Sourdough starter from Yogurt. Another Experiment.

It seems to me that the bacteria in yogurt and that in sourdough starter have the common task of infecting and feeding on their hosts.

Yogurt bacteria feeds on the sugars in milk and sourdough bacteria on the sugars in flour.

The yogurt bacteria is:

• The species of bacteria used in yogurt are Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. These species eat the sugars in milk. As the bacteria eat milk sugars, the bacteria produce something called lactic acid. Lactic acid makes milk proteins curdle.

While sourdough is

• The sourdough bâtard, on the other hand, is a product of natural fermentation involving wild yeasts and bacteria. Almost all the bacteria are lactobacilli, cousins of the bacteria that curdle milk into yogurt and cheese. (fromThe Biology of . . . Sourdough | DiscoverMagazine.com)

So, why not make a sourdough starter using yogurt??  The classic starter creation approach is to let the bacteria in the flour and air work on the sugars in the flour to create lactic acid and acetic acid (the former creating a 'creamy' flavor and the latter creating a 'sour' flavor).  The key in sourdough production is to balance the two acids and achieve the flavor you wish in your bread.  

I confess that I am NOT a sour sourdough fan.  And, I am not a fan of the texture of many sourdough breads that tastes/feels old even the same day brought home from the store.  So, my objective in a sourdough starter is to make one that will 'do the job' without turning the bread sour.  

Time Frame:  The approach I used to make a starter from flour and water took about two weeks to get something from which I could build a dough.  This was consistent with the recipe I followed - so I didn't know any different.  

But, with a quarter cup of plain yogurt in the water to which I added an amount of flour equal to the weight of the water/yogurt mix on a Tuesday, I was baking bread on Saturday.   This was about 1/3 the time of the classic starter creation time. 

Naturally Leavened with Garlic

At first, I was concerned about the bread having an issue with people who had problems with dairy, but with over 40 people trying it (granted, mostly with salted butter on it), there were no problems.    

Results

• The crust was amazing.  The loaves with big 'ears' that you see in some recipe photos and bakeries are back with this naturally leavened dough.  Extra crispy tops without gelatinized crumb.
• The crumb was small holed and soft.  It reminded me of a white store bread only a slight amount more dense.  It was great for sandwiches and when toasted.  
• The flavor was only slightly slightly sour - almost imperceivable.  The taste was somewhat creamy and smooth.  

Crumb shot

Problems?   Yes, there are a few problems, but not all with the bread itself.  

• Because it doesn't taste sour, calling it sourdough doesn't seem to be appropriate.  I use a lot of herbs in my bread and I give the loaf a name based on the flavor one can experience.  I don't make a lot of plain old white bread.  The one that I offer called "Old Fashioned White Bread" (a yeast bread) doesn't get many orders.  And, calling this Sourdough - just doesn't seem to describe the bread.
• Timing is uncertain with naturally leavened (NL) doughs - unlike the predictable nature of yeast doughs.   With yeast bread, I can let it ferment until 3pm, form it, let it rest for an hour (the final rise) and then bake it.  But, with NL dough, I can't predict when it will be ready.  In previous tests (with a different starter), leaving it too long allowed the dough to break down so that had no elasticity; forming was very difficult.  How long is long enough??  I haven't figured that out- it seems to be when it has doubled (or more) in the fermenting bucket.  But, I do know when it has fermented for too long.
• It is not sour tasting - but what IS it?  

Where Do I Go From Here?  It seems to me that the dough that is created from this starter is not practical from a sales standpoint - though it works as a give away bread.  I guess I have a bias that says that a bread needs to 'earn it's keep' and have some value from a sales standpoint.  My consumption is fairly small; I can only give away because I sell.  It's not particularly predictable in making the bread - so it needs more attention than yeast breads.  Yeast breads are predictable and taste great and wonderful.   So why do I need this?

Because there is something big about making bread from scratch; from only flour, water and salt.    I have to believe that if the bread tasted better, it WOULD be important; it WOULD be worthwhile.

It is not that difficult making a starter from scratch, and easier yet using yogurt.  Just today, I mixed some of my older starter (made from scratch - no yogurt) into dough and at this minute, is in final proof stage to bake tonite - and to share at church tomorrow.

I like making bread. 

Tis the season for all things Cranberry - really.

Thanksgiving is here.  Christmas is coming.  Cranberry bread?  Well, it's time is now.

We cut our first loaf of Cranberry/Cinnamon yesterday.  It was very nice.  The cranberries were like raisins with a slightly different taste (I used Craisins).

Today, I made a batch (about 4 pounds) of cranberry/cinnamon dough, but there will be many more.  I have a 3 pound bag of Craisins to use up.  Of course, they can go in salads, but I am targeting bread.

I read about a cranberry/rosemary bread - so I will have to try that, too.

Final result - take 10% of the flour in cranberries and add them to the water.  place both in blender to mince the cranberries. Add water with cranberries to flour.  Add another 10% of weight of flour in whole dried cranberries.  Make bread as usual.

And, add some rosemary for contrast.

When is Sourdough NOT Sour??

Many of us in California were introduced to Sourdough Bread via the 'San Francisco Sourdough' style breads.  It is a tangy, white bread.  It also had a 'different' crumb feel when compared to the famous grocery store white sandwich breads.  To me, the sourdough bread had the feel of several day old white bread.  I really enjoy very fresh bread - and the sourdough from the store not only had a vinegar/sour taste, but a several day old feel.  Not my favorite - but that's the sourdough that I was exposed to.

I started out baking yeast breads:  Yes - using commercial yeast.  For some reason it gets a bad rap.

Commercial yeast was developed in the WWII era as a means of simplifying bread making in remote kitchens set up to feed soldiers.  Previously, sensitive sourdough starter (a gooey thing) or more sensitive 'beer brew foam', skimmed off the mash as it fermented during the process of making beer and ale, was used to leaven the bread, causing the bacterial to infect the grain/water mix resulting in creating carbon dioxide gas which inflates the 'gluten bubbles' causing the entire dough to rise.  Both of these items were hard to transport.  White flour was very common (whole grain flour less the bran and germ - the red colored, fibrous part of the wheat berry) and it had a great shelf life.  Salt was important to making bread - and it had a great shelf life and was easy to transport.  Water, was available in most place - or at least brought in for many other reasons, so it was there.  This left the leavener (or yeast) as the weak link in the field kitchen.

In laboratories, a single strain of yeast was extracted from the multiples of bacteria that grew when flour and water was combined.  This single strain of bacteria could be dried and easily transported to a field kitchen where it would be 'reconstituted' into a living culture that would infect the flour and create the carbon dioxide that the gluten in the flour would capture and make bubbles resulting in lift in the bread dough.  The yeast would die once the bread hit 140º as the bread was baked to a final temperature of around 200º +/- 10º or so depending on the flour.  So, with this 'commercial yeast', the fourth component of basic white bread was made portable.

By the way, it turns out that a small hunk (about 1/2 cup) of mixed dough can be preserved from one batch to 'infect' another batch with this yeast culture.  While this is not so convenient in a field kitchen, it is what small European bakeries did all along so they didn't need to keep procuring their leavening 'stuff' from the brewer (that foam from the brewing process).  Of course, this is the concept behind our American sourdough breads.

Not sour sourdough.  Tell tale glistening crumb with irregular big holes.  

In my research and occasional dabbling with 'sourdough bread making' over the past two years, I found that in most places in France (and all Europe, I believe), if a baker creates a sour tasting loaf, it is viewed as a baker's mistake.  Using a natural leavener is not at all uncommon (a northern California bakery calls their naturally leavened breads "Country Loaves" in reference to the French countryside bakers) but the baker's art includes managing the leavening agent so that the sourness is minimized.

So, commercial yeast was the 'upgrade' for the sourdough starter - more compact, easily transportable, reliable and even faster acting.  Also, the commercial yeast didn't 'taint' the flavor with even a bit of sourness.

Another factor in the commercial yeast is that 'anyone can do it' - or, you don't have to be a sourdough culture manager to bake bread with commercial yeast.  That's why I use commercial yeast.


Not sour sourdough?   You mean that the European breads using 'natural leavened' didn't taste sour?  Hmmm - then maybe it's worth a try, though, I don't have any interest in being a manager of the leavener.

As I read about the influencing factors that make sourdough bread more sour, I see that temperature, food (as in which types of flour are used to feed the starter), freshness (at what stage of development the starter is when used for mixing with dough) and time all impact sourness.  But, the big news is that sourdough doesn't need to be sour.

Micro Bakery - from personal consumption to sharing with neighbors??

So - how does a person bake and sell and move from an 'advanced hobby' to a small business?  What does it take??

A business has to make a profit - in order to replace your salary from your old job, to pay for equipment and ingredients and operating costs.  So, there must be revenue from selling the product and a markup within that revenue.  But, the revenue means that people have to desire and actually purchase the product.  The customer has to get value equal to or greater than the price.

So, what makes a bread with 'value'??  Different bakers have different views on this.

Sourcing - Some bakers are linked to a source of grain - organically grown and often local so that the link to the farm can be made in the materials about the bakery.  The bread flavor, texture and look are not the prime item - it's the heritage of the grain.  This appeals to people who like that 'cottage feel' - from farm to table and often they are willing to pay a premium for knowing where their food comes from.  It just makes them feel good (and maybe it adds a bit of a 'brag factor' when they tell their friends what they are doing.

Sugar and Fat - Many bakers depend on sugar and butter for their products in the form of pastries.  It is not hard to understand that people will often pay more for a quarter pound of pastry than a 2 pound loaf of bread.  Sweets sell.  To me, this is odd.  I run into the anti-carbohydrate folks that either restrict their purchases (or don't make any at all) because of the carbs in bread - but still, sweets sell volumes.  Sweets full of sugar (i.e., simple carbs) and fat (butter) are super carb foods and almost put the carbs in my lean breads in the diet category.

Why Do Sweet Pastries Sell??

• Maybe people seem to think that bread (of any sort) is an everyday thing while a sweet pastry is special treat.  
• Maybe it is the 'special skill' that it takes to make the sweet pastry - flaky, sweet and exciting to the taste buds - Is this a skill that is worth extra cost?  
• Maybe it is that, like donuts at the shop, we are overwhelmed by the number of choices of a pastry display, and we taste them with our minds, while they are still in the glass case.  Then, we are willing to pay the premium to actually taste them.
• "Fleeting Factor" - maybe the pastry sells because everyone knows that the pastry in the case is at its prime - it will never taste as good as it is now.  The freshness is fleeting.  We know that it won't be as good tomorrow as it is right now.

Perfection - Some bakers strive for 'the perfect bread' (a combination of great grains and great technique) and that's it.  They (and their fans) declare it to be 'the best' and the baker demands a high price for the loaf.  It is what it is.  It is consistently good.  It is probably different from its competitor baker products.  It sells for a premium price.

For Me...

I like pastry - but I realize that the butter and sugar are costly in terms of calories and fat - which I am eating selectively these days - so I generally pass on the pastry, trading it for permission to eat bread I really like.  

I like variety - so the idea of eating the same bread all the time (even if it is the 'Best in the World') doesn't appeal to me.  Sure I am curious to see whether, in my opinion, the title is justified, but as I said, I like variety.  And, for what it is worth, I often question anything (including bread) that is labeled 'the Best in the World' with the understanding that this label in the past was unwarranted - the 'best' always disappoints, it seems.  And, if one needs to put a sign next to a product saying it is the best - it probably isn't.

Snobbiness - I am not emotional about grain.  Sorry.  While I have great appreciation for wheat, I am not convinced that the field of its source needs to be within X miles of my oven.  I love that the farmer cares, but I suspect that the ounces of grain in the breads I make really didn't get much of the farmer's attention during its life span.  And, that grain, either in the form of wheat berries or flour, travels extremely well.  And, finally, I understand that some climates are extraordinarily suited for growing wheat - but that the locale I choose to live in may distant from those growing regions.

Therefore:  I evaluate the factors above with:
Pastry= Limited consumption;
Best in the World = not Best for me;
Local = not premier.

Well Then, What ARE the Factors That I Seek?

Fresh Tasting is Premier - Like the donut that was made earlier in the morning or the pastry that came out of the oven in the few hours before I visit the shop, I value Freshness, a very fleeting attribute. It affects texture of the crumb, crispness of the crust, the smells - and, I think, the transmission of flavor.  But, the entire package of fresh bread is outstanding- for a few hours after it emerges from the oven.  

• I have to mention that like pastries, cookies or cakes (or virtually all baked goods), there is a large variety of breads - and ALL breads are not created equal.  So, yes you (and I) may have had 'bad bread' fresh from the oven that did NOT meet my 'fresh tasting' criteria.  I agree that fresh bad bread is still not good - nor to be sought.   BUT, I think of all the 'experiment breads' I have made in the last year that didn't come out the way I wanted them to be - while they may have needed correction the next time (or identified as a 'no next time' variety) - almost all tasted great.  The flaws were in the texture or looks (or both) and not in the taste.  
• Fresh good bread is a treat to many senses.  
• Fresh good bread is hard to find - unless YOU are baking bread in your home.  

It also needs to be noted that there are some breads that come from the oven that don't appeal to me.  Sourdough varieties (not necessarily sour tasting) seem to be more commonly in this category.  Though fresh from the oven, the gelatinous texture is not appealing to me.  While taste may be complex and wonderful and the crust wonderful, the texture is off-putting to me.  And, the claim that it will last in my bread basket for a few weeks without spoiling is of no comfort.  Why do I want a bread that I don't really like to last a long time??  Maybe if I was in survival mode this would be a good factor - but that is not the case.  At the extreme, I would rather have a small portion of very fresh bread every day than a large loaf of unattractive bread that will last and last.  

While the analogy is not ideal, I have come to think that the "Hot Light" at our local Krispy Kreme would be a great addition for a bread bakery.  Though bread needs to cool (some say completely) to finish cooking and 'set', and "Hot" is not the proper term, some kind of light would let people know when bread is at its super fresh stage.  

For Now -  For now, I am baking bread for neighbors who subscribe for a loaf or two a week.  Quantities are fairly small but it affords a canvas for experiment of techniques and ingredients.  I have over 20 varieties of loaves - most are determined with minor ingredient variations.  None have eggs nor preservatives added.  Most don't have dairy or fats added.   The more subtle flavors are created by long fermentation periods.  I am struggling with trying to use stone ground whole wheat flour as a component in order to add fiber to some varieties while not destroying the super fresh taste and mouth feel of the breads made with only unbleached white bread flour.  

And, why all these "I statements"?  Am I the determiner of all these issues?  

A - Frankly, the reason that I am making bread for others is that I think that the 'super fresh' bread from my oven is the best I have tasted - and YOU will never taste it without making it yourself.  

I make small batch loaves in my home kitchen.  While I cannot make large numbers of loaves available at this peak stage, I can make some - and I want to share them.  For some reason, it is very gratifying to me when the recipients agree that the super fresh bread is outstanding.  

Why not just give the bread away?  

A - I have found that many people often take free things whether they value them or not.  And, if they are not valued, they are probably not used (or eaten in this case) and wasted.  By putting a price on the loaves, the 'waste' is generally avoided  and, I cover my costs.  Of course, charging for some loaves doesn't preclude me from giving away others - and still, about half of what I make is given away - much in the form of sandwiches in a 'feeding' program.  

Why is it Good for Bread to have a Long Shelf Life?

Long Shelf Life - isn't that for bread that isn't good enough to 'eat up' while it's at its prime??

The Factory Breads have preservatives so that they last - often times a really long time- scary long.  They are not intended to be 'treats', but practical solutions to lunch or meals over a long time.  We bought some hot dog buns that were in great shape 10 days after we purchased them.  That's good when you only use them on the weekend - because the buns cover two weekends.   Were they great buns?  Nope.  Just white bread buns.  Utility buns.

When I make bread in my Micro Bakery, the bread has more moisture in it and zero preservatives and I would be surprised if it didn't get moldy in 4 or 5 days.  But, it was at its prime on day 1 and day 2.  In fact, it was a joy on those days.  Just ordinary on day 3 and going south after that (though still good for toast).

So - if the bread is not Utility Bread - WHY would you want it to last a long time??  Put another way, If it is not good enough to eat up in the first two days, you either bought too much, or bought the wrong bread.

In the Book, Flour, Salt, Water, Yeast by Ken Forkish, there is a section about a 3 kilo loaf of bread - that's over 6 pounds.  It is sourdough.  He says that this bread tastes its best at 12-24 hours out of the oven.  He also says that there is something special about these giant loaves that have more baked flavor than the smaller ones.  They track back to the days when people could only make it into town (where the baker was located) once a week - so they bought bread (a major source of calories that that day) to last and last and last.  The bread was a living thing - used for certain things in days 1 and 2, other in days 3 and 4 and at the end of its life, used for pudding or even chicken food.

He doesn't give a recipe for the 6+ pound loaf.  Mixing dough for such a loaf wouldn't be a problem, but my concern would be for the oven space and time and just what to expect from a loaf of that size in the oven.  I am guessing that bread is baked at a moderate temperature (say 375 rather than 450 or 500º as I do with smaller loaves) in order to get it done all the way to the middle - without burning the outside.

Today, he says, some of the fancy restaurants prefer cutting hunks from the 6+ pound loaves to serve to their customers - rather than using multiple smaller loaves.  He said that in his bakery, he 'quarters' a three pound loaf and sells them to people who want the benefits of the large loaf, but not so much bread.

Back to a 'Normal Sized Loaf' - to Last a Week Plus - Why???

It is normally sourdough that people say will come to its prime the day after the oven and last for more than a week.  Ignoring the taste of sourdough (which actually can range from only a bit sour to quite sour), why would someone want bread that is good (i.e., doesn't spoil) for 8 days or so?  Let's see:
a)  Like the people above, you are precluded from getting 'fresher bread' for a week because your location is too remote.
b)  You eat very little bread, so even with a one pound loaf, it takes you a week to consume it.
c)  You only eat bread because you have to and, like above, a one pound loaf lasts you a whole week - and you don't want to waste money by having it go bad.
d)  put your reason - here.

Responses:
a)  if you are so far from a  bakery - let me help you learn to make your own bread.  Eating old stuff (even if it doesn't go bad when it's old) well, you are missing out on one of the super pleasures.
b)  Maybe you should ask about buying a 'half loaf' - if you got a half loaf twice a week, you (like the others) can have fresh bread almost all the time.
c)  Sorry about your situation.  Maybe you should explore breads that not only taste great, but meet your 'need'.  Turn the 'obligation' into 'pleasure'.
d)  ???

Instead of "making it last" - wouldn't you prefer that the baker "make it good" and tasty and wonderful?  

Bread For Sale - But Which Bread???

I see two types of breads.
Actually, there are many types of bread.  But, within the category of 'Artisanal Lean Breads', I see two types of bread.

Well, what's an Artisanal Lean Bread?
My definition is breads that have
  no oil, eggs, dairy, or other enrichment
  generally used for eating with meals, for breakfast, or to be used in sandwiches
  a 'free form' (i.e., not baked in loaf pans)
  been formed by hand
  generally been mixed by hand

Two different kinds of bread?  Yes - they are Wow Breads and Ahhh Breads

Wow Breads are those that when you taste them, you go Wow!   Those breads are of an unusual taste.  Think of that garlic rosemary bread you had on the side of your meal at the Italian restaurant.  It was soft with a crunchy crust and flavorful with the taste of rosemary and garlic.  You took a bite - and said Wow.  You wanted more.  Then you find out that there are more varieties (rosemary and thyme, hot peppers and cheese, oregano and parmesan, flax seed and meal, fig with honey or fennel seed, dried dill and onion, honey whole wheat and bread with steel cut oats) and you ask about the bread schedule as you plan your next visit to the restaurant.

These breads can be made in many varieties but the distinct attribute is that the flavor/taste comes from the added ingredients - herbs, dried vegetables and even coarse grains or added flavors from whole grain flours.

Ahhh breads are the result of great effort by the baker to draw out the flavor in the wheat flour itself.  Careful mixing and fermentation  - even grain selection for the flour(s) used in the bread - matched with higher hydration (water to flour ratio) produce a subtly flavored bread with a unique taste that is enjoyed fully with no butter or addition.  Often this bread has an open crumb (internal structure) with a glossy on the inside and a very crusty exterior.  Today, bakers that go this route often use a leavening mix that is made from a levain - or what we might call sourdough in the US - though it can have varying degrees of 'sourness' - and often is not sour at all.  The baker's unique levain management results in the unique taste of the bread made by the baker.
The Ahhh comes not only when one tastes the bread, but often that's the response when people see the loaf cut and laid open.  Like a fine wine, this bread is appreciated.  The nuances of taste come through and you enjoy the bread, the company, the rest of the meal.

***********************

So which bread should the Cottage Food Operation Baker make for sale??  
                    Wow Bread?                   or Ahhh Bread??

Woe Nellie - let's look at other factors first.  Other Factors?  Of course.  There are always other factors.

• "Eatability"  - What do people WANT to eat that they cannot make for themselves, that reminds them of another time in their lives (like when mom made bread and the memories of growing up), that 'hits the spot' as to taste, that fits into their schedule and menu.  While the satisfaction of the Wow breads are immediate, the subtleties of Ahhh breads are best when there is time for slow enjoyment.
• The "When eaten factor" - When will people be eating the Bread.  Certainly the yeast breads in the Wow category are best when fresh - when actually still warm.  They have a shelf life of about 3 days, but the Wow factor declines after about 30 hours or so when it just gets to be bread, albeit with a unique flavor.   The Ahhh breads probably don't hit their peak until the bread is about 5 or 6 hours from the oven - and keep their special nature for a couple days after that.  A whole loaf can be put into a warm oven for 10-15 minutes to crisp up the crust and even if done 24 hours after coming out of the oven, it's as 'good as new'.  
• The "Popularity" factor - In today's busy world, there are lots of people who want a taste awakener or Wow in life - bread or otherwise.  They feel that they have little time - and want that pop.   Fewer people want to sit and think about things such as the nuance flavors in the well developed dough that made the bread and the variety of textures they are encountering as they take a bite.  Some - but fewer.  
• The Baker "Wanna" factor - This is the motivation of the baker.  Does he(she) wanna make that bread?  Does it use his/her skills?  Will their peers look at the bread and be envious?  So, in short, does the baker wanna make this bread?
• The Baker Time Factor - the two breads have different processes - and differing levels of forgiveness in those processes.  When  bakery is 'working' the same 10 or 12 hours per day, a routine is established and that routine is done day in and day out.  But, the Micro Baker probably doesn't have a regular schedule in the kitchen.  Life gets in the way - and a rigid time schedule probably won't work.  So, a more forgiving process is better for the Micro Baker.  That leads to the Wow Bread.
• The Ahhh breads are few - a white bread, a bread with a larger portion of whole grain (maybe some rye), maybe even a high ratio whole grain.
• I consider focaccia and ciabatta as separate breads from either the Ahh or Wow bunches.  In fact, I have had focaccia in my rotation of Wow breads.  

Analysis of the Other Factors and Conclusion

Based on the above, I think the Wow Breads will have greater appeal to 'the masses'.  The risk of having many different varieties of Wow Breads is that some won't really prefer the variety you are making because you can't please them all, all the time.  

Does that mean that you never make Ahhh Breads?  Maybe not.  A high hydration, long fermented, big holed white bread with crispy but thin crust has it's place in a rotation of Wow Breads - but I don't think that it replaces that list.  

All Purpose or Bread Flour - What's to be used in High Hydration Bread??

Today (7/8/17), in our bread class, we mixed some high hydration dough in two buckets.

1 - 1000g Bread Flour with 800g water, 22g salt and a scant pinch of yeast.  

2 - 1000g All Purpose Flour with 780g water, 22g salt and a scant pinch of yeast.  

The Flour and water were mixed and let sit for 30 minutes or so.  Then, every 15 minutes or so, classmates did a stretch and fold right in the bucket (as many classmates as were willing) so they could feel the changes in the dough and this was repeated 3 times.  While I didn't touch the dough, visually, the bread flour bucket dough looked more silky.  

After three stretch and fold repetitions, the buckets were closed (around 10:15 am).  Then, around 11pm, the buckets were compared - and the fermentation in the bread flour (BF) bucket was taller than the AP bucket.  

The buckets  prior to dumping the dough to form the loaves.

To make the bread, the AP bucket was emptied first - and measured into three pieces of about 600 grams each.  Another gentle stretch and fold operation was done and the dough placed in banettons.  The covered banettons were placed in a slightly warmed oven for 30 minutes and then removed and place on the counter (covered) for 25 minutes while the oven was heated for baking (500º).  

Two doughs place on pre heated stone.  After they 'firmed up', the baking pan (with dough inside) was added  Note how flat - not encouraging.  

When the oven was heated, two doughs were placed on parchment paper and slid onto a preheated baking stone.  After the doughs formed a lower crust, the third dough was put into a 3qt oven-safe covered pan (cold dough and cold pan) to bake.  The loaves were misted with water and a pie tin with water was placed on the top rack of the oven.

The loaves were baked to color with the cover of the 'pan bread' being removed after the internal temp of the dough reached over 200º.

When the third AP dough was placed in the pan, the BF doughs were placed in banettons for their final proof.  

After the last AP loaf (the pan loaf) came out of the oven, two BF doughs were placed on parchment paper and loaded onto the stone.  The third BF dough was placed in the now warm baking pan.  The pie tin with water was placed at the base of the oven this time (as it appeared that there was still a great deal of water in the pan from the first loaves - and normally, in the course of 30 minutes, the pan goes dry.


Here is a cut AP loaf.

Not bad.  Lots of holes.  Can't complain - except that they really aren't very tall.

Here is a cut BF loaf

Still lots of holes but apparently a little taller

Here, the six loaves are compared from the outside.  In the pic on the left, the BF loaves are on top - and the AP loaves on the bottom.  But, it is hard to tell from this view.  

On the right - you can see two loaves side by side - with the BF loaf on the left and the AP loaf on the right.

After cutting them in half, here they are side by side

And, compared right next to each other, here you see the difference

The loaves on the left are the BF loaves.

The BF loaves were impressive - on their own and by comparison to the AP loaves.  This held true for all of the loaves - whether free form or in the pan.

For both recipes, the pan loaf was the tallest.  

After totally cooling (overnight), I tried the 'taste test'.  The crumb tasted about the same - no significant differences.  But, the mouth texture was a little softer with the AP flour.  

Potential causes of the difference?

Certainly the Bread Flour (higher protein) could be the reason for the higher rise.  It is good to know that there is a difference - and that we are maximizing our size with bread flour.  

Potentially, by placing the dough into a 'more mature' hot oven (after the first loaves have baked) a higher rise could result.  

Going forward   

Recap - the batches were 1000 grams of flour with 780 grams of water for each (although the BF batch got 800g) with 22 grams of salt and a scant pinch of yeast in each.  Both were mixed (flour and water) by hand, left to sit for a half hour, and then the salt/yeast was added in and 'pinch method' mixed by hand.  Then every 15 or 20 minutes, the dough was stretched and folded by the students (8) who wanted to feel the transformation in the dough - 3 times.  The doughs were treated the same.  Then the tops went onto the buckets and they sat for the rest of the class, were transported home and place on a shelf for 10 hours.  I figure that the total time the dough bulk fermented was just over 12 hours.

The dough in the buckets showed great bubble activity.  Both were very active.  

When poured onto the work surface, the dough was very sticky.  I did not do the 'poke test', but it is possible that the bulk fermentation went too long.  

It appears to me that there is no reason to use AP flour for bread (at least not the brand that I was using - which had a 'milled date' of less than 45 days before use.  

But, having about 45 pounds of AP flour left, I need to use AP flour.  Something that comes to mind is to make a 'comparison batch' of lower hydration/higher yeast bread.  We will see........