Baked two batches today

Tuesday, yet another entry.

First batch: I set the bowl in the sunny balcony for the second rise, and when I retrieved it the dough was noticeably warmer. It took near

ly two hours for the second rise, as well.

When I shaped it, I failed to bring both ends to meet in the center. I folded them in, but not far enough. When I tried to get the bread out of the pan when it was done baking, it cracked into two loaves. It was in the long pullman pan.

It also stuck badly in one corner. It was a teflon pan, so I didn't grease it. I did line the bottom with paper. Next time I will grease the pans much more heavily. the next batch also stuck.

The taste was heartier and noticeably sour. This flour, a more expensive hard spring wheat, would do well in a hearty artisan bread with sun dried tomatoes and basil, or roasted onions and garlic.

the crumb on this loaf was too loose. The crust wanted to break off. I wouldn't call it dry, though. Maybe not as moist as last week's.

I started baking the loaf with the lid off, and a handful of ice cubes thrown on the bottom. Tried misting the sides, too, briefly. After ten minutes put the lid back on. Thirty minutes with it on, then I removed it again and switched off the top burner.

Second batch: This is the one with the biga. I warmed the butter up in the microwave on the lowest setting, but it melted anyway. I put together the dry ingredients--flour, salt, milk powder, yeast--and then added the butter. I mixed it in. The previous batch, where I cut the soft butter in with the wooden spooned, worked much better for even distribution. The end result of the liquid butter was tiny lumps of butter that was still there during the final

shaping.

After adding the butter, I cut or pulled the biga into about five big pieces, and added the rest of the water to the mix. It was not easy to mix it well. I finally used my hand. The batter was very wet and sticky. I kneaded it for about five minutes in the bowl, and got good results. I dumped it onto the floured board, covered it with the bowl and let it rest 20 minutes.

The weight of this one was even lighter than the previous one! 1159 gms

The rest of the risings went well. Finally, I shaped it into two loaves. I lightly greased the two pans. One was Teflon, the other was not. I covered the pans but for a crack, and let them rise in the shade in the balcony. I didn't see a significant rise, but I put them in the oven anyway after more than an hour.

They stuck to the pan as well, but as you can see they came out in good shape.

I baked them without lids and with steam for the first ten minutes, with the top burner on. Then 30 minutes with lid, then the last ten minutes without lids and with the top burner off.

I clearly remember that when I baked my loaves in Guza, with pans I brought from America, the bread pulled away from the sides and slipped easily out of the pans. These loaves are not doing that, and I don't know why.

I haven't cut into the bread made with the biga yet, and the same flour as last week's bread. Hold on, while I do that.

OK, I'm back. Wow! The crumb is excellent, firm yet light. The flavor is sweet, nutty. Nicer than the pullman loaf I baked this morning.

I'll have to give the NE hard spring wheat another try next week, with more water and better greased pans. Very different flavors. But can I bake a firm bread with it? Gotta give it another try.