Author Topic: My Sourdough, from scratch  (Read 30684 times)

anutcanfly

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Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #180 on: March 01, 2012, 05:57:43 AM »
Thanks, I've always wondered about that.

Crystal

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Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #181 on: March 03, 2012, 08:19:32 PM »
My knives are all really sharp too. Being a Chef, it one of the first things they teach you. It comes under Saftey. Your more likely to cut yourself with a blunt knife than a sharp one!

Is it bad that sometimes i dont slash my bread..?

anutcanfly

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Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #182 on: March 03, 2012, 09:03:12 PM »
No? Why would be? I slash because it looks interesting and it creates lots of chewy crunchy crust.  :P  I'm lazy when it comes to sharpening.  My knives are notoriously dull, expect for my fillet and sashimi knives, those I keep sharp.

Corina

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Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #183 on: March 04, 2012, 06:01:54 AM »
Slashing influences the oven spring a great deal.
The slashing is meant to createa tension break in that spot, and let the bread rise upwards instead on on the sides. If the dough has been properlly worked and the outer surface has enough tension, that makes the bread rise on the sides as much as in the middle. Breaking that tension on the upper side, and somewhat in the middle, helps give the bread the push for raising fully.

Tomer1

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Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #184 on: March 04, 2012, 12:44:37 PM »
The yeast during their final minutes in the oven inferno produce a fairly large volume of co2,
The slashs are essentially pressure release valves or pre-designed weak spots to prevent blowouts in the crust.
 

MrsKK

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Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #185 on: March 04, 2012, 04:12:13 PM »
Hey, Debi!  My daughter sells Cutco.  Fortunately, they have a payment plan or I wouldn't be able to afford them.  I'm gradually building up my set.  They are great knives and I can't wait to try the shears and filet knife when I butcher chickens.

anutcanfly

  • Guest
Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #186 on: March 04, 2012, 05:04:09 PM »
Thanks for the input on slashing everyone.  Always nice to learn something.  :)

iratherfly

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Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #187 on: March 09, 2012, 10:05:55 PM »
Slashing is an art form!  Harder to get right on highly hydrated doughs like the no-knead types (but you can use kitchen shears).
Slashing TOTALLY changes the shape of the loaf.

slash in a criss-cross pattern or as a square, and even the longest batard will attempt to rise as a round boule. If you have a round boule it will rise evenly.
Cut in straight lines and it will widen against them, so if your loaf is round and you cut it as ||| -it will square off and become wide and long. If your loaf is long and you slash it as ||| it will widen and shorten. If your loaf is long and you slash it as ===, it will lengthen and turn narrower.  If however you slash it diagonally //// , your loaf will rise at the same proportions as it looks in front of you. Experienced bakers do a combination of cuts in different directions that would result in a final desired shape balance.  I think that you can get the hang of it by doing about 10 loaves or so.

Slashing isn't just pretty and good for the shape; it provide a weak point in the crust that breaches as it rises, so instead of letting the loaf decide on its own where it will break up and tear a "wild fissure", you are deciding where this will happen by providing the weak points. If you don't do it, the fissure will almos always defelop where you don't want it, across the bottom of one of the sides. It's annoying... 

To prepare for a good slash, you need to practice some loaf forming where the most stressed and tensioned area is the top of the loaf. Also over-rising it before baking will make an ineffective slash and oven spring.

I use a lame to slash but in softer loaves I find that an serrated meat carving knife works well. You can also do good things with shears if you practice them. Hope this helps.

anutcanfly

  • Guest
Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #188 on: March 10, 2012, 04:09:05 AM »
That most certainly does help!  Thanks iratherfly!  A cheese to you for that indepth lesson in slashing! :)  I've always gotten great oven spring, but I thought keeping the oven steamy for the first 10-20 minutes was what allowed that to happen.  I'm too impatient to eat, to ever over-rise dough.  ;D  I'll be sure to try out some different slashes on my next loaves.

Found out which flour was causing the neat color effects and swirling on my last potato dill bread.  It's the baking soda I knead in before shaping the loaf (to neutralize the acid after fermentation).  I'm going to have some fun with this on future loaves as the effect is pretty. 

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #189 on: March 10, 2012, 06:00:36 AM »
Karen -
My Cutco is from 1971 and the Double D edges are sharp as ever and we all know I use my knives a lot. I have lostt a few over the years. Just for comparison I have no idea what they are now but it 1971 I sold the small kitchenette set for $379. A Slicing knife, French chefs knife, carving knife, paring knive, carving fork, and spring steel spatcula!  Weird I can remember that but not where I just put my coffee cup.


Great bread Anut!

Crystal

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Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #190 on: April 22, 2012, 02:57:02 AM »
Wow, the art of slashing! What if i wanted a square top loaf, like from the bakers? I only ask because the rounded top bread doesnt fit well in the plastic sanga boxes the boys use for school...

anutcanfly

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Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #191 on: April 22, 2012, 03:16:19 AM »
Welcome back Crystal.  It's been too quiet without you!  ;)

Crystal

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Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #192 on: April 22, 2012, 03:23:28 AM »
I know, ive missed being here! Ive had a hard time lately with kids being sick, my nanny away and flooding here in sydney... plus the second etsy shop i opened has been a lot of work. With easter in the middle ive had practically no time for anything and still have a list of things i should be doing.

But i raised the noise by postingva few questions here already today!

Tomer1

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Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #193 on: April 22, 2012, 09:11:26 AM »
Quote
What if i wanted a square top loaf
Then use a loaf tin , bake on low heat (as low as 160c)  to prevent hardening of the crust so it can expand all the way up to the end of the bake.

Crystal

  • Guest
Re: My Sourdough, from scratch
« Reply #194 on: April 22, 2012, 08:43:09 PM »
Really tomer? Its that simple? I usually use a loaf tin for regular bread anyway, and all i havr to do is turn the oven down!!