the big crust edge. I also don't let the dough rise once it's rolled.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Flour and yeast is selling unbelievably fast. Sold out before I even made it to the site.

They were only selling five lb bags of AP flour. But I also know the owner. I can ask for some whole wheat flour. Happy to do it.

Nash in Sequim (pronounced Squim) has hard red and white whole wheat listed on their site as does One Mighty Mill. I have not tried either of their flours. One Mighty Mill is pretty expensive. Their pretzels are good. Their bagels are bread doughnuts.

Let me know and I'll see what I can find.

[aaronatthedoublef]

A local bakery is selling supplies. I will see if I can pick up some stuff for anyone who wants some.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Mike and everyone else - a local bakery is selling ingredients online. Does anyone want me to see what they have and how much it costs?

I will ship it to you at cost. 50 lb bags of flour would be prohibitively expensive to ship but I might be able to send smaller amounts and yeast would probably be okay. They used to use KAF flours and SAF Red instant yeast. I do not know what they use now.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I think using the old dough is instead of yeast.

I read using old bread is to reduce the flour and use up leftover bread.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I made KAF coconut macaroons but I used too much coconut (recipe called for 12 ounces I would back it down to 10) and too much sugar. I also baked the first batch with the convection on so they browned too quickly. If I make them again I will reduce the coconut, sugar, and temp and turn off the convection.

Last night I made matzah caramel crunch.

Passover is over so I'll make pizza dough tonight for this weekend. I'll make Stella Park's whole wheat bread this weekend. My yeast (SAF Red instant) never foams anymore it may be because out kitchen is cold - usually around 65 or 66. Now the days are a little warmer at 67. My family liked it when I made bread the last time because I "cranked" the heat to 68 to shorten the rise time.

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