I have been baking the bread for our family since we moved to our new house (February 2008). I grind the wheat to flour and make 100% whole grain bread. The bread is usually good to the taste, and it has slowly been getting more and more visually appealing. This week when I baked my loaves I think I acheived a real milestone: oven spring.
Oven spring refers to the final rising of the bread when placed in the hot oven for baking. Yes, all bread with properly functioning yeast will rise in the oven, but oven spring is more than that. Oven spring is a lofty acheivement that surprises you when you look in the oven. Oven spring is when loaves that rose only to mediocrity in the proof exceed their expected potential while baking. Oven spring makes you feel like you accomplished something beyond the hearty, homespun, brown loaf that you usualy create.
Can you tell I am pleased? I admit that I do sound like something of a gushing parent. I have some photos to share here, so I can refrain from walking around with them in my wallet.
See how nicely everything puffed up? The two smaller loaves on the bottom have a cinnamin/sugar swirl through them, hence the oozing. The small loaves on top rose so high they actually hit the top of the oven. I had some difficulty getting them out. They came out with a flat, brown circle on top from hitting the oven top.
Anyway, these are my brown beauties for the week. I hope you will enjoy your bread as much as I enjoy mine.
6 comments:
You are so awesome! I love that you grind the wheat for your bread. It looks delicious. You must have a gift as it takes some skill and patience to make bread; so I've heard. I haven't made any in a while. Great job!
Do you think I could get the recipe for your bread? Don't worry....I haven't given up on our recipe exchange....I've had visitors at my house, but I'll be sending you a recipe shortly. :)
Mix 4 cups of hot water (I use the hottest I can get from my tap), 1/2 cup powdered milk, 1 tablespoon of salt and 5 heaping tablespoons of sugar until dissolved. Add about 4 cups of flour. Add 1/2 cup of melted margarine or butter. Add 3 cups flour. Then add 2 tablespoons of instant yeast. Add the rest of the flour, about 3 cups or so. Keep your kneading attachment on and let the dough knead for 5-10 minutes longer, until it's smooth and elastic. If it's too sticky, add a little more flour and knead a little longer. Then transfer the dough into an oiled bowl and let it raise in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour. After it raises (about twice the original size) divide it into 3 balls. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Punch it down and form into loaves. Raise in greased pans for about 20 minutes or less. While they're raising, preheat the oven to 400. Bake on 400 for 13 minutes, then turn down the oven to 350 and bake 13 more minutes. Take them out of the pans right after they come out of the oven.
It is Kiersten's recipe and instructions. It's about a 10 cup recipe, although I usually end up closer to 11. I use all whole wheat flour. You should make it. It's really good.
I stil have not made any bread! I tried homemade rolls this weekend and they ended up flat hard bread nuggets! Aweful!! I couldn't get them to rise with it being cold! HOW DO YOU DO IT!!!! I DONT GET IT!! You are so amazing and I want some of that gooy bread!! Yum!!
I can't believe that's my recipe! My bread doesn't look like that! What's your trick? I will have to say that this last time it turned out better, but not like that! You use hard white wheat, right? It would probably help if I had more of that. I have noticed that it doesn't turn out as well with the hard red.
Gorgeous loaves! I get really excited about this stuff too. My 100% WW bread adventures haven't been as successful. I think I'll try your recipe.
Shelley Z.
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