There was a work potluck today to fête a departing nurse. I'd planned to bring some fancy bread, but forgot to start far enough in advance for optimal results. I wanted to make pain rustique from Jeffrey Hamelman's Bread, and to do it properly I should have started the biga yesterday morning before work. Then I could have made the dough when I got home, turned it a few times before going to sleep, retarded in the fridge overnight, then gotten up and shaped and baked it. As it was, I made the biga when I got home, so it only had 8 hours to ferment before I got up at 4 to make the dough. Then I slept in till 4:40, so was really pressed for time! I quickly made the dough before I had my tea, gave it a cursory bulk fermentation till 5:30, shaped it and let it rise while I took my bath, and got it baked just in time for me to take it with me at 6:30. It turned out pretty well, considering, but not as well as these loaves I made in May--the loaves with the immature dough got an unattractively dark crust, as well as not getting quite as big. They were a success at work anyway, as was the cherry jam and lemon ginger marmalade I brought to put on it.
2 comments:
They look pretty rustique to me. An pretty yummy as well. I bet your coworkers were amazed.
I love bread it is my favorite food!
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