On Baking Bread

This is the raw dough in its first for ready to go into the 18 hour rising.

This is the dough after it has risen 18 hours. That saran wrap dome is very tight and isn't it beautiful!

The dough gets turned out onto the work surface and dusted with flour and coarse bran, then folded six times with a rising in between. The oven gets pre-heated for 2 hours at 500 degrees and the cast iron dutch oven goes in after the first hour. So when the boule is ready to be cooked, the cover of the dutch oven is removed and the dough is carefully put in and re-covered. Then the cooking is begun.


This is the result. I am pleased. But the next loaf, I will cook it for another ten minutes. The crust was not quite hard enough. Looks great though!


I am baking bread. A whole new method. Very interesting. The first rising is 18 hours in a glass bowl which I just happen to have. Then I created a bread canvas which will not be washed but re-used over and over if this technique works. It calls for coarse bran which I had but is a little old and I have to get some new bran. It is now baking in the oven in my cast iron dutch oven. totally fascinating. I tried to take pictures but the process of getting it from its third rising into the pot, covered and into the oven was a little awkward and I didn't get a picture. Next time. If it comes out well tonight, I will be making it again on Christmas Eve and will take pictures again.

I have made thousands of loaves of bread in my life. I have failed her in the West. Totally different atmosphere. I am going to master Portland bread this new year.

OK. The timer just went off. The loaf is out of the dutch oven. It is a beautiful color and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Can't cut into it. Too hot.

Will post later. Pray for success ~~~~~~~