Bread experiment

[altivo]

Attempting to reconstruct an excellent bread recipe that we have somehow misplaced. This is a "no-knead" dough. It rises at room temperature overnight, is shaped with very light kneading and rises again, then is baked inside a closed container such as a cast iron Dutch oven. Very easy, though I recommend a scale to weigh flour rather than measuring it by volume.

Recipe and photo tomorrow if it succeeds.

We did get about a half inch of snow last night, which was within the predicted range. Warm enough today to turn everything slushy. Tomorrow evening though, another big storm is supposed to hit. Now they're up to a 12 inch prediction, which makes it start to sound like another overly dramatized dud.

No art today due to cold symptoms that caused me to sleep much of the afternoon, but maybe tomorrow (or the middle of the night if I now find I can't sleep.)

Comments

[kint.livejournal.com]

Did you perhaps have the original NY Times article/recipe that made this whole thing popular?

Hope it turns out well for you! :)

[altivo.livejournal.com]

No, we hadn't seen the NYT item but thanks. That's of interest too.

I get the recipe on a computer-printed sheet from friends in December. We stopped there during the Christmas bird count for a warm up, and they actually gave us hot soup and home made bread when we expected just coffee. The bread was delightful and I was sure it was sourdough, but Charlie said no. And he printed out this recipe. I can bother him again for it, but hate to look that irresponsible. ;p

Anyway, it's about 3-1/2 c. flour, 1/2 tsp. yeast, 1 tsp. salt, and a can of beer (12 oz.) to make a sponge that rises overnight. After 12 hours or so, you knead in enough additional flour to get a workable dough, shape a round loaf, and put it into the Dutch oven to rise on a piece of parchment. When the loaf has doubled, the closed pan goes into a 500F oven for about 30 minutes.

I found a similar version that requires you to preheat the cast iron pan to 500F before putting the dough in and then reduce the oven to 425F for the baking, but I'm not happy about slinging around a pan that hot and heavy, nor with moving the nicely risen loaf if it can be avoided. The sponge has risen nicely so we shall see what happens...

[jm-horse.livejournal.com]

A can of beer?! That's new to me. (That would account for the sourdough flavour too.)

I do it with a preheated pot - proving in a floury teatowel. I just dump it into the pot when it's ready to go. It seems to survive my indelicate handling with no problems.

And then it's 30 minutes in the pot, lid on, and 15 or so lid off.

Very curious to see yours when it's done.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Yup, a can of beer. I think Charlie's copy specified "lager" (who knows why) but actually the first time we tried it we used a bottle of cider since we had no beer in the house. It worked.

Today I'm using the beer, cheap stuff but I figure yeast and flour won't care. No sugar in the recipe, which accounts for the 18 hour first rise. I've just shaped the loaf, using the floured tea towel method, and set it to rise. In a couple of hours we shall see what we have. I promise to take a picture.

Colds happen

[goldenstallion.livejournal.com]

Dear Rider.

Well, both Bear and I are starting our THIRD week of having basic head colds, although feeling a bit better today other than the incessant and nagging cough. Visited my VA Doctor, Tanna Shanti, on Thursday and she gave me an otherwise clean bill of health and a pneumonia shot (free why not?) and more pills for cholesterol so was a good visit. I figure any doctor attention for $50 is worth it (Veterans Administration is now called Department of Veterans Affairs but still the VA go figure).

Have not baked bread in a while so should do a loaf possibly today but probably tomorrow.

Worked on Steed fursuit and put in hotel reservation and pre-registration for FCN on April 9-10 for Bear and self. I still love fursuiting and the faster fan (twelve vs. nine volts makes more air flow) and put the batteries and switch in the upper mouth between the nostrils, the only reasonably available area. Easy to turn on/off just open mouth and press button up inside upper lip. Made ears permanent and added snaps so I can swap mane and forelock styles easily. Fun with Steed he will be very present at FCN in black biker leathers as before. Thinking of an artist table at least on Friday just to try it out.

Doing fine both Bear and self, Tonka, Stormy, Thunder, Speckle and Rocky Top. Job full time again for now. Bear paid off his Master Card (yaay) and I have $4500.00 in savings (need new vehicle asap).

Just saying hi, mostly, since I rarely check on or post to LJ these days.

Fly Me.
Imperator

Re: Colds happen

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Sounds like this cold or whatever-it-is that I've had. Two weeks and counting of sniffles and on and off headaches.

Art did happen yesterday afternoon while the bread was baking:
http://altivo.deviantart.com/art/Vixen-preliminary-sketch-154998164

(Only the pencil sketch so click-enlarge it to see better.) Bread was good too. See recipe in the latest LJ post. Very, very easy, crunchy crust artisan style bread. You need an oven and a heavy covered pot like a cast iron Dutch oven, though.

Snowing hard here, about 3 inches so far. Not enough to close the library yet. I imagine this storm is headed right for you guys and you'll get more because of the lake.

Thursday we'll hear whether Chrysios and Jake made the first cut in the Amazon competition. I'll let you know.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

12 inches? Hah! the size most lied about

[altivo.livejournal.com]

And it was a lie that time too.