BBA Challenge Bread #4 – Brioche

By Sean | May 31, 2009

Middle class brioche.

I set out to make this bread and I did not have any brioche forms.  The local kitchen store had them, but wanted $3 a piece for the small ones.  I decided to go with making it in a loaf pan.

I mixed it all up according to the directions.  I did not have my new dough wisk yet so it took quite a while to mix in all that butter, but I got it pretty well incorporated.

And let it retard

When I took it out of the fridge I ran into my first problem.  Even though I sprayed the parchment the dough still stuck really good.  I got out my dough scrapper and got as much off as I could.  I formed them as best I could (the dough was REALLY sticky even though I added a bunch of extra flour) and set them out to rise.

I kept checking on them and after about 3 1/2 hours this is how they looked.

I ended up putting them in the oven and hoped for the best.  After about 25 minutes or so I checked it’s temp.  It was already at 195 degrees.  It smelled amazing.

I sliced into it after a short cool off.  It was nice and soft.  The crumb was nice and fluffy.

After I enjoyed the slice I had I thought about a good application for this bread.  French toast anyone?

It made some very delicious french toast.  It soaked up the batter really good and made some of the best french toast I have had in quite a while.

I may have to get a couple brioche tins and make it that way too.

ETA: Opps this is #4

Topics: BBA Challenge | 3 Comments »

Got Some New Kitchen Toys

By Sean | May 31, 2009

So yesterday I stopped by the only other kitchen store that I have not checked looking for a dough wisk and bowl scrapper.  I was not hold out hope, afterall the last one I tried the only person working there looked at me like I had a head growing out of my butt.  I tried searching a little by myself and did not spot it.  My wife though found one and said, “Is this what you are looking for?”  So we found one and it was only $6 for a large one. Woohoo!  I used it to make some half whole wheat Anadama.

I asked about the bowl scapper and was told they only had a small one.  It was really small.  I passed on that, but picked up an oil mister for another $7.  Now I can use my own oil instead of the spray oil in a can.  No more propellant.

I guess I have a higher regard for the kitchen toy store I went to.

Topics: Cooking | No Comments »

BBA Challenge #3 – Bagels

By Sean | May 29, 2009

Okay, I made the bagels over a week ago just before we left on our first camping trip of the year.  I decided to make two batches because I wanted to try the cinnamon bagels and also some whole wheat.  I did not take to many pictures during the process, but I did get some when they were done.

They turned out really good.  The cinnamon ones (again we do not like dried fruit in baked goods) were nice an chewy.  The crumb was awesome.  The whole wheat bagels were not dense, but not as light as the cinnamon.  The flavor was really good though.

Here are the pics.

I did not get a picture of the inside of the cinnamon, but they were divine.

I started on the brioche (middle-class) tonight.  Will bake it tomorrow.

Topics: BBA Challenge | 2 Comments »

Onion Rolls

By Sean | May 17, 2009

Okay so we needed some rolls for sloppy joes, so I made some.  I used Norm’s Onion Roll recipe at Fresh Loaf.  I changed it so it was half whole wheat and half bread flour.  They turned out quite tasty especially covered in sloppy goop (sorry no pics of that I was just too hungry.

I am going to start on the bagels for the BBA Challenge tomorrow.  I plan on making half plain (with some whole wheat flour) and half cinnamon.

Topics: Baking | No Comments »

Greek Celebration Bread – BBA Challenge #2

By Sean | May 16, 2009

Today I finished off the Greek Celebration Bread for the Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge.  I was somewhat excited and somewhat nervous with this bread because the only other time I had made bread not in a loaf pan was some french bread.  Last couple times I made that it fell going into the oven.  This was also the first time I had used a pre-ferment.

The pre-ferment (I used a poolish) was quite easy to make.  I started to get bubbling after about two and a half hours.  I left it out at room temparature for almost four hours then had to get into bed so off it went to the fridge.  I let it sit in the fridge for a couple days until today.  When I pulled the poolish out of the fridge it looked exactly like it should have.  You could really see the gluten strands.

Well as I was mixing everything in (by hand) it took a little extra to get the poolish mixed in completely.

The smell already from the allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg was amazing.  I was ready to eat it right then.

It is really humid here today and after I got all of the ingredients mixed in the dough was really sticky.  I ended up adding some more flour and it did not seem to get any less sticky.  I ended up giving up and doing the best that I could.

I let it rise for a full hour and a half before shaping.  I decided to do the Christopomos shape with the cross, but I did not want all the fruits and nuts.

The smell all through the preparing and baking of this bread made the mouth water.  After finally putting it in the oven I checked in on it after about seven minutes to see what kind of oven spring I got.  Wow, was I surprised.  It did not come close to comparing to previous attempts at baking bread.  It really poped.

It smelled so good we had to come up with a reason to get out of the house so that it could cool down properly so we took off for the library.  When we came back first thing I did was slice into it.

I was just barely able to get the picture snapped off before my wife took the two pieces that were sliced.

It had the perfect amount of sweetness for a bread like this.  The flavors mixing together were a good combination.  It left you wanting more.  The loaf probably won’t last the weekend.

Well, next up is bagels.  I hope to make these sometime the next week before the Memorial Day weekend.  My wife is looking forward to this as bagels are her favorite.  If I have the time I will make two batches (one cinnamon without the raisins and one plain).

Until next time happy baking.

Topics: BBA Challenge | 9 Comments »

Greek Celebration Bread – Christopsomos (kinda)

By Sean | May 14, 2009

Okay, the second bread in the Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge is Greek Celebration Bread.  My plan is to make the Christopsomos shape, but not put in any dried fruit or nuts.  The wife and I do not care for raisins in baked goods and the daughter does not do nuts very well.  I just want to try the cool shape of the Christopsomos.  I am making it with a poolish, which I just started.  It is sitting on the counter.  I will probably try to make it tomorrow afternoon when I get home from work.  Pictures once I am done.

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Toast MMMMMM!

By Sean | May 11, 2009

I used it to make toast last night and it was amazing.  Way better than any store bought bread that I have ever tried and I never bought the cheap pasty stuff (yuck!).  Am going to try it on a sandwich with turkey and good sharp cheddar cheese.

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Baking Day

By Sean | May 10, 2009

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you mothers out there.  It is the least appreciated job there is.

Got the cornmeal soaker going late last night so I could get everyting going after church today.  All I had for corn meal was the stuff that came out of my grain mill that I just got.  It does everything really fine.  Last night I also decided to try a soaker for the whole wheat french bread to go with the spaghetti for Mother’s Day.

Got home from church and after lunch got to work on the bread, made the sponge and mixed up the rest of the ingredients for the french bread.

After sitting for a rest (for the Amadama) and a first rise (for the french bread), mixed up the rest of the dough for the Amadama and shaped the french bread.

Since it was such a beautiful day took off for a walk with the wife and daughter and came back ready for the next steps.  Threw the french in to be cooked and shaped the Amadama for it’s final rise.

A little while after the french bread came out of the oven it was time to bake the Amadama loaves.

After dinner I was stuffed so I was not ready to cut into the Amadama loaf, but I went to work on sweeping the floor and could not help myself.  I cut off a slice and it was pretty good.

The loaves turned out nice and soft.  The bread had a nice sweetness from the molasses.  (No such luck finding light molasses, all the grocery store had the same stuff)  Both the wife and I like this better than the whole wheat bread that we have been making.  Next time I make this bread I am going to try using mostly whole wheat flour.

Looking forward to the Artos bread.  I will probably make it next week to make up for camping trips coming up.

Topics: BBA Challenge | 4 Comments »

Search for Light Molasses

By Sean | May 8, 2009

The grocery store I usually shop at only has dark molasses from what I can remember (it has been a while since I looked).  Today is errand day for me so I am going to stop by a couple of grocery stores in my search.

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Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge

By Sean | May 7, 2009

The last month or so I have been baking my own bread with some success, but I am wanting to learn more.  I was browsing around The Fresh Loaf and came across a post about a challenge in bread baking using Peter Reinhart’s book The Bread Baker’s Apprentice. The challenge is to work through all of the different bread recipes in his book. It sounded like the perfect way to learn more about bread baking. So the main reason I have started this blog is to document my journey, but I will also talk about my other cooking adventures.

Topics: BBA Challenge | No Comments »