3.20.2004

A Miserable Failure

03/20/04 Sat Morning
1. starter, 150 g; water 225 g; unbleached white flour, 400g; mixed and let rest 20 minutes (autolyse).
2. added salt, 10 g and machine (KitchenAid) kneaded for 10 minutes.
3. let ferment 3 hours @ ca. 70F.
4. pre-shape, 15 minutes (deflate)
5. shape into boule, let rest one hour covered in muslin-lined basket.
6. into fridge 10 hours
7. removed from fridge, removed wrapping and covered with moist muslin towel, ca. 65F, 8 hours
8.dumped loaf onto peel, slashed
9. popped into 500F preheated (1 hour) oven, changed thermostat to450F and baked 45 min.

Results
Let's just say there's no pic here because the memory of this horrid experience will last a long time without the aid of a digital image. It took every bit of integrity I had to not scrap the entire entry.

The loaf had an awesome crust, it was about 661 g post-cooking weight and about 8" in diameter. But the taste was horrible. I think the last rise was too long. However, it was dead way before the last rise. The dough wasn't slack enough and the kneading was too short. I really like the way my bread machine kneads. I know this sounds like a cop out but I've had the best loaves when the machine kneaded it for a long time. Oh well. I'll continue to use my starter in the same way I was using a poolish.