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π My best sourdough, commercial yeast, and butter!
My Best Sourdough, Yeast, and Butter |
For those celebrating, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! This week, a look at commercial yeast (What!? Stick with me on this one), butter, and how I make my highly hydrated open-crumb sourdough bread. What a spread. In this week's newsletter:
π Hybrid Doughs: Commercial yeast and SourdoughOne piece of feedback I received last year, when I sent out the yearly TPL survey, was for more information on sourdough used with commercial yeast. Well, here it is. In this thoughtful piece, Andrew Janjigian (welcome!) explains how a smidgen of yeast can bring volume and consistency to your bread. I'll be the first to admit I've never actually baked with commercial yeast. Not because I think it's wrong; it's just not in my baking practice. Like I always say, there are many ways to make great bread! [What you'll learn: How and why to use commercial yeast in baking.]
π‘ What Does Butter Do to Bread Dough?Ever wonder exactly what happens to dough when you add butter? Why does it make the result so tender, soft, and delicious? Rebecca Firkser explains all. In this guide, you'll learn:
[What you'll learn: The effect of fat on dough and how to use it.]
π₯ Watch Me Make 'My Best Sourdough Bread'Many years and 1,800 comments later, I've finally published my step-by-step video walkthrough of one of the most popular recipes at TPL. I won't sugarcoat it; this is a challenging recipe. But in the video, I show you exactly how to overcome many common pitfalls and ensure success. (Click here to see the full recipe writeup, too). [What you'll learn: how to mix and handle high-hydration sourdough bread.]
π¬ Member Discussion of the WeekAre doughs with inclusions typically having less rise, or was the hydration and difference strengthening method the cause of the flatter, denser bake? The bread is still delicious but chewier than I like. Yes, generally (and assuming all else equal), expect doughs with lots of inclusions to rise less. I see these "mix-ins" as stressful for dough and, subsequently, hamper its rise in some way. It's a compromise! ππΌ Join A Fantastic Group of BakersIf you enjoyed this week's newsletter, you'll love our community of sourdough bakers. The annual membership gets you access to our private chat and forum, recipe archives, recorded and live sessions, and all my baking spreadsheets & tools.
π 2 Ways I Can Help You This Week
I have a few exciting articles and recipes (including one with freshly milled flour) coming soon. Stay tuned until next week! Maurizio Leo P.S. Have you seen my Bread Baker's Handbook? Over 100 pages with info on every step of the process, plus a slew of exclusive recipes. |
The Perfect Loaf π
Want to make bakery-quality sourdough bread from home? Subscribe for the best sourdough guides and recipes to take your bread from ordinary to incredible.
These buns make the burger Memorial Day weekend is here, and for the first time this year, the grill earns its place (well, unless you're a winter griller, which I have been known to dabble in). Burgers, dogs, the whole production. But if we're honest, the bread is the part that decides if anyone remembers the meal a week later, right? A pillow-soft milk bread bun for a thick patty. A potato bun under a gooey cheeseburger that's sturdy enough to hold the drip, tender enough to give. And hot...
One Dough, Two Breads This past week, I used half of my recent crispy sourdough bagel recipe to make bagels, of course, but then I skipped the kettle boil and used the other half to make bialys. What are bialys? Bialystok, Poland, early 1900s. A Jewish breakfast roll and what we eat now traveled west with bakers who'd already landed in the Lower East Side. (Mimi Sheraton wrote the rest of the book if you want itβand it's great). Since you're already making bagels, you already have a great...
Crispy Sourdough Bagels If you haven't made bagels at home, now's the time. If you have, you already know how good they can beβbut I promise this new recipe will make you appreciate them even more. I've been reworking my (more New York-style) sourdough bagel recipe for a while now. While those are amazing, I wanted something different: a bagel with a super-thin, crispy crust, a tender, slightly chewy interior, and a light, open crumb. This new bagel recipe reminds me of some of my best large...