A New Bread from Old Ideas

This week's bread is a real hybrid of a number of methods and mixes from the last year of so of tinkering. I don't know what to call it! I suppose it's just a white bread with some whole grains, but the mix, along with the level of hydration and the time it spends in the oven are what make it unique and, to me, something of a special loaf!

Unnamed Bread

In the picture, you can see the effect of really baking this loaf out. Some people would say that this loaf is burnt, but it really isn't; it's just pushing the Maillard reaction, which is what makes food turn brown (meats as well as breads) and brings out flavors that would otherwise not be apparent in food.

I'm a really big fan of toasted sesame, so when I knew I was going to bake these out good, I couldn't resist adding a solid coating of sesame to the loaf. Boy, I really like it. I hope you did too!

For those of you who might be wondering "whatever happened to that bread slicer Chris was so excited about?" it's still in operation. However, I haven't yet figured out how to use it effectively. These high hydration breads that we make here tend to have really sticky crumbs, even after given the chance to cool completely. This ensures that after a couple of loaves are sliced, the blades get good and gummed up, a situation that takes a LONG time to remedy (imagine cleaning both sides of thirty bread knives that are affixed to the inside of a small box. Fun!). So until I figure it out, sliced loaves will be limited to one a day or so, and only on request. And only when I can satisfy the request. Ha!

Next week, we're thinking that it might be a good time to try out a new formula for a primarily white flour loaf. Stay tuned!