On 11/23/2016 8:57 AM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
> On Wed, 23 Nov 2016 09:33:59 -0500, Dave Smith
> > wrote:
>
>> On 2016-11-23 6:24 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>>> On Tuesday, November 22, 2016 at 3:33:59 PM UTC-5, graham wrote:
>>
>>>> I checked the Amendola "The Baker's Manual", and he specifies that the
>>>> ingredient should be lightly spooned in to the cup before levelling off.
>>>> Some of his weights match KA, others don't. KA doesn't specify on that
>>>> table about how to fill the cup.
>>>
>>> I can't be bothered with all that stuff. I scoop it out of the
>>> canister with the measuring cup and level it off.
>>>
>>> Then again, I don't bake fussy stuff. Chocolate-chip cookies is
>>> about the extent of it.
>>>
>>> For pizza crust, I weigh the flour, because that's how the recipe
>>> came to me.
>>
>>
>> I think of them as conveniently measured amounts. I mean..... a cup
>> dipped into a bin and then leveled off.... vs. a cup that was spoon
>> filled and leveled of.... vs. a given weight that corresponds to a
>> cup???? Then add 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or 1 tsp salt, or baking powder or
>> soda. They are all set amounts that may or not be the exact perfect
>> proportion to get the chemical reaction that is baking.
>>
>> When making things like bread or dough there is usually some bench flour
>> used. I use the same measures and same process when making pie pastry,
>> but it does not always turn out exactly the same. When I roll it out I
>> throw some flour on the pastry cloth and more my rolling pin and on top
>> of the disk of dough. I don't measure that, and not all of it gets
>> incorporated into the rolled dough.
>>
>> I have baked enough cookies over the years to know that it is important
>> to measure ingredients, but there are limits to the degree of accuracy
>> required.
>
> depends what kind of bread baker you are. There are those who have
> dough ready to go and only need a tablespoon or so of flour on the
> bench (to prevent sticking to bench and hands) while rounding up. Then
> there are those who use bench flour to knead into the dough until it
> is no longer sticky or tacky. In the latter case the amount of flour
> added at the bench does significantly change the amount in the dough.
> The first method adds virtually no additional flour. Most people fall
> into the latter category as they tame the dough with a lot more flour.
> Light bread vs. stodge.
> Janet US
>
I made 3x800g sourdough boules yesterday with a 75% hydration. The dough
was really sticky to handle but wetting one's hands helps. They look
good but I won't know what the crumb is like until later today when
friends visit. When in doubt, err on the side of a sticky dough!