Traditional Miche

[james]

Here is a traditional Miche, with 80% whole wheat. Still experimenting, I let this one proof for an hour after I shaped the loaf before putting it in the refrigerator. I also let it warm up for a couple of hours before baking it. That's two in a row that didn't explode. :-)

This is a 500kg flour loaf -- maybe I'll make one of those huge ones one of these days. I think I'm finding a rhythm.
James

[egalecki]

Re: Traditional Miche

Very nice. I think the reallly big ones look cool, but geez. I don't think I have a knife I could use to cut one! I tend to go crooked when I try to cut them standing on one side...

Here's today's effort- a rye with caraway seeds I'm really pleased with, at least on the outside, and a 1/2 and 1/2 no-knead. The half and half is ok, but nothing special, and one looks like it has a plantar's wart, the result of having been turned upside down trying to get it on the peel. I'm really pleased with the look of the rye! I tried the spiral slash, but it has a mind of it's own and got much larger than I thought.

I think that the dome could have used more of a heat soak today- but I had a heck of a time getting a fire started and so was pressed for time. (rainy today) I would normally have let it fire for half an hour more or so. The floor was plenty hot. I tried the flour trick for temperature today, so no carbonized bottoms!

I don't know what they look like inside yet. I can't wait to taste the rye. I love rye with caraway.

[Dutchoven]

Re: Traditional Miche

James and Elizabeth
Hats off to both of you! Loaves look spot on to me! Nice color, etc. Be sure to post some pics of the sliced bread. Rye has a slightly different look to it on the finished color than that of the wheat flours, hence the reason that some rye breads use oil or butter. Try adding some caraway seeds to the high percentage rye formula and sprinkle some on top.
Again...they look great!
Dutch

[james]

Re: Traditional Miche

Thanks Dutch,

I am looking forward to some input on what to look for in a good crumb. That will be really helpful.

Holes, color, glistening, etc. Thanks!
James

[james]

Re: Traditional Miche

Elizabeth,

Rye and Caraway -- I have to try that. Those look great.
James

[nissanneill]

Re: Traditional Miche

James,

This is a 500kg flour loaf

I think you made a 500gram loaf or you have a really, really big oven that you load with a forklift!

Hopefully, now that I have a new mixer, I can continue playing with my bread making/baking skills.

Neill

[egalecki]

Re: Traditional Miche

Here's a picture of the rye's crumb. It's a lovely, tangy bread, with a chewy crumb. Fabulous toasted with a little butter. Next time, I'm putting in a bit less of the caraway seed. While I do love it, it's a little overpowering in this bread.

If you'd like to try this one, it's from northwestsourdough.wordpress.com and it's "light Swedish rye" from the baking with sourdough starters part. The blogger is using a Swedish starter, but I just fed my regular one rye and called it Swedish. (I have two starters and one is now a rye starter) There's a pretty cool video imbedded showing a dough folding technique.

This is also the first dough which tried to climb out of my mixer's bowl and up the neck of the dough hook! It was a very lively dough. I ended up finishing it on the counter.

I'd be pleased with myself if I could get a crumb like that on my miche! It's terrific! Is that from the BBA? Mine were a lot more dense. More practice for me!

[Dutchoven]

Re: Traditional Miche

James
From the picture you could see just about all the aspects of of whole grain bread's crumb. A bit more dense than its white flour cousins there is still a bit of irregularity...should be springy...shouldn't really glisten...if it does it is probably a tad underdone...and crumb color is usually about the same color as the dough when it comes out of the mixer maybe a little browner...at least that is what it seems with our bread
You done good!
Dutch

Thanks Dutch,

I am looking forward to some input on what to look for in a good crumb. That will be really helpful.

Holes, color, glistening, etc. Thanks!
James

[Dutchoven]

Re: Traditional Miche

The blogger is using a Swedish starter, but I just fed my regular one rye and called it Swedish. (I have two starters and one is now a rye starter)

I'd be pleased with myself if I could get a crumb like that on my miche! It's terrific! Is that from the BBA? Mine were a lot more dense. More practice for me!

Elizabeth
It looks great! That looks like ours...with the exception that ours is not a sourdough in the sense of a purely wild yeasted bread...we use preferments or soakers...a good idea for your rye starter is to feed it every now and again with just white flour...once it gets a high percentage of rye flour it is pretty lean on the starch side so it can get really tangy...
Best
Dutch

[Dutchoven]

Re: Traditional Miche

Elizabeth,

Rye and Caraway -- I have to try that. Those look great.
James

It is a very good combination...very traditional NY style...reuben sandwiches!!!...most of the time they will do an egg wash and sprinkle with caraway as well
Best
Dutch

[egalecki]

Re: Traditional Miche

Elizabeth
It looks great! That looks like ours...with the exception that ours is not a sourdough in the sense of a purely wild yeasted bread...we use preferments or soakers...a good idea for your rye starter is to feed it every now and again with just white flour...once it gets a high percentage of rye flour it is pretty lean on the starch side so it can get really tangy...
Best
Dutch

I was wondering about that. I do like the tang, but it can get a bit out of hand in some breads. This recipe used starter in a preferment, so it gets a double dose. I'll have to be careful not to let my starter get too sour or I won't eat the bread! I must say it was one of the more active doughs I've made. Must be the rye flour.