I won't take a long time to write about it right now (I will later, and I have plenty of things to write about the other breads between the last post and this), but I thought I'd let you all know that this afternoon I baked bread #43 of the Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge: Roasted… Continue reading #43 at 45
Category: BBA Challenge
Potato Rosemary Bread – BBA Challenge bread 28
I was feeling a bit disheartened after the last few breads. I enjoyed the Pizza Napoletana, but it had been since Pane Siciliana and Pain a l'Ancienne that I had made a bread we really adored and I was beginning to wonder if I'd make a transcendent loaf again. Thank goodness for Potato Rosemary Bread!… Continue reading Potato Rosemary Bread – BBA Challenge bread 28
Portuguese Sweet Bread – BBA Challenge bread 27
I'll admit right now that it's all my fault that this bread didn't turn out to be anything interesting. The pictures in the book look tantalizingly attractive: a dark, matte crust, with a fluffy, white interior. It looked like a bread we all could love. But when I read the recipe and saw lemon and… Continue reading Portuguese Sweet Bread – BBA Challenge bread 27
Poolish Baguettes – BBA Challenge bread 26
In his introduction to this recipe, Peter Reinhart writes, "...the poolish baguette made at the original Ganachaud Boulangerie was the second best baguette I ever had (the first being the pain a l'ancienne of Philippe Gossellin")." I feel the same is true of these baguette recipes in The Bread Baker's Apprentice. What I appreciate most… Continue reading Poolish Baguettes – BBA Challenge bread 26
Pizza Napoletana – BBA Challenge bread 25
It seems like I'm on a perpetual quest for the perfect pizza dough. My idea of a perfect pizza is a thin, crisp crust (not necessarily brittle and crunchy all the way through, though I like that style at times), with a delicate layer of sauce and just a few toppings. I'm not into the… Continue reading Pizza Napoletana – BBA Challenge bread 25
Panettone – BBA Challenge bread 24
Regular readers may remember an earlier post where I expressed some trepidation about the BBA Panettone recipe. I'm not enamored of fruit and nut laden breads, and less so of fruit soaked in booze. But I forged ahead because it was the next recipe in the Bread Baker's Apprentice and I'm here to bake the… Continue reading Panettone – BBA Challenge bread 24
BBA Challenge update
For those of you playing along, here are the stats: I've blogged up through bread #23 (Pane Siciliano). This week, I'm revisiting bread #20 (Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire). Also this week, I'm also baking bread #41 (Whole-Wheat Bread). A friend recently gave me some fresh duck eggs, which make the best Challah, so I might be… Continue reading BBA Challenge update
Pane Siciliano – BBA Challenge bread 23
I was immediately attracted to this bread for its shape. Those elegant S-curves looked beautiful in the Bread Baker's Apprentice picture, and the view of the bread slices reminded me one of my favorite breads as a teenager: the Italian "Scali bread" I found in Boston area grocery stores. I don't know if Scali bread… Continue reading Pane Siciliano – BBA Challenge bread 23
Pain de Campagne – BBA Challenge bread 22
I found Pain de Campagne an unremarkable, but pleasant country-style loaf. It uses a very large amount of pre-ferment, and a small amount of whole grain flour (I used whole wheat, but rye flour is also acceptable). The method is straightforward and familiar: mix the pâte fermentée the night before, allow to ferment, and then… Continue reading Pain de Campagne – BBA Challenge bread 22