Time Management.. what?

August 28, 2017

The plunge into REAL BAKING! Scaling, measuring, weighing, mixing, proofing, and baking.

Soft Rolls-

Professional Baking p. 131

Bread flour... 13oz.                                                             
Water... 8 oz.
Yeast (Instant)... .25oz
Sugar... 1.25oz
Salt... .25oz
Nonfat Milk Solids... .6oz
Butter... 1.25oz

Mixing and Fermentation:
-straight dough method
-intensive mix DDT 77 F.
Proofing: 80 degrees F @ 80 degrees humidity
Baking: 400 degrees


First impressions of this recipe mainly consisted of my absolute unfamiliarity with the baking scene. I asked a million and twelve questions to clarify what I was doing. I was able to get everything measured, mixed and made. It still took me awhile to roll my dough but I managed. I learned that over mixing the dough would make it tough, how to touch proofing rolls to see if they were ready to bake, and from another classmate I saw the negative effects of rolls without yeast. You really have to know exactly what to do with every step of the formula in baking. The consequences to a tiny mistake are huge and so careful preparation and precision is imperative!

Some of the most critical points in this particular recipe include proper mixing and proofing time. The first time we had these soft rolls they were not as delicious because they had been over mixed. I also had a hard time getting my rolls proofed all the way this time and I learned that it was very important for it to rise all the way. Rolling the rolls is also very important because the tiniest of flaws on the outside of the roll are magnified after baking. So essentially the oven is not an eraser of dough flaws, it in enhances them.

In tasting these rolls in comparison to the first batch we tried, I found that they were softer and had better flavor. They were much more pleasant and enjoyable to eat. I think the next time I make these rolls I will try putting herbs and seeds in them to give them other flavors. I also think it would be interesting to try and substitute a portion of the bread flour with a different type of flour to get a different flavor and consistency.

Challah-

Professional Baking p.

6, 4 ounce strands

Bread Flour... 71.2oz

Water... 28oz

Yeast (Instant)... 1.4oz
Egg Yolk... 14.2oz
Sugar... 5.3oz
Malt Powder... .2oz
Salt... 1.4oz
Vegetable Oil... 7.1oz

Mixing and Fermentation:
-straight dough method
-intensive mix DDT 77 degrees
proofing: 80 degrees @ 80% humidity
baking: 400 degrees

My initial impression of this recipe was how difficult it was to put all the ingredients together! Challah was a step up from the basic soft roll so it was a learning experience compiling everything together correctly. I was a little grossed out with all the pure egg yolk that it called for but it created a beautiful yellow dough that had a lot more flavor. I enjoyed the rolling and braiding of the dough, even though it was kind of difficult I loved how beautiful it looked after it was egg washed, proofed, and baked. GORGEOUS!

I realized that after I had already braided one of my loaves that I had mismeasured my dough and made 6, 6 ounce strands. As a result, my loaf was huge and proofed a lot. It is important to carefully read the instructions as to avoid the errors of measurement and have an even, well constructed final product.

One of the most critical parts about this recipe is the technique required with forming and shaping the dough. Your bread may taste incredible but no one will want to eat it if it is poorly presented. Whether or not people eat food depends so much on the way the food appears. Presentation is everything and with challah, if it isn't shaped correctly, it looks strange and less appealing. Chef KJ also taught me how to make sure my dough ends were well tucked and hidden. He said to make the tips of the challah dough strands smaller than the centers so that there would be less dough to tuck away out of sight. It made a lot of sense and next time I make challah, I will follow that instruction.

This bread has the "melt in your mouth quality" that is so addicting! The shiny brown exterior is completely unlike the soft, yellowish, and sweet interior. The combination is very satisfying and tasty. The richness of the bread is offset by the lightness of the dough and the sweetness does not overpower the flavor of the bread. Even though the egg yolk grossed me out, the end product was remarkable.

I liked the cinnamon bread that we made with the challah dough! The pairing of these flavors was perfect and I sure it made a rich and delicious dessert or sweet bread. Aside from the cinnamon and sugar, I think it would be interesting to try adding almond extract, nutmeg or some sort of nutty flavoring to the bread to give it another dimension. I like layers of flavor and I think that vanilla or almond flavoring would pair with it well.

Sweet Rolls-

Professional Baking p. 183

Butter, margarine, or shortening... 8oz

Sugar... 8oz

Salt... .8oz

Nonfat Milk Solids... 2oz

Eggs... 6oz

Bread Flour... 24oz

Cake Flour... 8oz

Yeast (Instant)... .8oz

Water... 16oz.

Mixing and Fermentation:

-modified straight dough method

-intensive mix DDT 75 degrees F

-ferment 45-60 min. then retard

proofing: 80 degrees F

baking: 375 degrees F

Man this dough was hard to roll out! My first impression of this dough was excitement because I have wanted to learn how to make REAL cinnamon rolls and butter flake. I feel like the formula was easy to follow and laid out simply. Even though we used a new mixing method, it helped me learn how to use the mixer better.

I learned the hard way that one of the most critical points of the recipe was the way in which we rolled our cinnamon rolls. I rolled mine too loosely and as a result, I had a variety of cinnamon roll sizes. CONSISTENCY. Literally a huge theme when it comes to baking, or cooking in general. Next time I make the sweet rolls I will be more precise on rolling out my dough so that when I roll up my dough, it won't have as many sizes.

This dough after baking was soft, sweet and had a slight chew. Of course the combination of cinnamon and sugar with it was fantastic. My family fell hard for these rolls when I brought them home. They are very satisfying and even with a little glaze added on top, aren't overly sweet. Since we used butter, I wasn't left with a gross filmy fat taste in my mouth that shortening causes. The use of real butter provided them with much better flavor and cinnamon/sugar filling.

I would have loved to make an icing with cream cheese to put on top of these rolls. I also would have rolled some chopped pecans in with the cinnamon and sugar. If you haven't noticed, I think nuts are amazing and add to any recipe.

WHAT I LEARNED:

Of course I learned how to make all these wonderful breads, but the most important thing I learned today was the importance of TIME MANAGMENT. To be honest, I was stressed out of my mind this class and as a result, did not enjoy the baking process as much. I feel like my stress was understandable because I was doing something totally difficult and new. However, this helped me realize that I need to work more quickly and efficiently.