#beginner baker

[kintsugihearts]

I made my brothers a wonky, messy, but delicious bday cake 🎂 ❤️

[serenthestar04]

I made this cheese bread a while back, it ended up decently tasty! I accidentally over proofed it but regardless it was all eaten up! 😊 (please ignore the messy stove)

[biohazardbaking]

made muffins from scratch yesterday! first time baking :))

[breadbythehour]

Beginner Brioche Sandwich Bread

Check out my new Beginner Brioche Sandwich Bread recipe!

For those in a rush, I’m re-posting the basic recipe here on my Tumblr. But if you want the full picture-by-picture instructions, nutritional information, and secrets to success you can go to my website.

Here’s what you’ll need…

Ingredients

7.75 Grams Dry Active Yeast (2 1/2 Teaspoons)

207 Grams Warm Milk (1 Cup and 2 Tablespoons and 1 Teaspoon)

450 Grams Bread Flour (3 3/4 Cups)

9 Grams Salt (1 1/2 Teaspoons)

80 Grams White Granulated Sugar (1/4 Cup and 2 Tablespoons)

4 Egg Yolks

60 Grams Butter, Melted (4 Tablespoons)

1 Large Egg (for the Wash)

Additional Equipment

Mixing Bowls, Measuring Cups, and Spoons

Kitchen Scale

Container with Lid

Dough Cutter

9 Inch by 5 Inch Bread Pan

Oven Mitts

Cooling Rack

Instructions

In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine warm milk with dry active yeast. Let proof for about 10 to 15 minutes until foamy.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.

Using a dough hook attachment on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture.

With the standing mixer still going, add the egg yolks one at a time, followed by the melted butter. Continue to mix until the dough pulls away from and cleans the sides of the bowl.

Shape dough into a round and place in a lightly greased container. Cover and let rise until double in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on room temperature.

Turn out dough onto a lightly greased surface and divide into 6 pieces, about 147 grams each (or 8 pieces 110 grams each).

Shape each piece into a small ball and place in a lightly greased 9-inch by 5-inch bread pan. Cover and let rise until the dough reaches past the top of the pan.

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit (176° Celsius).

Bake bread for 20 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil. Then bake for another 25 to 30 minutes. Internal temperature should read at least 195° Fahrenheit (90° Celsius).

Turn out bread onto a wire cooling rack and let bread cool completely before slicing and serving.

Enjoy!

[yourlocalwannabebaker]

Hi, Tumblr!

Hey! So, I’m totally new to Tumblr (weird, I know) and as someone who’s usually uncomfortable sharing things online I realize that it could be a great way to express yourself and share your thoughts and attract people with similar interests.

I didn’t start baking until, say, 5 years ago, and it was on and off. Once in a blue moon I’d make a chocolate cake or banana bread and that’d be it. But there’s so much more I want to do now! I WANT TO BAKE ALL THE THINGS! So this blog will just be about my journey as a beginner baker...

If you’re reading this, I hope you stick around!

[herbookaffair]

In this kitchen baking

Oh, what a mess I'm making

[breadbythehour]

Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Quick Bread

Check out my new Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Quick Bread recipe!

For those in a rush, I’m re-posting the basic recipe here on my Tumblr. But if you want the full picture-by-picture instructions, nutritional information, and secrets to success you can go to my website.

Here’s what you’ll need…

Ingredients

For the Bread

180 Grams All-Purpose Flour (1 1/2 Cups)

201 Grams White Granulated Sugar (1 Cup)

6 Grams Baking Powder (1 1/2 Teaspoons)

5 Grams Salt (1 Teaspoon)

5 Grams Ground Cinnamon (2 Teaspoons)

1 Gram Ground Nutmeg (1/2 Teaspoon)

226 Grams Sourdough Discard (1 Cup)

55 Grams Milk (1/4 Cup)

4.2 Grams Vanilla Extract (1 Teaspoon)

112 Grams Butter, Melted (1/2 Cup)

1 Large Egg

For the Glaze

32 Grams Confectioner's Sugar, Powdered Sugar (1/4 Cup)

10 Grams Milk (1 to 2 Teaspoons)

Additional Equipment

Mixing Bowls, Cups, Spoons

Kitchen Scale

9-Inch by 5-Inch Baking Pan

Wire Cooling Rack

Oven Mitts

Probe Thermometer

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit (176° Celsius).

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients:  flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a smaller mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients: sourdough discard, milk, vanilla extract, butter, and egg.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just moistened.

Pour batter into a lightly greased 9-inch by 5-inch baking pan.

Bake at for 50 minutes to 55 minutes. Internal temperature should reach at least 195° Fahrenheit (90° Celsius).

Let cool in pan on wire cooling rack for 15 minutes.

Use a knife to loosen bread from pan and turn out onto wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

While bread cools, stir together powdered sugar and milk to form a glaze. After the bread has finished cooling, drizzle glaze over the top.

Enjoy!

[breadbythehour]

Does the Float Test Work?

As sourdough starter matures, it releases small carbon dioxide bubbles. These bubbles often become trapped within the gluten network of the flour and water mixture, giving the starter a lighter, fluffier consistency. The longer your starter rises, the more gas becomes trapped in the mixture.

The float test is a technique to see whether the starter has trapped enough gas to adequately lift your bread dough.

To perform the float test, simply spoon some of your starter into a cup of water. If the blob sinks straight to the bottom, the starter has not developed enough to adequately trap carbon dioxide. If it floats on the surface of the water, your dough has enough carbon dioxide to lift your bread.

In theory, anyway.

Why Isn’t It Reliable?

The float test works well enough for some recipes, but it does have its drawbacks. The float test isn’t reliable in a few different situations, and if you rely too heavily on it to determine whether you should bake, you might end up with a flat loaf.

False Positives

A false positive happens when a starter traps enough carbon dioxide to float. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should put it in your bread just yet.

Some flours, such as whole meal and rye, hold onto gas better than others. A rye starter may be more likely to float than an all-purpose one.

Additionally, not all starters are fed to 100% hydration. A stiffer starter, for example, can hold more gas than a liquid one, resulting in a false positive.

False Negatives

A false negative occurs when a fully mature starter sinks to the bottom, giving the impression that it’s not ready to bake. However, if you were to put it in your bread, you may still see a beautiful rise and oven spring.

High hydration, or liquid, starters have more water than flour. When dropped in even more water, the starter immediately starts to break down, resulting in a sinking negative.

Additionally, sourdough starters are delicate. If you are rough when handling your starter and dropping it into the water, you may knock out the gas that would otherwise make your starter float.

What Should You Do Instead?

Knowing when your starter is ready to bake is an art, which is why many bakers recommend using the float test. It’s fast and easy to understand.

To find out what you should do instead, you can read the rest of the article at Breadbythehour.com