While this glorious Monday was nonstop from beginning to end it did not feel nearly as busy as the last few weeks. Some degree of routine and adjustment must be settling in. I even felt energized and motivated at the very end of my day, after class and work, and while this is my final task of the day I am not left feeling exhausted. These are all great things!!!
Bread, bread, bread...anyone know how or why bread and money are linked in our society? Money=bread & dough. I gather from this at some point bread was of great value. Then again I always though bread was more common among the very poor since all they could afford was the flour. History lesson aside today was about many different types of bread; we made more croissant dough (to be baked off tomorrow), more baguettes (which we cut differently), a white wheat lean dough (of which no one really knows why its called a lean dough), and we started a batch of bagels and a batch of Cibatta.
Each of these doughs is of, mostly, different textures, there are different ways of handling the dough, each getting folded at different times, and rolled out in different ways. While there was much to soak in the only thought that kept running through my head was, "how come with all this bread making we don't have to knead the dough?". I thought bread making required lots and lots of kneading. I knew in my heart of hearts that with all the information I've learned up to this point I probably already know the answer but after hours of wondering if what I thought might be the answer was correct I just asked Chef. In the technological age we have the gift of stand mixers with dough hooks and so there's little to no need for kneading. There is always the option to mix the dough until blended and then knead it to the proper consistency but I like living in this wonderful technological age and so I say Viva la Stand Mixer!!!!
The only things we baked today were our baguettes which we made somewhat differently:
I think its the cut that's called Epi. Its either that or the loaf is called Epi when it's cut this way....slight difference & I'm not sure which is correct. Either way I really like this cut on the bread. This was just my first try so the more I practice you'll get to see what it's supposed to look like :)
Now, how about some baked potatoes (random right?), well check these out:
You may, or may not, be surprised to learn that these are NOT baked potatoes. They are, in fact, my white wheat lean dough rolls. What the hell happened to these little buggars? Good freakin' question. When I asked Chef he said it was a result of something going wrong with the steam in the oven, or how it was applied.
While I hung out in the background of class today I did not put myself in charge of baking any items. I made space for others to step up and learn and practice. There was a slight mix up, though, regarding which type of bread was to be baked in which oven. Considering these rolls were not baked in the proper oven and the steam wasn't generated correctly I give you "potato bread"???
Off to bed I go to begin again tomorrow. G'night!
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