mchapman/the-sourdough-framework
1
0
Fork 0
mirror of https://github.com/hendricius/the-sourdough-framework synced 2025-11-10 21:21:12 -06:00
Code Issues Actions Packages Projects Releases Wiki Activity

Bread types + Flat bread recipe (#15)

Browse Source 
This adds the different bread types section including the flat bread recipe.

The flat bread is the most simple and easiest type of bread you can
make.
This commit is contained in:
Hendrik Kleinwaechter
2022-07-22 18:25:21 +02:00
committed by GitHub
parent 10c8ff1417
commit 1b29e32168
14 changed files with 344 additions and 4 deletions
Download Patch File Download Diff File Expand all files Collapse all files

333
book/bread-types/bread-types.tex Normal file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,333 @@
In this chapter you will learn about different bread types
and their advantages and disadvantages.
At the end of this chapter
you can find a very simple flat bread recipe. This is probably
the most accessible, least effort type of bread you can make.
If you are a busy person and/or don't have an oven this might
be exactly the type of bread you should consider.
\begin{table}[htp!]
\centering
\resizebox{\textwidth}{!}{%
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|l|l|}
\hline
& \textbf{Flat bread} & \textbf{Loaf pan bread} & \textbf{Free standing bread} \\ \hline
\textbf{Cooking method} & Fire, pan, barbecue & Oven & Oven \\ \hline
\textbf{Working time in minutes} & 3 & 5 & 60 \\ \hline
\textbf{Flour types} & All & All & Gluten flours \\ \hline
\textbf{Difficulty} & Very easy & Easy & Difficult \\ \hline
\textbf{Cost} & Low & Medium & High \\ \hline
\end{tabular}%
}
\caption{\label{tab:bread-types-comparison}An overview of different bread types}
\end{table}
\section{Flat bread}
Flat bread is probably the simplest sourdough bread to make.
To make a flat bread no oven is required, all you need is a stove.
\begin{figure}[!htb]
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{sourdough-stove}
\caption{An einkorn flat bread made directly over fire. This
is part of a video where I was trying to reproduce sourdough
recipes of our ancestors. I called the recipe "cave bread". Some viewers
pointed out that probably not all our ancestors lived in caves
}
\end{figure}
This type of bread is super simple to make as you can skip
a lot of the technique that is normally required. The flat
bread can be made with all kinds of flour. You can even use
flour without gluten such as corn or rice flour to make such
a dough. To make the flat bread a little more fluffy you
can use a little bit of wheat flour. The developing gluten
will trap the gasses. During baking theses gasses will
inflate the dough.
Another trick to improve the texture of the flat bread is to
make a very wet dough. A lot of the water will evaporate
during the baking process and thus make the bread fluffier.
If you go very high in water content you have a pancake
like consistency.
Refer to section \ref{section:flat-bread-recipe} "\nameref{section:flat-bread-recipe}"
to see a full recipe including the process of making such a flat bread.
\section{Loaf pan bread}
Loaf pan bread is made using the help of a special loaf pan
or loaf tin. The edges of the pan provide additional support
for the dough to rise. Making a bread using a loaf pan requires
an oven.
\begin{figure}[!htb]
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{loaf-pan-free-standing.jpg}
\caption{A free standing bread and a wheat loaf pan bread. Both of them
received a small incision before baking allowing them to
better open up}
\label{fig:free-standing-loaf-pan}
\end{figure}
After mixing the ingredients of your dough you can directly
place the dough inside of the loaf pan. This makes the whole
process simpler as you can skip steps such as shaping the dough.
To make a great loaf pan bread with little work:
1. Mix the ingredients of your dough (gluten free works too)
2. Place in the loaf pan
3. Wait until your dough roughly doubled in size
4. Bake in a non pre-heated oven for around 30-50 minutes
Knowing the exact baking time is sometimes a little challenging
as it might be that the outside of your bread is cooked but
the inside is not yet. The best way is to use a thermometer
and measure the core temperature. At around 92°C (197°F) your
dough is done. I generally bake loaf pan bread at around 200°C (390°F),
which is a little less than my free standing bread which I bake
at 230°C (445°F). That's because it takes a while for the dough
to properly bake inside of the loaf pan. The edges don't heat up
as fast. Then the top part of the dough is properly cooked, while
the inside isn't yet. When baking make sure to use steam
or simply place another equally sized loaf pan on top
of your loaf pan. This way you simulate a dutch oven. The dough's
evaporating moisture will stay inside.
A good trick to make excellent loaf pan bread is to make a very
sticky dough. You can opt for a hydration of 90-100 percent, almost
resembling a default sourdough starter. Just like with flat bread
the high humidity helps to make a more airy fluffy crumb. At
the same time the bread will be a bit more chewy when eating. This
type of bread made with rye is my family's favorite style of bread.
The hearty rye flavor paired with the sticky consistency really
makes an excellent sandwich bread.
To improve structure you can also consider to use around 50 percent
wheat flour in your mix. The gluten network will develop as your
dough ferments and allow for more gas to be trapped in the dough.
A common problem you will face when making a loaf pan bread is
the dough sticking to the pan. Generously use an oil to grease
your pan. A non-stick vegetable oil spray can also do wonders.
Don't clean your loaf pans with soap. Just use a kitchen towel
to clean them. With each bake a better patina forms making your
pan more and more stick resistant.
What's amazing about this type of bread is that it works
with every flour. Overall time to work the dough is probably
less than 5 minutes, making it very easy to integrate
into your daily routine. Furthermore loaf pans use the space
in your oven very efficiently. Using the pans I can
easily bake 5 loafs at the same time in my home oven.
Normally I would need multiple baking sessions for
free standing loaves.
\section{Free standing bread}
A free standing loaf is baked as whole without support
in your oven. To make a free standing loaf more steps
and tools are required.
\begin{figure}[!htb]
\includegraphics[width=1.0\textwidth]{free-standing-loaf.jpg}
\centering
\caption{A free standing sourdough bread. Note the incision known as "ear" and the oven spring clearly
distinguishing this type of bread from the flat and loaf pan bread}
\end{figure}
Normally you mix your dough. When using wheat you make sure
that you mix enough to develop a gluten network.
You allow the dough to reach
a certain size increase during the fermentation. Afterwards you divide and preshape
the dough into the desired visual shape that you like.
Each shape requires a different technique. Sometimes achieving
exactly that shape can be more challenging. Making a baguette
for instance requires you to perform more steps. Mastering this
technique takes several attempts.
Once the dough is shaped it is proofed again for a certain
period of time. Once the dough is ready a sharp tool such
as a razor blade is used to make an incision into the dough.
This helps the dough to better open up during the baking process.
All these steps require practice. Each of them has to be
performed in a perfect manner, not allowing mistakes.
But after baking you will be rewarded with a beautiful bread
rewarding you with great taste and consistency.
There is a fully dedicated recipe and tutorial
for this type of bread in the "\nameref{chapter:wheat-sourdough}" chapter.
\section{Simple flat bread recipe}
\label{section:flat-bread-recipe}
If you are just getting started making a flat bread is the
easiest way to start making great bread at home. With just a
few steps you can stop buying bread forever. This works with
every flour, including gluten free options.
\begin{figure}[htb!]
\includegraphics[width=1.0\textwidth]{flat-bread-process}
\centering
\caption{The simple process of making a flat bread}
\end{figure}
This is my goto recipe that I use to make bread whenever
I have little time or when I am abroad. You can choose
between two options. 1) A flat bread similar to a roti or naan bread
or 2) sourdough pancakes.
\begin{table}[htb!]
\centering
\resizebox{\textwidth}{!}{%
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|l|}
\hline
& \textbf{Flat breads} & \textbf{Pancakes} \\ \hline
\textbf{Flour} & 100g & 100g \\ \hline
\textbf{Water} & 100g (100\%) & 300g (300\%) \\ \hline
\textbf{Sourdough starter} & 5-20g (5-20\%) & 5-20g (5-20\%) \\ \hline
\textbf{Salt} & 2g (2\%) & 2g (2\%) \\ \hline
\textbf{When bake?} & Dough increased 50 percent in size & Bubbles visible on surface \\ \hline
\end{tabular}%
}
\caption{\label{tab:flat-bread-ingredients}Flat breads or pancakes recipe for 1 person. Multiply the ingredients
to increase portion size. Refer to the section \ref{section:bakers-math} "\nameref{section:bakers-math}" to learn how
to understand and use the percentages properly.}
\end{table}
To get started prepare your sourdough starter. If it has not been using for a very
long time consider giving it another feeding. To do so simply take 1g of your
existing sourdough starter and feed it with 5 grams of flour and 5 grams of water.
If you do this in the morning your sourdough starter is ready in the evening. The
warmer it is the faster this process goes. If it is very cold where you live, consider
using warm water.
\begin{figure}[htb!]
\includegraphics[width=1.0\textwidth]{flat-bread-wheat}
\centering
\caption{A flat bread made with purely wheat flour. The dough is drier
at around 60 percent hydration. The drier dough is a little harder
to mix. As wheat contains more gluten the dough puffs up during
the baking process}
\end{figure}
This way you should have around 11g of sourdough ready in the evening. You will have
the perfect quantity to make a dough for a single person. In case you want to make more
bread simply multiply the quantities shown in table \ref*{tab:flat-bread-ingredients}.
Then in the evening simply mix the ingredients as shown in the table. Your dough
is going to be ready in the morning. It's typically ready after 6-12 hours. If
you use more sourdough starter it will be ready faster. If you use less it takes
longer. Try to aim for a fermentation time of 8-12 hours. If you use
your dough too soon the flavour might not be as good. If you use it later
your dough might be a little more on the sourer side. The best option is to experiment
and see what you personally like the most.
After mixing the ingredients together cover the container in which
you made the dough. This prevents the dough from drying out and makes
sure no fruit flies get access. A transparent container will be helpful
when getting stared. You can better observe the dough and see when
it is ready.
\begin{figure}[htb!]
\includegraphics[width=1.0\textwidth]{ethiopian-woman-checking-bread.jpeg}
\centering
\caption{An ethiopian woman baking an "injera" made using teff flour.
The image has been provided by Charliefleurene via Wikipedia}
\end{figure}
If you used the flat bread option with less water look at a size increase
of your dough. The dough should have increased at least 50 percent in size.
Also look out for bubbles bubbles on the edges of your container.
When going the pancake route look out for bubbles on the surface of your dough.
In both cases use your nose to check the scent of your dough. Depending
on your sourdough starter's microbiome your dough will have
dairy, fruity alcoholic notes or vinegary acetic notes. Relying
on the smell of your dough is best way to judge whether your
dough is ready or not. Timings are not reliable as they
depend on your starter and temperature. If your dough
is ready too soon you can now move it directly to the fridge to bake
it at a later more convenient time. The low temperature will halt the fermentation
process\footnote{There are some exceptions. In some rare cases your starter
might also work at lower temperatures. You might have cultivated low temperature appreciating
microbes. Regardless though the fermentation
is always slower the colder it gets. A fridge really helps to preserve the state
of your dough.}
and your dough is going to be good for several days. The longer you wait the more sour the
bread is going to be. The fridge is a great option in case you wanted to
take the dough with you when visiting friends. People are going
to love you for the freshly baked flat breads or pancakes. If you dare
you can also taste a little bit of your raw uncooked dough. It is likely
going to taste relatively sour. I do this frequently to better evaluate the
state of my doughs.
\begin{figure}[htb!]
\includegraphics[width=1.0\textwidth]{injera-pancake-texture.jpg}
\centering
\caption{A sourdough pancake made with teff flour. The pockets are coming from
the evaporated water and CO2 created by the microbes.
The image has been provided by Lukasz Nowak via Wikipedia}
\end{figure}
If you are completely lazy or don't have time, you could also use older sourdough starter
to make the dough directly without any prior starter feedings. Your sourdough starter
is going to regrow inside of your dough. The
final bread might be a bit more on the sour side as the balance of yeast to
bacteria could be a off. In the table I recommended to use around 5 to 20 percent
of sourdough starter based on the flour to make the dough. If you were to follow
this approach just use around 1 percent and make the dough directly.
The dough is probably going to be ready 24 hours later depending on the temperature.
If you wanted to make sweet pan cakes, add some sugar and optional eggs to your dough
now. A good quantity of eggs is around 1 egg per 100 grams of flour.
Stir your dough a little bit and it is ready to be used. You'll
have delicious sweet savory pancakes, the perfect combination. By
adding the sugar now you make sure that the microbes don't have
enough time to fully ferment it. If you had added the sugar
earlier no sweet flavour would be left 12 hours later.
To bake your dough heat your stove to medium temperature. Add a little bit of
oil to the pan. This helps with heat distribution and ensures even cooking.
With a spatula or a spoon place your dough in the pan. If your dough
was sitting in the fridge bake it directly. There is no need to wait for your
dough to come to room temperature. If you have a lid
place it on your pan. The lid helps to better cook your dough from the top.
The evaporating water will circulate and heat up the dough's surface. When
making a flat bread make the dough around 1cm thick. When using the pancake
option opt for around 0.1-0.5cm depending on what you like.
\begin{figure}[htb!]
\includegraphics[width=1.0\textwidth]{einkorn-crumb.jpg}
\centering
\caption{The crumb of a flat bread made with einkorn as flour. Einkorn
is very low in gluten and thus does not trap as much CO2 as a wheat based
though. To make the dough fluffier use more water or consider adding
more wheat to the mix of your dough.}
\end{figure}
After 2-4 minutes flip over the pancake or flat bread. Bake it for the same
time from the other side. Depending on what you like, you can wait a little
longer to allow the breads to become a bit charred. The longer you
bake your breads the more of the acidity is going to evaporate. If your
dough is a bit more on the sour side you can use this trick to balance
out the acidity. This really depends on which flavor you are looking for.
When making a flat bread I recommend to wrap the baked flat breads
in a kitchen towel. This way more of the evaporating humidity
stays inside of your breads. This makes sure your flat breads stay
nice and fluffy for a longer period after the bake. A similar option is
used when making corn tortillas.
You can safely store the baked flat breads or pan cakes in your fridge
for weeks. When storing make sure to store them in an airtight plastic bag so that
they do not dry out.
Keep a little bit of your unbaked dough. You can use it to make the next
batch of bread or pancakes for the next day. If you want to bake a few days later, add
a little bit of water and flour and store this mixture in your fridge
for as long as you like.\footnote{The starter will stay good for months. If you are out
for longer consider drying a little bit of your sourdough starter.}