A well meaning friend sent me a 2 lb. block of compressed yeast.
Thinking that it was a bag of active dry yeast, I froze it until my
older supply of yeast was gone. Now, one week later, I find that it's
the 'wet' stuff. I've got the block a-thawin'. Do I toss it all out
or how can I use it in my ABM?

Thanks - frugal me sure hates to waste it.

The crust is very similar to the previous loaf.
Loaf 15 - the crust:
http://img297.imageshack.us/my.php?image=loaf15thecrustmediumqx7.jpg

But the crumb is more dense.
Loaf 15 - the crumb:
http://img297.imageshack.us/my.php?image=loaf15thecrumbmediumav3.jpg

The flavor was more natural since I used half the salt and sugar... well, at
least I know I need more salt and sugar. :)

I took my starter from the fridge and let it warm up to 74 deg F. Then I add
2 oz water and 2 oz. flour to get it activated. While I was stirring I
noticed that the starter struck me as particularly "gluey" - as if to stir
the mixtue I had to "cut" it with the end of the spoon. It finally combined
into a state I thought was normal. I waited 2 hours for it to rise and all
looked good.

So I poured (yes, it literally poured) it out onto the work surface and
started to knead it the way Bertinet illustrates in his DVD that came with
the book "CRUST". It didn't work this time. The first time I tried this it
worked perfectly - the dough turned from a sticky consistency into a silky
consistency. So knowing this should work I kept plodding on (I am a _rank_
amateur - this is only my 15th loaf ever, but I have had some successes -
the last four to be exact - but they lacked flavor (a minor point (j/k)) ...
anyway) and I tried adding a heaping Tbsp (~0.8 oz) every 5 mins. and ended
up adding 4 oz. after 1/2 hour of kneading.

This mix (of starter and flour) was still sticking to the table, my hands,
the walls, my shirt, ... Jupiter ... after the 1/2 hour of kneading a la
Bertinet (I will always knead his way from now on b/c it's folding and
kneading at the same time - very clever).

I have been busy teaching science to college students who hate either me,
school, or both. So I am unable to continue learning while in school.
Nonetheless, Zombie Nation is on their Spring Break and so I have a chance
to work on my best loaf ever. This image is from my latest attempt to learn
how to make Italian bread as it is supposed to be made.

http://img403.imageshack.us/my.php?image=loaf14mediumsj2.jpg

The basic recipe is from CI's Baking Illustrated, called "Rustic Italian
Bread". What I did this time was let it rise four times, and did not write
down the amount of flour, water, or starter. ... for which I consider myself
a genius ... like if you looked up an image of a donkey's posterior ...
that's the kind of genius I am.

Taste result [I bet dollars to donuts that I drop dead from the flavor being
so wonderful ... and I didn't write down the amount of flour, water, or
starter. ... for which I consider myself a genius ... (See above.)] and
Crumb image to follow.

http://mygarlicpress.com/

Enjoy!

I've been baking white breads for several years, and have always had good success. Recently, I tried my hand at wheat and rye breads, and have had nothing but bad luck. During the first raising, the dough might increase about 25%% in bulk, and it never gets any better than that.

I use bread yeast, white bread flour, and I mix in 2T of gluten with the rye flour for a two-loaf recipe - everything fresh. My latest batch turned out two ovals of rye bread that are no more than about 7" in diameter and 2" tall - not very good for sandwich bread.

What is so different about making wheat and rye breads that might cause them not to raise properly, even after almost 3 hours?

Thanks,
Tim

Daniel Leader talks about them in his book _Local Breads_ (ISBN
978-0-393-05055-4).
He even sells the roller to propery shape the rolls.

thomasb

"R. Fizek" verizon.net> wrote in message
news:aOg0j.658$oL5.428@trnddc05...

here

Does anybody have a recipe for this that I could modify for a bread machine?

"Running_1"> wrote in message

Hi Running_1

Can you run through the ingrediants you used, including quantities.
What make of flour and what setting did you use on the machine?

Bertie

Earth Mother gmail.com> wrote in
news:cit2s3t568dtpur3o065c8pv6dv94vsmbp@4ax.com:

Hi,

Just as an aside, what's wrong with the KA?

Barry