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Farm Kitchen:  Bread the MaryJane Way  |
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knittingmomma
True Blue Farmgirl
106 Posts
Tonya
Vermont
106 Posts |
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Ronna
True Blue Farmgirl
1891 Posts
Ronna
Fernley
NV
USA
1891 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 12:17:32 PM
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| A Lame works a bit different from a sharp knife or razor blade. It has a curved blade, which undercuts the top layer of dough, allowing it to expand without a big split in the crust $6.95 from King Arthur catalog with no shipping charge. A sharp knife or razor blade works, just not as well and can leave ragged edges in the crust. The trick is to get just a very thin layer and not split the loaf. |
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campchic
True Blue Farmgirl
312 Posts
Erin
Nebraska
USA
312 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 1:54:24 PM
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The french bread turned out wonderful!! Thanks Alee for the guidance and the recipe. I will add it to my recipe file!
Erin
Farmgirl #190
www.concrete-and-grace.blogspot.com |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 2:02:22 PM
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This afternoon I found a cast iron big loaf pan, and gotit for 12.00. It does not have a lid, but I plan to come up with something to cover it with while the dough is rising.....has anyone used a cast iron loaf pan?
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
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Cowgirl Jess
Farmgirl in Training
12 Posts
Jessie
Post Falls
ID
USA
12 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 2:25:12 PM
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jpbluesky It's not ideal but if you begin to bake your loaf (about 5min) it should be firm enough by then to place tin foil over it. You can re-use the foil each time until you can get a lid.
I wondered if anyone has tried the sourdough with gluten free flour? I am about to bake my first loaf using fresh milled organic brown rice, I think this week when I feed the starter I will need to use a different ratio of water to flour because it seems quite dense and dry - will let you know how it goes!
Also a note about the starters that are having difficulty getting going - I wondered if you are all using warm water when adding to the "Mother", mine is doing well but I always use lukewarm water, it helps her stay humid!
Do not worry about tomorrow, today has enough worries of it's own.
visit me at www.glutenfree4goofs.wordpress.com |
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Deni
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Deni
Columbia
MO
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 4:16:58 PM
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Hello and thanks for having me! I'm new to Mary Janes Farm. Picked up a copy of the mag - first time I've seen it in Missouri - a little over 2 weeks ago. BECAUSE of the Artisan Bread cover - mostly! So I immediately went to my local health food store and bought three kinds of organic (yes, whole wheat) flour, bread, pastry and just plain.
I followed the directions for week one carefully, up until time to bake it. Then I overbeat it - even put it in my standing mixer because the starter went from workable to stiff too fast - and undoubtedly killed the poor thing. I let it rise - well, sit - over 8 hours, then baked it and ate it anyway. It tasted good.
On to week two: now covered with damp cloth, looked bubbly and great every day - smells just like sourdough should. Put the bread together this morning. Again, the flour seemed to dry it out, but I put it in a caster iron pot this time (oh, yeah, last week I put it on parchment) and put it close to a light bulb to help with warmth. I waved my magic wand over it and left it alone. Five hours later it appeared exactly as before.
So I heated the cast iron lid over a burner, turned the burner off and put the lid on and moved the pot onto the warm spot on the stove top. I also turned on the oven.
I feel like the starter is doing just fine, except for making the bread rise. Should I use less flour? What about kneading it a little more. Does that help or hurt? I've read about 8 pages of posts from the beginning and a few from more recently. I hope this isn't really redundant.
I really loved my first exposure to MJF. Found it inspirational. I'm happy to be joining such enterprising and industrious women.
Thanks for the assistance.
sunshinedreamkitchen.blogspot.com |
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khartquilt
True Blue Farmgirl
1176 Posts
USA
1176 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 4:18:06 PM
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Well I made my second loaf yesterday. Well, it was more of a rock then a loaf. I dont know what went wrong. My starter is much more looser. It smells great. But after adding the flour, It did not raise. And It was terrible. But...I am not giving up. I will try again next weekend. By then I should have my smaller pot. I am currently using a 6 quart roaster.
Kathy H
Farmgirl Sister #81
"To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world..." (anomymous)
http://khartquilt.blogspot.com |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 4:35:23 PM
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wow - this is really an art, isn't it? All kinds of results, some so easy, and others not so much. I hope I can make it work! My daughter and I both started ours today....it will be fun to compare our results since we live in the same climate.
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
Edited by - jpbluesky on Feb 15 2009 4:36:48 PM |
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Quintessential Kate
True Blue Farmgirl
175 Posts
Kate
Tyler
TX
USA
175 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 4:57:36 PM
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Welcome from Texas, Deni!!! You're gonna love it here.
Ciao, Kate
Heart of Texas
Chapter
AKA: Hot Farmgirl #234
http://quintessentialkate.blogspot.com
Today is my best day! |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22937 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22937 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 5:07:28 PM
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Deni- I believe that whole wheat has a much harder time rising then white flour. It will almost always create a denser bread and I think the yeast have a harder time accessing the energy from the wheat. Maybe as your starter continues to mature it will do better?
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our blog: www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 5:43:18 PM
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Deni you really should be using white flour for your starter. If you want a wheat bread add wheat flour when you mix to bake. It has something to do with gluten and blah,blah, balh! Also take a look at the picture in the magazine. I fear many of us may be adding too much flour. It should look moist like the picture. Remember this is a NO KNEAD bread so the properties of the dough may be slightly different than what you are used to.
Farmgirl Sister #17
Blog
www.willowtreecreek.wordpress.com
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 5:45:27 PM
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All right girls I have a YUMMY recipe to share again this weekend!
Sourdough Bagels
1 Cup starter
1/4 Cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
1/4 Cup warm water
2 tsp. Salt
2 – 2 1/2 Cups flour
Egg
Spices and seeds for topping.
Salt for water (about 1/8 cup)
In a handled mixing bowl combine starter, oil, water, 2 tsp. of salt and the flour. Start with 2 cups and add more if needed. Mix dough with a spoon. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead just until all the flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth. Place dough in a bowl and cover with a moist towel. Allow to rise several hours or overnight. Turn dough out and divide into 8 equal pieces for standard bagels or 4 – 6 pieces for jumbo bagels. Work each piece of dough into a pancake shape, poke a hole in the middle with your finger and shape the bagel. Set aside and repeat for each bagel. Allow bagels to rest about 30 minutes. While bagels rest, preheat your oven to 425 and put on a big pot of water to boil. This is also a good time to mix up your topping(see below). When water has come to a boil add 1/8 cup of salt to the water and stir well. Making sure you maintain a full boil add bagels 2-4 at a time (depending on the size of your pot) to the boiling water. Boil 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a rack. Repeat. Mix an egg until light yellow and brush over the tops of the slightly cooled bagels. Bake plain or dip into a spice and seed mixture. Place on a sheet pan coated with cornmeal and bake 12 – 15 minutes or until golden in color.
Toppings
You can use your imagination with the toppings or you can leave your bagels plain. For my bagels I used a combination of black pepper, kosher salt, poppy seeds, dill seeds and onion powder.
These have a wonderful thin crunchy outside and a moist chewey center! They were so good!
Enjoy!
Farmgirl Sister #17
Blog
www.willowtreecreek.wordpress.com
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Edited by - willowtreecreek on Feb 16 2009 10:45:27 AM |
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Deni
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Deni
Columbia
MO
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 7:30:13 PM
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Kate, Alee, Julie -- Thanks for the welcome and advice. Here is the update on my bread -- it made!! Yes, indeed, 8 hours and an increase in heat caused it to double. I think that's fabulous. And it is all-wheat. I think using the pastry flour really helped. I haven't used white flour in so long - even unbleached - that I was willing to be experimental. But, I think I will get some and add it to my Mother.
Anyway - looking forward to homebaked sourdough this week. Will let you know how it crumbs when it cools.
By the way - I saw the first Robin on Friday. Spring is surely on its way!
sunshinedreamkitchen.blogspot.com |
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 7:47:47 PM
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Wow glad to hear the wheat worked well for you!
The robins winter here so we see them all year. We do have some daffodils blooming though!
Farmgirl Sister #17
Blog
www.willowtreecreek.wordpress.com
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chessie
True Blue Farmgirl
403 Posts
Karen
Vista
CA
USA
403 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 9:00:07 PM
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Somebody asked...
....I use a cast iron loaf pan and i don't worry about not having a cover. I line the pan with parchment and put it to rise in my cold oven with the light on about 12 hours. I take it out to preheat oven and then back into hot oven to bake over a full muffin pan of water. Wonderful!
www.edgehillherbfarm.com "where the name is bigger than the farm, but no one seems to mind"
blog http://edgehillherbfarmer.spaces.live.com/default.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0
happy farmgirl #89 |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
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dkelewae
True Blue Farmgirl
1310 Posts
Diana
Saint Peters
MO
USA
1310 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2009 : 05:41:19 AM
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Deni-Welcome to MJF from a fellow Missourian! Glad to have you here with us :)
Yay-Hubby got me a cast iron dutch skillet so now I can jump in on the MJF bread bandwagon!
Diana
Farmgirl Sister #272
St. Peters MO
Country Girl trapped in the city!
http://farmgirldreams.blogspot.com/ |
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Sandra K. Licher
True Blue Farmgirl
1106 Posts
Sandra
Horseshoe Bend
Arkansas
1106 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2009 : 07:05:53 AM
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Well, months ago I tried MJ's recipe from her idea book and did not fare well at all! But I did not use organic flour so I finally found some. It is Hodgson Mill organic flour at Walmart of all places and I started my "Mother" yesterday afternoon about 3:00 p.m. I spent yesterday reading all 43 pages of this post and this time I will be using the right ingredients and having more patience! I am DETERMINED to have this work. Years ago I made starter in a mason jar with cheesecloth over it set outside in the summer and I used regular flour and had that starter for years but I don't remember the particulars anymore but when I saw Mary Jane's recipe I KNEW I wanted to get back to it. Thank you Julie, Ronna, Alee and Mary Jane and all of you for your posts...it is so inspiring to keep going until we are ALL successful which of course builds that confidence muscle which we can all use.
The recipes look fantastic and I will keep you updated on my progress too.
Shirley Jean...I think we started our starter on the same day so let's keep in touch! Good luck and happy, healthy bread-making to all!
P.S. Julie....I lived in Rockford for 13 years! Small world....and now I'm here in AR with y'all!
Sam in AR..... "It's a great life if you don't weaken!"
Farmgirl Sister #226
www.farmgirlsam.blogspot.com |
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pearlgirl
Farmgirl in Training
14 Posts
Lydia
Holland
MI
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2009 : 07:14:22 AM
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The beagles look wonderful! I would like to try them Julie, but your fractions all turned into question marks so I don't know how much of each ingredient to use. If you could re post them I would really appreciate it. Thanks so much, the pictures look beautiful.
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
Pro 31:30,31
http://pearlsgleanings.blogspot.com/
http://www.pearlgirl901.etsy.com/ |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2009 : 07:23:35 AM
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Day two for me - and I think I already see some mold forming on the sides of the bowl where the batter stayed after mixing it......but I added anyway, and will see tomorrow.....north Florida is highly famous for the ability to create mold.....we shall see! :)
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
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K-Falls Farmgirl
Chapter Leader
2096 Posts
Cheryl
Klamath Falls
Oregon
USA
2096 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2009 : 07:26:40 AM
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Deni, Welcome to our farmgirl site from Klamath falls Oregon. The bagels look delicious. I have posted this before but willsay it again..If your first batch doesnt turn out like you think it should , don't give up.. I have made several loaves and each one has gotten better. Follow MJ instructions and be patient.
Cheryl
Farmgirl #309
Almost daily posts at:
http://www.k-fallsfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
Come visit the barn at http://barndoorcreations.blogspot.com/
Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise',
I wash my mouth out with chocolate.
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2009 : 08:58:53 AM
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Lydia - they look fine to me and I am on a different computer at work right now. Is anyone else having touble viewing the Bagel Recipe?
What browser are you using Lydia?
Farmgirl Sister #17
Blog
www.willowtreecreek.wordpress.com
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Edited by - willowtreecreek on Feb 16 2009 09:09:47 AM |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22937 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22937 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2009 : 09:21:37 AM
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Yes, I can't read it either, Julie. I use Firefox but can see it in Internet Explorer. I would suggest re-typing them in the forum so they don't form the fractions. That way all could read them.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our blog: www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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chessie
True Blue Farmgirl
403 Posts
Karen
Vista
CA
USA
403 Posts |
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Deni
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Deni
Columbia
MO
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2009 : 09:32:36 AM
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Good Morning, Farmgirls. After resting yesterday, my Mother smelled particularly sour this morning. I gave it a stir and added UNbleached organic white flour - no lightning did not strike me, so I guess it's okay to have in the house - and changed tea towels. I started getting a spot or two of pennicilin (sp?) last week. I just removed it with a towel. I figured better to take it out than let it blossom. As my Mother matures she seems to separate, leaving water on top with a lumpy dry crust of flour, just a skim of flour really. Is that what y'all are experiencing. The first week this did not happen. Have I screwed up my water to flour ratio?
I too am having trouble with fractions in the recipe. I use Firefox as well.
Think I'll spend a minute today getting acquainted with some other forums. Any suggestions from you True Blues'? I'll throw down some info about me in the intro section, and learn more about you. Looking forward to forming rewarding relationships here in farmgirl land.
sunshinedreamkitchen.blogspot.com |
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Farm Kitchen: Bread the MaryJane Way |
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Bread the MaryJane Way
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