re: Making Artisanal Bread

2nd loaf finished. Scored it a little different.

Is it sourdough? If so, the crumb will dry a bit as it ages.

Room temp, covered by a clean dish towel. That will keep the crust firm. If you wrap in plastic or seal airtight, the crust will soften and the loaf will sweat and is more likely to mild. I usually turn the cut side down onto a plate or cutting board and cover w a tea towel and put in the breadbox (a metal box w some air holes).

Note that this bread will stale: texture will change over the next few days. If you’ve baked more than you can eat in 3-4 days, slice as you like and freeze.

I noticed some gas bubbles when I was shaping but rather than popping them, I thought holes weren’t necessarily a bad thing. Will keep in mind for next time. Thanks for tips!

I'm sure there are better ways to do it, but I just throw some tin-foil over the bread during baking if it's getting too dark for my liking.

If you don’t want hard crust, then make a different kind of bread. The whole point of lean breads baked inside of a steam trapping vessel is that crust. A loaf that rests overnight in the fridge will develop a slightly thicker crust as well.

There is a whole world of enriched loaves to explore. Try baking a pain de mie (enriched French style sandwich loaf). Here is a sourdough pain de mie: LINK. And a non sourdough PdeM: LINK

ETA: you might try putting the loaf into a plastic bag.....the crust will soften. I dislike a loaf that has a flaccid crust, but it’s your bread, treat it how you like.

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Ah, ok. I was assuming it was cooking time. Good to know. Think i'll make another loaf next weekend.

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Look for recipes that include some tenderizing ingredients: eggs, oil or fat like butter, milk, dry milk solids, potato starch, etc. These will make the crust and crumb soft and tender, and most will bake in a loaf pan or on a sheet pan. No closed pot needed.

Maybe try a loaf of challah. Easy, keeps fresh longer thanks to the leithicin in egg yolks, and it’s fun to shape into a braid.

Looks like you knocked it out of the park! Very nice oven spring, nice open but not too irregular crumb. Now try adding some toasted seeds after your first stretch and fold: sunflower, flax, sesame. Etc. or a combination. Adding nuts or seeds to a lean sourdough loaf is a sneaky way of adding good fat: the oils in the nits/seeds cook into the loaf during baking, adding a layer of flavor from the inside out. Plus crunch.

Now to explore the world of “what in the hell doI do with all of this bread?” Bread crumbs, Italian panzanella salad, croutons, ribollita (bread/veg soup), vegetables stuffed with homemade breadcrumbs, killer grilled ham n cheese, avocado toast, fried eggs on toast......

I quit preheating the pot long ago. Quite a few people have tested preheated vs heated pots and the differences are negligible.

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hungryone

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Can you comment on this starter feeding schedule?

LINK

It seems easier and uses less flour. It would be using whole wheat.

I’m not trying to make competition level bread just a solid loaf so that I can get the health benefits of sourdough