Damon's (BT) first bread attempt etc.

[Bacterium]

Re: Damon's (BT) first bread attempt etc.

Ok...last night was my last baking before I put the render over all the insulated part of my ovendome. Armed with some of the above advice I baked 4 loaves in my oven last night:

1. Round loaf with split top - No-Knead dough recipe, baked in dutch oven, within pizza oven.
2. Rectangular loaf - No-Knead dough, rectangular baking tray - open top
3. Fruit bread, dough was breadshop premix and the dough was made in the bread machine - Cheating I know but this was for the wife so it had to suceed.
4. same dough as 1 and 2 but I cooked it directly on the hearth. Intersting comparison.

All breads were a success (for me) and tasted great. Gave me a big boost of confidence to now get back to the ciabatta's. Oven was a constant 204C/400F probably a bit low but first time I've removed all coals - nearly got it right.

Fire away with you observations as I'm always open to then and your great advice.

Thanks Jim and Dutch

[Bacterium]

Re: Damon's (BT) first bread attempt etc.

3 - fruit bread and 4 - hearth loaf

[CanuckJim]

Re: Damon's (BT) first bread attempt etc.

Bacterium,

No looking back now. From the crust and the crumb of these loaves, I'd say you're very well on your way. A nice job all round. Look at the volume and structure on all your loaves. Well done. You are very ready for a retry on the Ciabatta. Just remember that it will not tolerate a lot of handling during loading.

Congrats,

Jim

[Dutchoven]

Re: Damon's (BT) first bread attempt etc.

Excellent, nice loaves of bread you have there. Very appetizing! Congrats to you from me also. I am about to be busy preparing for this weeks Farmer's Market. I think I will to try that NoKnead recipe...looks like fun and a bit less work. In another thread it was said baking bread is like tennis or golf, no matter how good you get at it you always want to get better!
Best
Dutch
P.S. If you haven't done this give it a try, spread the hot coals out across the entire floor of the oven before you clear them. This will soak a bit more heat into the floor and will help to maintain floor temps and should extend your baking time since the floor bricks tend to recharge the oven a bit more than the dome bricks do
Best
Dutch

[Bacterium]

Re: Damon's (BT) first bread attempt etc.

Thanks Jim and Dutch
yeah its great fun, espescially as all the bread got eaten by family pretty quick.

yeah the no-knead recipe (in the bread book) is great starting point.

Well I better put my head down for a few days and get my oven coating finished.....thanks again