What are you baking today (2026)?

Hard as concrete brownies...
1000065206.jpg
 
Started out I was going to make a high hydration, 80%, focaccia but changed horses mid-trip. I got as far as adding the EVOO and then mixed in about a Tbsp of soaked and crushed green cardamon pods. Worked out quite well even though I was a bit heavy with the pretzel salt. The texture is a bit cake like, probably from the EVOO. 👍
1000066388.jpg
1000066548.jpg
 
Barriehie said:
Started out I was going to make a high hydration, 80%, focaccia but changed horses mid-trip. I got as far as adding the EVOO and then mixed in about a Tbsp of soaked and crushed green cardamon pods. Worked out quite well even though I was a bit heavy with the pretzel salt. The texture is a bit cake like, probably from the EVOO. 👍View attachment 142038View attachment 142039
Click to expand...
How did you grind the cardemom?
Coffee grinder?
 
Barriehie said:
After it was soaked, about 20 minutes, I just swirled it around in my granite mortar a few times
Click to expand...
Next time, just use about 6-7 cardamom pods, vand remove the seeds. Grind them a bit in your molcajete. That'll give you the flavour. 2 tbsps is overkill, and soaking them will impart the flavour into the water.
 
karadekoolaid said:
Next time, just use about 6-7 cardamom pods, vand remove the seeds. Grind them a bit in your molcajete. That'll give you the flavour. 2 tbsps is overkill, and soaking them will impart the flavour into the water.
Click to expand...
Good to know. I dropped about half in the dishwater so probably had about as many as you're saying. Can't remember if I used the water. They do have a good flavor! I'll be messing with these a bit for sure.
 
Barriehie said:
Started out I was going to make a high hydration, 80%, focaccia but changed horses mid-trip. I got as far as adding the EVOO and then mixed in about a Tbsp of soaked and crushed green cardamon pods. Worked out quite well even though I was a bit heavy with the pretzel salt.
Click to expand...

Looks tasty!
Was that the mid course change?

The texture is a bit cake like, probably from the EVOO. 👍
Click to expand...

Using bread flour?
 
Last edited:
Z-Cook said:
Looks tasty!
Was that the mid course change?
Click to expand...
Right after I added the 43 g of EVOO...


Z-Cook said:
Using bread flour?
Click to expand...
No, Wallyworld AP unbleached.

I don't buy bread flour. When it needs more protein I shake in some gluten. For the size of loaf that I make a round about amount of a spoonful works.
 
Am sure you know that bread flour is milled from hard winter wheat and AP flour from soft wheat. May account for the cakiness, added gluten nws.

For me it does make a big diff l. I also hate forking out for 'premium' niche marketing prices 👿 but I think AP flour will almost always underperform in yeasted doughs tbh.

I'm very fortunate in having a really good artisan baker business (the only one in town) that sells me 50lb sacks of bread flour for cost (20 atm) but I also buy regular wholewheat flour which generally has higher protein/gluten content at around 13.3% which to me is bread flour. Best deal on that is at 🎯 that does own brand 5lb for 2.50.

Just to get a perspective, flour of all types is generally much less expensive and generally so much higher quality in the uk. Crazy what is charged here for anything that is vaguely 'more healthy ' or better for people or 'premium' . Btw 1£ buys what $1 buys so I don't bother with exchange rates.

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui...catalogId=10241&productId=20278&storeId=10151

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui...anadian-bread-flour--taste-the-difference-1kg
 
Z-Cook said:
Am sure you know that bread flour is milled from hard winter wheat and AP flour from soft wheat. May account for the cakiness, added gluten nws.
Click to expand...
I buy wheat berries in #10 vacuumed cans from the LDS and generally buy the hard red winter wheat from Montana. Sometimes, I'll mill that into flour, but rarely.

Z-Cook said:
For me it does make a big diff l. I also hate forking out for 'premium' niche marketing prices 👿 but I think AP flour will almost always underperform in yeasted doughs tbh.
Click to expand...
I'm not discerning enough. 😀


I'm sure the "cakey" was from the EVOO, that flour is pretty much my go to so I know how it rises, cooks, the crumb, and the mouth feel. Kind of like adding oil/butter to waffle batter. This was 80% hydration so it was pretty battery. 😉
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom