u/Good-Ad-5320

Several months ago, I gave my first try at Kubaneh, a Yemenite Jewish bread :
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Breadit/s/mbwNIwKa5n\](https://www.reddit.com/r/Breadit/s/mbwNIwKa5n).

It was really good, but I used too much dough for my mold size, so the bread was a bit dense. Today I tried again, using the same recipe but scaled down a bit. I used 400 gr of flour instead of 500 gr (keeping the original ratios ofc), and decided to add some ghee that was sitting in my fridge (about 30-40 gr). I also divided the dough into 8 portions instead of 6. Otherwise, same process as my first try, but I used a 12% protein flour this time.

The result is a beautiful loaf, obviously quite buttery but not too much. The crust is crunchy, the crumb very soft … pure bliss !

If you’re seeking to try an original bread, give it a try, it’s easy and delicious !

I tweaked my water challah recipe (based on challah prince recipe) to include a poolish, trying to get a more complex flavor profile. I made one with 20% poolish last week and today I tried 30%. Wonderful result, texture is still on point, incredibly soft and stringy crumb, and definitely more flavor. Subbed a part of the sugar with honey.

A bit less volume than without poolish but this is expected. I might try 35% poolish using a stronger flour to make up for the loss of structure.

RECIPE :

Poolish : 150 gr flour (bread flour 12% protein), 150 gr water, 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast. Mix and let it at room temp (26°C) for 2 hours then fridge (4°C) overnight.

Dough :
All the poolish
Flour : 350 gr (100 gr Manitoba 14% protein, 250 gr 12% bread flour).
Water : 60 gr
Sunflower oil : 50 gr
Honey : 35 gr
Sugar : 15 gr
Salt : 10 gr
Instant dry yeast : 5 gr
Dough improver : 4 gr

Process (KitchenAid 6,9L bowl-lift) :
3 minutes on speed 1 to combine, 10 minutes on speed 2, 10 minutes rest, 5-6 minutes on speed 3. 1h30 proofing, pre-shaping into logs, 4 braid shaping, 2h final proofing. Eggwash with 1 yolk and heavy cream (I am not Jewish btw).
Baked at 175°C (without fan) for 35°C.

J’ai réalisé beaucoup de hallots depuis que j’ai commencé à faire du pain il y maintenant 3 ans, et bien que toujours très satisfait du résultat, j’ai récemment eu envie de lui donner plus de goût.

J’ai donc essayé d’y incorporer un pré-ferment, la poolish (ici à hauteur de 30% de la farine totale). J’ai donc retiré une partie de l’eau et de la farine de ma recette pour réaliser la poolish, la veille. 150 gr d’eau, 150 gr de farine de gruau, et une belle pincée de levure sèche instantanée (1/4 de teaspoon US). 2 heures de fermentation à température ambiante (26°C) puis une nuit au frigo. Le lendemain, la poolish est à pleine maturité, bien bulleuse avec une super odeur.

Recette :
- Toute la poolish
- Farine : 350 gr (dont 100 gr de farine forte type Manitoba 14% de protéines, et 250 gr de farine de gruau 12% de protéines).
- Eau : 60 gr
- Huile de tournesol : 50 gr
- Miel d’acacia : 35 gr
- Sucre : 15 gr
- Sel : 10 gr
- Levure sèche instantanée : 5 gr
- Améliorant de pâte : 4 gr

Pétrissage au kitchenaid pendant 3 min en vitesse 1, 10 min en vitesse 2, 10 min de repos puis 5-6 min en vitesse 3. Première pousse d’1h30 à 26°C, faconnage à 4 tresses, deuxième pousse pendant 2h. Dorure au jaune d’oeuf et crème liquide, cuisson à 175°C chaleur statique pendant 35 minutes.

Super content du résultat, la mie est toujours incroyablement moelleuse et filante, et le goût est significativement plus prononcé. Le pain garde un bon volume malgré l’utilisation de la poolish, surement grâce à l’incorporation de la farine de Manitoba et une légère réduction de l’hydratation.

Bref c’est une tuerie absolue !

I tweaked my water challah recipe to include a poolish, trying to get a more complex flavor profile. I made one with 20% poolish last week and today I tried 30%. Wonderful result, texture is still on point, incredibly soft and stringy crumb, and definitely more flavor. Subbed a part of the sugar with honey.

A bit less volume than without poolish but this is expected. I might try 35% poolish using a stronger flour to make up for the loss of structure.

RECIPE :

Poolish : 150 gr flour (bread flour 12% protein), 150 gr water, 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast. Mix and let it at room temp (26°C) for 2 hours then fridge (4°C) overnight.

Dough :
All the poolish
Flour : 350 gr (100 gr Manitoba 14% protein, 250 gr 12% bread flour).
Water : 60 gr
Sunflower oil : 50 gr
Honey : 35 gr
Sugar : 15 gr
Salt : 10 gr
Instant dry yeast : 5 gr
Dough improver : 4 gr

Process (KitchenAid 6,9L bowl-lift) :
3 minutes on speed 1 to combine, 10 minutes on speed 2, 10 minutes rest, 5-6 minutes on speed 3. 1h30 proofing, pre-shaping into logs, 4 braid shaping, 2h final proofing. Eggwash with 1 yolk and heavy cream.
Baked at 175°C (without fan) for 35°C.

Après 1 année de pause, j’ai réhydraté mon levain il y a 3 semaines.

Après quelques essais et corrections, voici le résultat du pain de ce dimanche !!

La mie est juste parfaite, ni trop dense ni trop ouverte, et la croûte est très croustillante, délicieuse !

Le faconnage aurait pu être mieux exécuté pour obtenir une miche homogène, mais ca viendra avec la pratique.

J’attends vos avis avec impatience !!

On friday I asked Breadit how to get a more open crumb : https://www.reddit.com/r/Breadit/s/i84U5tAURJ (includes recipe).

I followed the advices, and damn it worked so well !!

I used 140 gr of starter instead of 130 gr, and pushed hydration a bit more (70% instead of 65%). Still kneading with my kitchenaid, but this times I added a couple of S&F. Average dough temp during BF was around 25 and 26ºC. Total BF time 6h30.

Gently preshaped and shaped (batard) before going into a cake mold covered with a kitchen towel and rice flour (I don’t have a banneton). I let the dough proof at room temp (24,5ºC) for 2h30 before going into my (very cold) fridge for the night. Open baked with steam on a pizza stone for 45 min at 230ºC (static). I let the bread cool down for 3 hours on a rack before slicing.

This crumb is perfection to me, not too dense but not too opened. Shaping could be better to get an homogenous loaf but that will come with practice.

Thank you so much to everyone that gave some advices on my previous post, this is why I use Reddit !!

On friday I asked Breadit how to get a more open crumb : https://www.reddit.com/r/Breadit/s/i84U5tAURJ

I followed you guys advices, and damn it worked so well !!

I used 140 gr of starter instead of 130 gr, and pushed hydration a bit more (70% instead of 65%). Still kneading with my kitchenaid, but this times I added a couple of S&F. Average dough temp during BF was around 25 and 26ºC. Total BF time 6h30.

Gently preshaped and shaped (batard) before going into a cake mold covered with a kitchen towel and rice flour (I don’t have a banneton). I let the dough proof at room temp (24,5ºC) for 2h30 before going into my (very cold) fridge for the night. Open baked with steam on a pizza stone for 45 min at 230ºC (static). I let the bread cool down for 3 hours on a rack before slicing.

This crumb is perfection to me, not too dense but not too opened. Shaping could be better to get an homogenous loaf but that will come with practice.

Thank you so much to everyone that gave some advices on my previous post, this is why I use Reddit !!

I rehydrated my starter 3 weeks ago, after a year of pause. A bit sluggish at the beginning, but now it’s strong and healthy.

I really wanted to try baking sourdough in my shokupan mold (seems easier than open bake or dutch oven), using my standmixer AND skipping cold fermentation (yeah I love taking shortcuts, please don’t judge). I aimed for a low hydration since I had trouble last year with 70%+ loaves. I have a hard time getting some decent flours.

Recipe :
- 130 gr starter
- 650 gr flour (90% bread flour / 10% whole wheat)
- 400 gr water
- 13 gr salt

1 hour autolyse (just flour and water).
Added starter and salt and kneaded with bowl lift kitchen aid for around 15 minutes until smooth (I wanted to skip the stretch and fold).
Bulk fermentation at ~27ºC for ~5h30. Preshaped (gently), 15 min bench rest, shaped (gently) and placed into the loaf pan. Proofed at ~27ºC for ~1h30, placed into freezer during oven preaheating (25 min). Fucked up the scoring because my scalpel is dull. Baked at ~220ºC (static) for ~1 hour, with steam. Rested on a rack for 1h30 before slicing.

The bread is very good, crumb is not gummy, crust is perfect.

However, I would like to achieve a slightly more open crumb. I’ve read than low hydration and open crumb are compatible. But how ?

Should I switch back to stretch and fold ?

How does the crumb look to you ?

Could this be more fermented ?

Waiting for your advices !!