Easy crusty bread tip

[Saber 4]

tail, I've done that too and found the other day that taking an old school basting brush (hair type) will knock most of that excess flour off after you bake.

I do that also, sometimes I use the edge of a butter knife to scrape any thick spots of flour off the bottom of the loaf.

[tailfeathers]

Bump


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[renoman]

OK.... I have tried this bread recipe twice this weekend. The pics looked soooooo good. Maybe I was expecting too much but my first try I did with jalapenos and cheese and it turned out very heavy and not really cooked through so I thought maybe my yeast was old (around the expiration date) so I bought a new batch and tried it with just the flour, salt, yeast and water. Well it was somewhat better but still a bit heavy/wettish. Is that what it is supposed to be like or am I missing somthing here?

[Snoopy]

i had it like that once and it's because i didn't have enough yeast in it, kind of eye balled it and was off, all my other ones come out pretty airy(holes) on the inside. I wouldn't say light by any means but not what your is sounding like. your baking 30 lid on and 15 lid off at 450?

[Saber 4]

Also if you don't give it at least 12 hours to rise in a not to cold place it won't be able to rise enough. I've changed the way I knead it and how long I let it rise before heating the oven compared to the recipe. I now only flip the dough with the scrapper about 3-4 times and shape it into a log for my long cloche. then I start pre-heating the oven before I put the pan in to heat up for it's 30 minute pre-heat. This seems to give me a larger more airy loaf and I only cook mine uncovered for 8-10 minutes to get the level of crusty that I like. Hope that helps, let us know if we can help anymore.

[Snoopy]

oh yeah, that would do it too, i was in a rush once and baked mine with less then twelve and they were a little heavier, still good but not as "fluffy" inside.

[renoman]

Also if you don't give it at least 12 hours to rise in a not to cold place it won't be able to rise enough. I've changed the way I knead it and how long I let it rise before heating the oven compared to the recipe. I now only flip the dough with the scrapper about 3-4 times and shape it into a log for my long cloche. then I start pre-heating the oven before I put the pan in to heat up for it's 30 minute pre-heat. This seems to give me a larger more airy loaf and I only cook mine uncovered for 8-10 minutes to get the level of crusty that I like. Hope that helps, let us know if we can help anymore.

Saber, First batch I made willy-nilly second one I followed the recipe to a tee. Let sit for 24 hours and then 30 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered. The crust was very good but the dough was still wettish. The dough rose very nicely and I left it in my oven on "bread proof" (100) but when I take it out of the bowl just before putting it in the pre heated pot it just goes flat and doesn't rise at all again. The second batch I let sit on the counter ready for the oven while waiting for the pot to heat up.

[Saber 4]

Also if you don't give it at least 12 hours to rise in a not to cold place it won't be able to rise enough. I've changed the way I knead it and how long I let it rise before heating the oven compared to the recipe. I now only flip the dough with the scrapper about 3-4 times and shape it into a log for my long cloche. then I start pre-heating the oven before I put the pan in to heat up for it's 30 minute pre-heat. This seems to give me a larger more airy loaf and I only cook mine uncovered for 8-10 minutes to get the level of crusty that I like. Hope that helps, let us know if we can help anymore.

Saber, First batch I made willy-nilly second one I followed the recipe to a tee. Let sit for 24 hours and then 30 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered. The crust was very good but the dough was still wettish. The dough rose very nicely and I left it in my oven on "bread proof" (100) but when I take it out of the bowl just before putting it in the pre heated pot it just goes flat and doesn't rise at all again. The second batch I let sit on the counter ready for the oven while waiting for the pot to heat up.

100 might be to much heat especially with temp swings in the oven like an unmodified Bradley. I shoot for a proofing area temp of 65-75 F. I have used the oven compartment with no heat on since I use a plastic mixing bowl with success. Are you using unbleached AP flour or regular AP flour? The bleached AP may not rise as much but I don't know that for a fact, but all the no knead recipes are pretty specific so I assume there's a good reason for it. Here are some pictures I dug up from a previous loaf, I don't have one of the dough after it comes out of the bowl, but I'll try to take some the next time I make a loaf if it will help you compare to yours.

Here it is mixed and ready to rest/rise.



Here it is after 18 hours of rising.



And this is the loaf it made



Hope this helps, we'll stick with it till you get it the way that you want it. :)

[tailfeathers]

Also if you don't give it at least 12 hours to rise in a not to cold place it won't be able to rise enough. I've changed the way I knead it and how long I let it rise before heating the oven compared to the recipe. I now only flip the dough with the scrapper about 3-4 times and shape it into a log for my long cloche. then I start pre-heating the oven before I put the pan in to heat up for it's 30 minute pre-heat. This seems to give me a larger more airy loaf and I only cook mine uncovered for 8-10 minutes to get the level of crusty that I like. Hope that helps, let us know if we can help anymore.

Saber, First batch I made willy-nilly second one I followed the recipe to a tee. Let sit for 24 hours and then 30 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered. The crust was very good but the dough was still wettish. The dough rose very nicely and I left it in my oven on "bread proof" (100) but when I take it out of the bowl just before putting it in the pre heated pot it just goes flat and doesn't rise at all again. The second batch I let sit on the counter ready for the oven while waiting for the pot to heat up.

100 might be to much heat especially with temp swings in the oven like an unmodified Bradley. I shoot for a proofing area temp of 65-75 F. I have used the oven compartment with no heat on since I use a plastic mixing bowl with success. Are you using unbleached AP flour or regular AP flour? The bleached AP may not rise as much but I don't know that for a fact, but all the no knead recipes are pretty specific so I assume there's a good reason for it. Here are some pictures I dug up from a previous loaf, I don't have one of the dough after it comes out of the bowl, but I'll try to take some the next time I make a loaf if it will help you compare to yours.

Here it is mixed and ready to rest/rise.



Here it is after 18 hours of rising.



And this is the loaf it made



Hope this helps, we'll stick with it till you get it the way that you want it. :)

Saber were those photos taken before you got your cloche?


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[Saber 4]

Yes, they were one of my first loaves if not the first one I did. I don't think I have taken any pictures of the dough since I got my cloche and wanted to give renoman something to compare to as quickly as I could without waiting for a batch to rise. I've been looking for a CL deal on an enameled dutch oven so I have the option of making round loaves as well as the long ones and I don't like the way the flour seems to dry out the seasoning on my cast iron dutch oven.

[tailfeathers]

That stoneware cloche is about the best Christmas present I ever bought myself. Man I love that thing!


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[Saber 4]

That stoneware cloche is about the best Christmas present I ever bought myself. Man I love that thing!


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I love mine so much that I got a second one for Christmas this year so I can make 2 loaves at one time. And with the trick someone, Snoopy I think it was gave me about putting the lids on the side in the oven while the first 2 loaves are cooking I can do a follow up 2 loaves without a 30 minute rewarm up of the cloche.

[Smokin Soon]

For you folks that seem to be baking more than occasionally and have access to a Cash & Carry, they have an excellent bread flour called "Morbread" by Pendleton Mills. I was using the "Better For Bread" brand, but it got a little pricey. The Morbread is just under $10 for a 25 lb bag. A "bread flour" will always give a better rise.

[renoman]

Here is my loaf or what's left of it. It looks similar but it was doughy.

[Saber 4]

Looks like a good loaf to me reno, it's going to be a little chewier than a French loaf and more like a sourdough loaf.