On Sat, 20 Sep 2008 17:10:59 -0500, Bob Simon >
wrote:

>On Sat, 20 Sep 2008 15:53:53 -0400, Boron Elgar
> wrote:
>
>
>>>I put the pans in the oven set to 105 and covered them with a damp
>>>dish towel (because someone once suggested that I do so). About an
>>>hour later, some dough stuck to the towel when I removed it.
>>
>>Is this your second rise? Ideally, there should be a first rise in a
>>greased bowl. The best flavors develop when this rise (and any
>>subsequent proofing) is done at room temperature, or cooler. Even the
>>fridge is good for it. 105 deg F is unnecessary.
>
>This is the third rise. Before I take out the dough, the bread
>machine has:
>mixed and kneaded the dough
>40 min first rise
>40 sec "gas squeeze out"
>36 min second rise
>
>I take the dough out around the beginning of the third rise for three
>reasons:
>I prefer horizontal loaves,
>I don't like the hole left in the bread when you take out the blade,
>I lake to get a second loaf.

You have a 2lb bread machine? And when you remove the dough you make
two small loaves in pans? I am just trying to get some idea of the
amount of dough you have in there.

You may find that if you take the dough out right after the initial
machine mixing and do your proofing in a larger container with a few
stretch and folds, you could get better gluten development.

Additionally, the proof should be dictated by the action of the
dough, rather than strictly by time.

Ultimately my advice is to use your bread maker to mix the dough if
you wish, but not to manage your proofing.

snip

>>Even so, 350 deg F is very low for bread baking.
>
>I find that when I use the oven in convection mode, I need to reduce
>the temp by 25 - 50 degrees if I'm going to keep the time the same. 42
>min at 350 works for me. What do you use?

So far this today I've made two dozen bagels, two dozen English
muffins and a loaf of English muffin bread (just took part of the
muffin dough that I shape separately and bake as a regular loaf,
rather than griddled like the muffins).

All these breads were started Friday night or Saturday morning with
pre-ferments. The bagels had a final dough mix and shape and were put
into the fridge overnight to be boiled and baked this morning. The
English muffins had a final mix this morning, then were proofed and
griddled. The muffin loaf was proofed as the muffins were being made
and baked after the bagels came out.

The bagels were baked at 425 deg F, as was the muffin loaf.

If I am doing my "artisan" type breads, I preheat the oven (and the
stone) to 500 deg F and bake at that temp. If those loaves are large,
I may drop the temp back to 450 deg during the bake.

I also have four loaves a mandelbrot in the oven right now (think of
them as a Jewish equivalent to biscotti).

There are many places online to get bread baking information and
advice, as well as to post and exchange ideas. A few of my favorites
a

alt.bread.recipes and http://abrfaq.info/
www.thefreshloaf.com
http://www.artisanbreadbaking.com/index.htm
http://www.theartisan.net/bredfrm.htm


Boron