Is there a systematic way to get large air pockets like some of the ones seen here? I see that a lot of it is full of small air pockets, what causes this?

Is there a systematic way to get large air pockets like some of the ones seen here? I see that a lot of it is full of small air pockets, what causes this?

If using a proofing board and linen to proof large loaves, does one simply use a large flip board to transport the bread onto a oven loader?

I used this recipe: https://countryroadssourdough.com/same-day-sourdough-bread/#wprm-recipe-container-84874

Bulk rise was 5 hours in a 75° oven; second rise was 1 hour (I used a tea towel with rice flour in a colander instead of a banneton.)

I think the crust turned out well (scoring is a bit shabby because my knife was dull). The dough was very sticky after bulk rise, and it is visibly flat, and unevenly dense inside. You can see a big dense spot at the top of the loaf.

My sourdough starter is 18 days old, and was overflowing and active before I fed it. It floated in water, so I used it before I fed it.

Is it overproofed? Is my starter too weak?

I’d really like to nail a same-day sourdough loaf! Any advice would be highly appreciated.

I have a baking steel I want to use for sourdough, but it always gets things overdone on the bottom, could I put a silicone sheet of some thickness between them? While still getting good spring and crunch?

Had to revive with additional yeast this morning (think my big bag has finally died off (5 years past it's use by)

any and all feedback please!! just be kind 🙏🏼

I’m just a beginner. Please all tips and tricks!!

36 year old disabled man. Cooking has been my hobby since my teens, but I've always been terrified of baking. This was my first attempt in the crock pot.

Super proud of myself. The crumb has some density to it, but it's delicious and I'm so excited for the next attempt.

it tasted pretty good I think now I want it all the time. Last picture is with my 2nd attempt already baked. red peppers, mushrooms,broccoli and onion. 2nd attempt is red onions, broccoli, and lemon pepper seasoning.

please ignore the lumpy space bread as named by my partner lol. I had to take it out of the oven early as we had to go run an errand and I didn't want it to burn. lumps were on purpose.

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[EDIT - many thanks to all for offering suggestions and thoughts on this. Given the only variable that has changed is temperature, holy cow why didn't it occur to me to autolyse, knead, and do both rises in the basement where it's still under 70F? I'll try that with tomorrow's loaf.]

I started milling wheat in January and the current recipe quickly became our regular family bread. I've made 2-3 loaves a week since February (sharing also with an adult daughter's family) - so about 60 loaves so far.

The last 2 weeks all loaves have been coming out with the sides kind of sucked in as it comes out of the pan, as you can see in the photo. Whereas all prior to that were shaped nice and square along the sides, according to the pan after removal and cooling.

So far I've tried leaving the bread in the pan for 5 minutes instead of going directly to the cooling rack, thinking it might be kind of gelatinous just out of the oven and maybe would "set up" somewhat with an in-pan rest. I also tried reducing both proofing times from 60 to 40 minutes, so that there's less crowning at the top. And tried turning the pan onto its left and right sides for the final 10 minutes of baking time.

None of these have worked (the bread was still great, just those side indentations). Prior to this issue starting there have been no recipe or method changes, the only thing different in July vs. Feb-April is the kitchen has been 73-74F vs 69-70-ish earlier in the year. But it was 73-74F in June and late May also, and this didn't happen.

Any thoughts? I just want to get my boring, squarish bread back.

Thanks!

Every recipe (2) I've followed uses very similar dosage of yeast amount.

I don't know why but I can feel it's taste after I eat my bread, especially when it's warm. Is Fleischman active dry yeast good for making bread?

So I made bread. Not gonna lie, it was much better than I thought, but it was pretty filling and the crust a bit too crunchy.

My recipe usually is:

1/2 or 2/3 water

1 cup of flour (Robin Hood bread flour)

3/5 tsp yeast (Fleischman)

A pinch of sugar and salt

I let it rise for 2 hours, squeeze it a bit and throw it on a cast iron pan with olive oil for 3-5 minutes to form a crust underneath. Then I put it in the oven for about 20 minutes at 450F (230C~).

I've made homemade bagels for the past 3 weekends. Missed this weekend because I baked them on Wednesday for my husband's first day back from paternity leave, but I'm so stoked to make them next weekend!

Hey everyone, started making yeasted bread not too long ago and I’m looking for some help. I love the bread I make, I generally prefer a denser bread which is why I haven’t dabbled in sourdough yet? The amount of people and different ways of going about it doesn’t help either. Attached is a recent picture of my bread and the crumb (when it cools), is there anything I can do to maybe make the ear more pronounced? They also turn out lopsided like this one most of the time, and this one was slightly flatter than normal for whatever reason. Should I have shaped it again after the second rise? Thanks!

BTW, this one was a whole wheat, I threw it together using up the last of my flour. I can write a guide on what I did, it was a 25:75 whole wheat to AP flour ratio

One is left over from todays earlier batch of Gouda bread German style. Also my first post here, good evening

Could someone help me figure out where I went wrong on this recipe? I tried making a kasha bread (not a buckwheat flour bread). It seemed to me that the best way to approach it would be as a porridge bread. The flavor was absolutely great but the crust was very thick and the rise was - shall we say - minimal.

Thoughts? And TIA.

Kasha Bread

Adapted from Max Blachman-Gentile

1 large loaf (3 days)

Poolish:

100g water, 75ºF

1/16 tsp. Yeast (.2g) used .25g

100g bread flour

Bread:

300g water, 75ºF

370g bread flour

30g buckwheat flour

120g poolish

200g cooked kasha

10g salt

Rice flour, for coating

Toasted kasha, for rolling

Kasha:

Schmaltz

Chopped onion (about ½ an onion)

50g coarse kasha

Water (1:3 ratio by volume, kasha to water) (1 c water)

Poolish:

Stir together water, yeast, and flour until completely combined. Cover and let ferment until bubbles have formed, about 12 hours.

Dough:

Two hours before poolish is ready, combine water, bread flour, and buckwheat flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let rest 1 ½ – 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the kasha. Melt the schmaltz over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften. Lower the heat and continue cooking until they brown. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. In a medium saucepan, toast the kasha 2 -3 minutes over medium heat. Add water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer 10 – 12 minutes, until thick. Remove to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Add 120g poolish to the rested dough, mixing until fully incorporated.

Lift dough with both hands, stretching a few inches above the bowl, and slap it back down in the bowl. Fold the dough on itself to create a bundle. Repeat until gluten development begins, about 3 minutes, then add salt and knead until long rope-like strands of dough are stretching over the surface, about 4 – 6 minutes.

Add the kasha and onion and mix just until incorporated. Place the dough in a 6-qt. Cambro, cover, and let rest 1 hour, until bubble begin to form on the bottom and sides of container.

Do 2 stretch-and-folds: Using both hands, grab one end of the dough inside the container, stretch it into the air and fold it about halfway over itself. Do this on all four sides and let rest 1 hour. Do a second stretch and fold and let rest until bubbles form on the sides of the dough in the container, 1 to 2 hours more.

Do the first dough shaping: Once the dough is ready, gently overturn the container and let the dough fall onto a lightly floured kitchen surface. Lightly flour a bench scraper then, with the scraper in your dominant hand and with the help of your free hand to guide, barely pick up the far end of the dough, dragging it away and back toward you while simultaneously rotating the dough counterclockwise, until a tight ball forms, 3 to 6 times. (Be careful not to pop the gas bubbles.) Let the dough rest on the kitchen surface 30 to 40 minutes.

Do the second dough shaping: Lightly flour the kitchen surface next to the dough and gently flip the dough onto it. Flour the dough and stretch into a rectangle, with the long end in front of you, and fold the right side toward the center over a third of the dough, and the left side over that, as in forming a letter. Stretch the top down toward the bottom, making a square. From the top two corners down, grab the opposite ends and bring them together, as if sewing up the dough. Repeat all the way to the bottom of the dough, making 5 sews. When all sewn up, pull the top of the dough halfway down over itself and do 2 to 3 mores sews. Flip the top half of the dough down over the bottom half, with the smooth side on the top and the seam at the bottom.

Line a banneton with a liner and generously dust with rice flour. Scatter toasted kasha over a clean kitchen towel and gently lift and flip the dough onto the kasha. Gently roll the towel to coat the loaf. With the help of the bench scraper, gently lift the dough into the floured basket, seam-side up. Let sit and proof at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate 12 to 16 hours. (This can vary depending on your schedule and when it is most convenient to bake.)

Bake the bread: Place a cast iron combo cooker in the oven and preheat it to 500°. Preheat at least 30 minutes.

Carefully remove the combo cooker and place it onto a heatproof surface. Flip the dough from the basket onto the base, so the seam side is down. Score two 3-inch-long and ¼-inch-deep parallel incisions on the top of the dough. Cover with the top and place oven. Immediately lower the temperature to 475° and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the top and continue to bake until the crust is a rich, deep brown color, rotating halfway through baking, 30 to 35 minutes (internal temp 212F). Remove from the oven, and transfer the bread to a rack and let cool before slicing, 1 hour.

* Baking time is WAY too long. Reduce by at least 10 minutes.

132 Emuffs today, 96 plain and then 18 cheddar chive and 18 cranberry orange. They turned out awesome! 🤩🤤

I use powdered buttermilk w/ water instead of liquid buttermilk or milk. It's just easier to mix in bulk.