baking tips Archives | Halicopter Away

Ultimate Guide to Proofing Croissants

Hali — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 21:14:57 +0000

Nervous about proofing croissants without a proofer? Here are all my tips, tricks, and troubleshooting tools so you can learn how to proof your croissants with confidence.

This page may contain affiliate links. This means I may get a small commission if you purchase through these links, at no additional cost to you.

Table Of Contents

What is proofing?
How to proof croissants at home
Proofing frozen croissants
How to tell if croissants are proofed
- How long does it take to proof croissants?
Troubleshooting proofing croissants
Tips to get better at proofing croissants

What is proofing?

In the croissant making process, proofing is when you let the shaped croissants rest right before baking. During this rest, the yeast in the dough multiply and release carbon dioxide. This leads to 2 important effects:

The gluten network in the dough traps this gas, creating air bubbles
The fermentation process develops flavor

These effects are key to creating a light, fluffy, and flavorful croissant.

Improperly proofed croissants will turn out dense, flat, collapsed, dry, and/or oddly flavored.

Here is a simplified, conceptual overview of what happens during proofing:

Yeast consume sugar and generate gas
The gluten traps the gas. The croissant starts to expand and grow
If the gas bubbles expand too much or too much time has passed, the gluten will start to weaken. The croissant will start to collapse and flatten out rather than continuing to grow.

You want to find the sweet spot between 2 and 3 where the croissant has hit its maximum growth potential. That’s when it is “proofed” and it’s ready for the oven.

How to proof croissants at home

Temperature and humidity for proofing croissants

The goal of proofing is to promote yeast activity so that the gluten network inflates to its maximum potential, but not so much that it begins to collapse and lose structure.

There are 2 main factors to consider to create a good environment for proofing:

Temperature – yeast need warm temperatures in order to multiply and produce gas. The ideal temperature is between 75F and 80F (24 – 27C), but even a difference of a few degrees can lead to significant changes in proofing time. Along with the needs of the yeast, you also need to consider the butter. Past 90F (32C), the laminated butter will start to melt and leak out of the croissants.
Humidity – humidity prevents the dough from drying out. Dry dough is unable to stretch and create air bubbles, which restricts proofing, and the croissant will struggle to open up.

So your goal is to continuously maintain an ideal temperature and humidity until your croissants are fully proofed. I aim for ~80F (27C) and 70 – 80% humidity.

How to create a home proofer

If you are lucky enough to have a commercial proofer, it can generate the desired temperature and humidity on demand. As a home baker, there are 2 main ways I use to create the desired heat and humidity for my croissants.

1 – Proof croissants in a covered speed rack (preferred method)

You will need the following tools:

Speed rack to hold the croissants
Plastic cover for the speed rack to hold in the heat and humidity
Large pot for holding water
Portable hotplate for heating water
Thermometer and humidity meter

How to set up the proofing system

Cover the speed rack with the plastic cover. It should have a zip open front for ease of loading and unloading trays.
Load the trays of croissants onto the rack. They do not need to be covered with plastic wrap
Boil a large pot of water
Place the hotplate on a tray at the very bottom of the rack, on a low temperature. I do around level 2, but the goal is to keep the water steaming but not simmering or boiling
Place the boiling water on the hotplate
Place an empty tray in between the steaming water and the trays of pastries, so they are not hit directly with heat. This keeps the croissants from overheating and leaking butter.
Zip up the plastic cover so that the steam and warmth is sealed in.
Monitor the temperature and humidity

Advantages of this system

Can proof a large number of pastries at one time`
Affordable
Very effective at generating warmth and humidity

Disadvantages of this system

Must monitor to make sure you don’t run out of water
Must monitor to make sure it does not get too warm
Trays can proof unevenly depending on the distance from the heat source

Note – you can do this system without the hot plate and steaming water. Instead, cover the croissants with plastic wrap and mist the inside of the rack with water. Be aware that it may take a very long time (8 – 12 hours) for the croissants to fully proof depending on the room temperature.

2- Proof croissants in the oven

You will need the following tools:

An oven (hopefully you already have one, because you need to bake the croissants)
Pot or tray for holding water
Thermometer and humidity meter

How to set up the proofing system

Boil water and place it in a pot or tray at the bottom of the oven
Place a thermometer in the oven
Close the oven door and turn on the oven light. The oven light will help generate heat
Once the temperature reaches 80F (27C), place the trays of croissants inside the oven and turn off the oven light.
Periodically refresh the boiling water to continue generating steam and heat

Advantages of this system

The most affordable and accessible solution

Disadvantages of this system

Requires a lot of active monitoring
Limited volume
You need to remove the croissants out of the oven before you can preheat for baking. During the preheating period, the croissants will continue to proof so you will need to take this account

Proofing frozen croissants

Freezing croissants after shaping but before the final proof is a great way to manage prep and production. This way, you can prepare croissants on Monday but not need to bake until the weekend. Or you can prepare a large batch all at once, but only bake a few each day.

Proofing frozen croissants does lead to additional considerations to ensure an even proof:

Frozen croissants need to be tempered before being placed directly in a warm proofer. If frozen croissants are not tempered, the temperature shock will make the outside of the croissant proof faster than the inside, leading to a dense core. Place the croissants in the fridge or room temperature before placing in a warm environment to more slowly raise the temperature.
Freezing dough will reduce yeast activity. This can be combatted by adding some malt powder during the initial mix.

How to tell if croissants are proofed

Identifying when croissants are fully proofed is a tricky skill, and just takes practice.

Here are signs that your croissants are fully proofed, along with caveats from my personal experience:

They jiggle when you shake the tray. It’s not just a little jiggle, it should be a full on wobble. And even if they jiggle, they might not be fully proofed, so check for other signs as well.
They have grown significantly in size. They should look BIG, POOFY, and SWOLLEN. If you are questioning how poofy they are, they probably need more time.
The layers have separated. Note that the degree of separation may vary depending on your formula and shaping. Also, if your croissants are dried out you, the layers will separate even if the croissants are not fully proofed
The shoulders of the croissants should start melding into each other. If you see distinct “steps,” your croissants probably need more time. The lines between each of the shoulders should look slightly blurred.
The tips of the croissants will start to droop. This is a sign that the gluten strength has reached its full potential, and is starting to weaken
If you lightly poke the croissant, it should feel spongy and soft with a slight firmness, like a marshmallow or jello. You will feel small air bubbles pop beneath your finger.

These croissants need more time proofing

These croissants are not fully proofed yet. While they have doubled in size and also jiggle when shaken, the layers have not separated and there is still a very clear delineation between the shoulders.

Here are signs that you may have overproofed and it’s time to hit the oven immediately. Some of these signs will vary depending on the gluten development and strength of the flour used:

Rather than looking just poofy, it’s start to look and feel spongey
If you lightly poke the croissant, it no longer feels slightly firm, just soft with no resistance
The tips of the croissants are significantly drooping
The croissant has begun to flatten out and lie completely flush against the baking tray, rather than having a slight curvature
The croissant has started to deflate, and the surface looks wrinkly. This can especially happen if you shake or disturb the tray.

How long does it take to proof croissants?

In my experience, proofing croissants can take anywhere from 3 hours to 12 hours depending on the formula and proofing conditions.

Unless you are blessed with a commercial proofer, I strongly recommend going off of visual and tactile cues rather than purely the amount time. So many factors affect yeast activity that there is no singular universal proofing time, even if you are using the same recipe.

For example, here are just a few factors outside of temperature and humidity that affects final proofing time for croissants:

The external weather and seasonality
The dough temperature at the end of mixing
Whether you activated the yeast before mixing it into the dough
The type of yeast (e.g., fresh, dry, osmotolerant)
Whether the dough was frozen
The length and temperature of the bench rest

I use time more as a signal on when to check on my croissants rather than a rule to follow.

Troubleshooting proofing croissants

The vast majority of the time, your croissants will be underproofed. Really. When in doubt, keep proofing.

How to tell if your croissants are underproofed

Underproofing can range from super underproofed to just lightly underproofed. The first image shows a severely underproofed croissants. There is uneven collapsing, denseness, and tunneling. The second image shows a very slightly underproofed croissant. The middle is just a little denser and did not fully open up. Another ~15 minutes of proofing would have resolved this.

Here are signs of underproofing:

The croissants leak butter in the oven. If your tray is covered in a pool of butter after baking, proof the next batch for longer.
The layers look thick and dry rather than tender and flaky. This is because all the butter leaked out during baking.
The exterior looks good, but the inside has collapsed in pockets (this is super underproofed)
The croissant has a honeycomb, but the very center of the croissant is still tight and hasn’t fully expanded (this is slightly underproofed)
The croissant is small for its weight. For example, when I was underproofing my croissants, a 100 – 120g croissant would come out the same volume as an 80 – 90g croissant from a bakery that was properly proofing its croissants

How to tell if your croissants are overproofed

For me, overproofing is fairly obvious post baking because the croissants will start to lose their strength and just go flat:

The croissant has flattened out, and its noticeable from the exterior (extremely overproofed)
The croissant is slightly flattened on the edges and “slumped” but still has a domed shape in the middle (slightly overproofed)
Rather than a structured honeycomb, the interior crumb looks flat and spongey. Unlike underproofing, the collapsing will be uniform rather than in pockets

Tips to get better at proofing croissants

Before worrying about proofing, make sure your dough development and lamination are spot on. If your gluten is under / over developed, or the butter is not sheeted in proper layers, the proofing is always going to feel off.
Document extensively. Cut into the crumb of every single croissant you bake, and take a picture to track your progress. When you cut, use a serrated knife and make sure the croissant has fully cooled so you don’t squash the layers with a knife. For every batch, note the proofing temperature, humidity, and time.
If you’re wondering about the tipping point between under and overproofed, put out multiple trays of croissants (e.g., 3 – 4) at the same time. Bake each tray 30 minutes apart. You will start seeing differences between the results, and it will help you understand where the inflection point is.
If you’re constantly underproofing croissants, proof one batch for what feels like an egregiously long time (10 – 12 hours at 75F). Observe what happens at different points and what the final result looks like. If it’s still coming out properly proofed, you may have an issue with lamination or gluten development.

The post Ultimate Guide to Proofing Croissants appeared first on Halicopter Away.

How to get a Madeleine Bump

Hali — Sat, 07 Dec 2024 17:37:28 +0000

One of the challenges of baking a great madeleine lies in getting the iconic bump. Here are my tips for getting a perfect bump every time.

This page may contain affiliate links. This means I may get a small commission if you purchase through these links, at no additional cost to you.

What is a madeleine?

A madeleine is a French pastry traditionally baked in a shell-shaped mold. It is made from a batter containing butter, sugar, eggs, and flour and is known for its moist, tender crumb.

Nothing can compare to a madeleine that’s fresh from the oven!

Why does a madeleine bump matter?

The madeleine bump is signature to the pastry, and is quite iconic. A bump indicates that the pastry is properly leavened with a light and tender crumb. It also means that the edges are crispy while the middle is soft.

I have made madeleines with a flat or almost nonexistent bump and they are still quite tasty. However, I think it’s worth trying to achieve the bump not only to display mastery, but also to improve your overall pastry knowledge.

What causes the madeleine bump to form?

The madeleine bump forms due to a few different variables.

The shell shape of the mold – Madeleines are traditionally baked in shell-shaped molds, and the concave, shallow shape directs the batter upwards as the pastries bake. The edges of the pan are more shallow, so the batter sets and firms up while the center remains more liquid. As the batter expands, it’s pushed upwards and helps create the signature bump.
Resting and chilling the batter – Resting the madeleine batter overnight helps the gluten and baking powder to relax. It also helps the batter get very cold, which creates more of a temperature differential when the pastries enter the oven. This temperature differential helps the batter expand rapidly before the surface of the madeleine sets.
Temperature shock during baking – Baking madeleines at a very high initial temperature provides a further temperature differential, helping the batter to expand and rise.
Proper leavening – Aerated eggs or chemical leavening agents such as baking soda or baking powder are key to getting a good rise when the batter is exposed to heat.
Batter composition – The batter composition will affect the rise of the madeleine. This includes factors such as moisture content, fat content, and the type of sweetener used.

All of these variables can be adjusted to achieve the desired madeleine bump. Let’s dive into each one in more detail.

How to choose the right madeleine mold

The madeleine mold is important to achieving the signature bump. You don’t need the most expensive or fanciest mold, but there are certain factors to consider.

The shape – I recommend getting a madeleine mold in the traditional shell shape rather than using something like a muffin tin. The shell shape is not only signature for a madeleine, but also helps achieve the bump.
The material – You can commonly find madeleine molds made of metal or silicone. I strongly recommend metal, because it conducts heat well and is cheaper than the silicone molds that do have good heat conducting properties. Heat conduction is important to achieve a strong initial temperature during baking.

Here is the mold that I currently use: Gobel Madeleine Pan

Why resting and chilling batter is important for baking madeleines

I have seen some recipes recommend chilling madeleine for no more than 30 min to an hour. In my experience, chilling the batter for at least 12 hours is key to achieving a signature bump, tender crumb, and complex flavor. Resting and chilling the batter:

Helps the gluten relax
Hydrates the flour and baking powder
Drops the temperature of the batter
Solidifies the butter in the batter

These factors all lead to a better rise in the oven

Why a temperature shock during baking helps achieve a madeleine bump

The one thing that made the largest difference for me when making madeleines was the temperature shock at the beginning of baking. Essentially, you want to hit very cold batter with a high burst of heat.

The heat from the oven causes the batter to expand, and the cold batter prevents the top from setting too quickly, which limits the rise. This balance of temperatures combined with the shape of the mold forces the batter to rise in the middle, creating a bump.

Here are my tips on using temperature to achieve a madeleine bump:

I like to start my madeleine baking at a high heat (400 – 425F), then drop 50F after the bump starts to form. Dropping the temperature ensures that the inside of the madeleine is cooked through without the edges burning. The ideal temperature will vary depending on the size of your mold and your oven
Place the madeleine mold directly on the wire rack of the oven. Do not place the mold on a tray, then place the tray on the oven. This prevents heat from reaching the mold.
Place the madeleine mold in part of your oven that has good distribution of heat. For me, this is towards the bottom of the oven since that’s where the heating coils are. For others, it could be the middle or top of the oven. Experimentation and an oven thermometer will help you figure out the best place to put the mold

How leavening affects the madeleine bump

To achieve a rise, you need to introduce air into the batter. This can either be done by beating eggs until they become light and fluffy, or by using a chemical leavener such as baking soda or baking powder. My preferred method is using baking powder, and in my experience if you are using the right amount of chemical leavener, you do not need to aerate the eggs.

Both fluffy eggs and chemical leaveners react to heat, which causes air bubbles to expand during baking.

Here are my tips for leaveners:

If using eggs as the primary leavener, make sure to whisk until they are light and fluffy. When folding in the dry ingredients, make sure to fold gently so you don’t squish out the air.
If using a chemical leavener, make sure not to use too much. While it may seem like you can add more baking powder or soda to create a larger bump, at a certain point it becomes counter-productive. Too much baking powder or soda can lead to over expansion and then collapse. It can also lead to a bitter taste.
Sift any leaveners into the flour to ensure that they are evenly distributed

How batter composition affects the madeleine bump

The most basic madeleine recipes use eggs, sugar, butter, flour, and salt. You can adjust the ratios or add ingredients to get the desired bump and texture.

If you’re a beginner, I recommend finding a tried and true madeleine recipe on the Internet or in a cookbook. If you’re keen to experiment with different ratios, here are some ingredient tradeoffs I’ve observed while experimenting with madeleine recipes:

Moisture content

In general, moisture content is important to achieving the bump because a moist batter leads to steam in the oven, which evaporates and causes the batter to expand. A more moist batter also prevents the top of the madeleine from drying out too quickly.

However, if the batter is too moist, it will lack structure and will not be able to rise appropriately.

Moisture is introduced by eggs, butter, and sometimes milk.

Fat content

Fat is important to create the distinctive tender crumb and buttery taste of a madeleine. However, too much fat weighs down the batter and leads to a smaller rise and more spreading. The fat in madeleines is primarily from melted butter.

Type of sweetener

While the most basic madeleine recipe uses granulated sugar, many recipes will also use inverted sugar or honey. Inverted sugar and honey both help trap moisture, leading to an extra moist and tender madeleine. However, I find that the more sugar you swap out for honey, the less pronounced bump you will get.

The post How to get a Madeleine Bump appeared first on Halicopter Away.

The 5 essential tools for home bakers

Hali — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 09:54:26 +0000

This page may contain affiliate links. This means I may get a small commission if you purchase through these links, at no additional cost to you.

As a home baker, you may think you need a stand mixer, hand mixer, or food processor to make fancy and impressive baked goods. That is absolutely not true. I went to French pastry school in Paris, and we learned how to make everything by hand first before moving on to machines. This included meringues, breads, tart doughs, and laminated doughs!

Here are my 5 essential tools that belong in any baker’s toolkit, regardless of skill level. These were the ones I would reach for every single day at pastry school. I’ve kept this list short so it’s not too overwhelming or expensive for those just starting on their baking journey!

Food scale

A digital food scale is essential for bakers and I cannot recommend it enough. Why is it better than using cups? It’s far more precise, so that you can be confident you are putting in the correct amount of each ingredient. This leads to consistent results and is key for troubleshooting.

Qualities to look for in a food scale

Digital
Ability to toggle between different weight measures (g/oz/ml are the most important)
Tare button
Max weight should be high enough for the quantities you typically bake at
- E.g., if you’re making multiple loaves of sourdough bread that require 1 kilo of flour, the scale should be able to handle that plus the weight of your bowl
Minimum precise graduations of 1g

Food scales I recommend

I use this food scale at home. It’s not too expensive and gets the job done, and it’s easy to order online.

At pastry school, we use this food scale from Eurolam. It’s a French brand, so I think it’s less accessible for Americans.

Dough / bench scraper

Dough scrapers are underrated and are the most versatile tool. They are also incredibly affordable and give you great value for money. In my opinion, the bench scraper is the best replacement for a stand mixer or food processor when it comes to making doughs. Bench scrapers help you:

Make crumbly tart and cookie doughs
Make pie dough
Make croissant, brioche, sourdough, and other yeasted doughs
Handle sticky doughs of any sort
Cut butter and other ingredients
Scrape and clean your countertop

Qualities to look for in a dough / bench scraper

Made of stainless steel. The flexible ones won’t be as good for cutting
Straight edge
Comfortable handle
Bonus if there are measurements written along the edge. I find this handy for quick measuring when I can’t be bothered to pull out my ruler

Dough / Bench scrapers I recommend

I use this bench scraper and have had it for many years.

Spatula

Spatulas are your all purpose tool and it’s worth investing in one that is sturdy and high quality. In pastry, spatulas are used for:

Stirring hot mixes, ganache, etc
Spreading and smoothing out creams and icings
Scraping out a bowl
Folding batters and creams

Ideally you have multiple spatulas to avoid cross contamination. I recommend at least 2, one smaller and one larger.

Qualities to look for in a spatula

Sturdy, durable head with flexibility
Head is attached to the handle. The ones where the head detaches are less sturdy and less sanitary
Heat resistant
Does not absorb oils and odors

Spatulas I recommend

At school, we use spatulas from Saint Romain, a French brand.

Since French brands are less accessible in the US, I’m also providing a link to this set. It comes with 2 spatulas of different sizes, is heat resistant, and the heads are attached to the handles. I personally have not used it, but the specs and reviews seem reasonable.

Whisk

Whisks help incorporate air and break up lumps and chunks in your mixes. They are key for making whipped creams, meringues, and fluffy sponges. Like spatulas, I recommend at least 2, one smaller and one larger.

Qualities to look for in a whisk

Made of stainless steel
Ballon shape
Head and handle are welded together

Whisks I recommend

At school, we use whisks from Saint Romain, a French brand.

Again for the sake of accessibility, I’m also providing a link to this set comes with 3 whisks of different sizes. I personally have not used it, but the specs and reviews seem reasonable.

Rolling Pin

A good, sturdy rolling pin will be your best friend when it comes to smoothing out doughs, hand lamination, and even chocolate work. A good rolling pin should help you achieve smooth, even roll outs with control over size and thickness of the dough.

Qualities to look for in a rolling pin

No handles. I find handless rolling pins give you better control over the shape and thickness of your dough
Made of non-stick plastic or wood. Personally I find marble rolling pins to be heavy and unwieldy and are better to look at than to use.
No ring thickness guides. Some rolling pins come with guides that theoretically help you achieve even thickness. These are less versatile and lead to marks on your dough. If you want thickness guides, you can buy a set that you can attach to your rolling pin.
Long enough. A longer rolling pin is more versatile, helping you achieve more even dough, and can be used for larger pieces of dough. I recommend at least 17 inches long.

Rolling pins I recommend

At home I use this wooden rolling pin with tapered ends.

At school, we use a plastic rolling pin. This rolling pin is the most similar one I could find that is easy to order to the United States.

The post The 5 essential tools for home bakers appeared first on Halicopter Away.

A guide to tart crust

Hali — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 18:50:34 +0000

I just finished week 2 of French pastry school, and the focus was on tart shells. Here are some tips and learnings from the week!

I’ve also included my go-to, beginner friendly pâte sucrée recipe at the bottom of this post.

Jump to Recipe

Tart crust ingredients

Basic tart crusts use just a few common ingredients.

Flour – For a basic tart recipe, all purpose flour works well
Butter – Butter typically is added cold to the dough
Salt – Salt adds flavor and helps the tart dough brown
Sugar – Sugar adds flavor, and either granulated sugar or powdered sugar is commonly used depending on the type of tart crust
Egg – Egg helps bind the ingredients together. Sometimes you may see water or milk added with the egg for additional binding and moisture.

Of course, different chefs will experiment with different ingredients depending on the final texture and flavor they are trying to achieve.

Types of tart crust

In French pastry, there are 3 common types of tart pastry. They all use similar ingredients, but combined in different ratios to achieve certain textures and flavors.

Pate brisee (shortcrust pastry)

typically 2 – 1 ratio of flour to butter
not much sugar
texture is short and crumbly
good for savory tarts, or for very sweet and juicy fillings

Example pate brisee recipe:

250g flour
125g butter
5g salt
5g sugar
70g egg

Pate sucree (sweet shortcrust pastry)

typically has more sugar than butter
easier to handle than pate sablee
good for sweet tarts

Example pate sucree recipe

250g flour
100g butter
5g salt
110g sugar
50g egg

Pate sablee

typically has more butter than sugar
good for sweet tarts
texture is richer and more buttery than pate sucree
some recipes will add in almond flour

Example pate sablee recipe

250g flour
110g butter
5g salt
90g powdered sugar
50g egg

How to make the best tart crust dough

What are signs of well-made tart crust?

A well-made tart crust should be tender and delicate. It should be easy to work with and should not shrink too much in the oven. To achieve this, we will focus on not developing the gluten while still making sure all ingredients are fully combined and the dough is smooth.

Tart crust techniques

Sablage (crumbling)

Sablage is when you cut together the cold butter and flour first until small butter chunks are evenly distributed among the dough. You then add the sugar and salt, and add the egg last.

By adding the liquid ingredient last, you prevent gluten development so that the final result is tender and crumbly.

To make sure everything is well-incorporated, you smear the ingredients across the countertop with your palm using the fraisage method. This combines the ingredients without developing gluten.

Cremage (creaming)

Cremage is when you cream together the butter and sugar first until well combined, then add your egg, and finally the salt and flour. When creaming the butter and sugar, you don’t want to add too much air, like you would when making a cake for example.

Can you make tart crust dough by hand?

Yes! In pastry school we only ever made tart dough by hand. Many recipes will recommend using a food processor, since the blades help combine the butter and flour without kneading the dough and developing gluten. You can mimic this by doing the following:

Use a bench scraper or pastry cutter to cut the butter and flour together until the butter is in very small pieces. They should be pea-sized or smaller.
Gently rub the butter and flour in a gentle back and forth motion between the palm of your hands. This helps distribute the butter more evenly and break down the butter even more
Add the liquid in a well in the middle
Use the bench scraper to cut everything together and combine into a loose dough
Smear the dough across the countertop with the palm of your hand to break down any remaining butter chunks until you have a homogenous dough

Do you have to rest tart crust dough?

Yes, you should rest tart crust dough for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. Resting helps chill the butter and also allows the gluten to relax. Both of these things are important for rolling out a smooth tart shell.

How to line a tart tin

Rolling out the dough

To line a tart shell, roll out the dough in a circle that is the diameter of your tart tin plus a extra inches for the height of the tin.

The most important part of this step is to make sure that the dough does not stick to the countertop. Every few rolls, you want to lift it up and move it around the countertop, lightly dusting with flour as needed.

If the dough starts becoming too soft, place it back in the fridge or freezer to firm up.

Lining the tin

When lining the tin, you want the dough to be flush against the tin so you don’t get any bumps and so the dough does not melt down the side of the tin during baking.

To transfer the dough from the countertop to the tin, I like to roll it up on my rolling pin, then unroll onto the top of the tin.

Then, use your fingers to gently press the dough into the tin, being sure to press down firmly against the edges.

Trim off any excess dough using the back of a paring knife. Cut diagonally so that the dough lightly latches onto the edge of the tin.

How to bake a tart shell

There are different baking techniques depending on the filling of the tart. The goal is to have a crispy, well-baked shell that is even and beautiful. Before baking, it’s important to freeze the tart for 15 minutes or so to help the dough retain its shape in the oven.

Docking

Docking is when you poke holes in the bottom of the tart before baking. This helps prevent the bottom from bubbling up in the oven.

Blind baking

Blind baking is when you pre-bake the tart crust before adding the filling. It is especially helpful for very wet fillings to avoid a soggy tart bottom.

When blind baking, it’s helpful to weigh down the tart shell so that the bottom and sides remain smooth. Here’s an overview of blind baking:

Line the tart shell with an oven-safe material, such as aluminum foil, parchment paper, or heat-resistant plastic wrap.
Fill the shell with oven-safe weights. You can use pie weights, beans, rice, or granulated sugar
Place in the oven and bake either partway or fully through depending on your recipe.

My personal favorite combination is aluminum foil and granulated sugar. The foil tightly hugs the tart shell, and the granulated sugar gets into every corner. This helps me get a more even bake.

Tart crust troubleshooting

Tart crust is too crumbly and won’t come together

Your dough may be too dry. First, try pushing the dough across the countertop with the palm of your hands to see if this helps combine the ingredients. If it continues to be too dry, you can add a little more liquid.

Tart crust is too tough and hard

A tough, hard crust is likely due to too much gluten development. When making the dough, try not to knead it or roll it out too many times.

Tart crust is shrinking too much

A shrinking tart crust is likely due to too much gluten development. This makes the dough more elastic, so it wants to contract. When making the dough, try not to knead it or roll it out too many times.

Tart crust is melting

The dough is too warm. If using the sablage method, make sure to cut in cold butter and always be sure to rest in the fridge before using.

Tart shell is uneven or looks messy

An uneven or messy tart shell can be fixed using a microplane. The microplane can help smooth down edges and any lumps.

Tart recipes to try

Now that you’ve learned all about tart dough, here are some recipes to put your knowledge into action:

Easy Pâte Sucrée (Sweet Tart Crust)

This easy pâte sucrée recipe comes together within minutes, and is the perfect beginner-friendly base recipe for all of your favorite tarts!

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword tart

Prep Time 15

Resting Time 2

Servings 2 8 inch tart shells

Equipment

Food processor (Please see recipe for how to make by hand)
Bench scraper, if making by hand

Ingredients

208g (1 2/3 cups) All purpose flour
125g (1 cup) Powdered sugar
84g (6 tbsp) Unsalted butter, cold
1 Medium egg (50g)

Instructions

Using a food processor

Add the flour and powdered sugar to the food processor. Mix on medium speed for a few seconds until combined
Cut the cold butter into tablespoon size pieces and add to the food processor. Pulse until the butter has broken into very small pieces, and the mixture has a sandy texture.
Add the egg. Mix on medium speed until the dough comes together into a smooth ball
Flatten the dough into a disk and cover with plastic wrap. Rest for a minimum of 2 hours in the fridge before using

Make by hand

Mix together the flour and powdered sugar, and place in a mound on your clean countertop
Cut the cold butter into small cubes, about 1 – 2cm wide. Place the butter in the middle of the dry ingredients
Use a bench scraper to repeatedly cut the butter into the dough until the butter is pea-sized or smaller. Gently rub the butter and flour in a gentle back and forth motion between the palm of your hands. This helps distribute the butter more evenly and break down the butter even more
For a well in the middle of the ingredients, and add the egg in the center of the well. Use your bench scraper to cut the egg into the dry ingredients
Keep cutting with your bench scraper until the egg is combined with the dry ingredients. Smear the dough across the counter with the palm of your hand to fully incorporate everything. Keep smearing and gathering the mixture until a smooth dough forms. Avoid kneading, as this toughens the gluten
Flatten the dough into a disk and cover with plastic wrap. Rest for a minimum of 2 hours in the fridge before using

Notes

The dough needs to be rested before using so that the gluten relaxes. Otherwise, the tart shells may shrink while baking.
Tart dough freezes very well. Make sure to wrap and store in an airtight bag so it does not get freezer burn.

The post A guide to tart crust appeared first on Halicopter Away.

How to bake sourdough (and any crusty bread!) without a Dutch Oven

Hali — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 15:57:33 +0000

Click here to skip the science babble and go straight to the methodology

We’ve all heard that the key to baking great artisan bread is a Dutch Oven. Don’t get me wrong – I have a Dutch Oven, and I love it. It helps me turn out beautifully puffy and crusty loaves of bread every single time.

But alas, there are limitations to a Dutch Oven. And I’m here to tell you that you do not need a Dutch Oven to make a bangin’ loaf of sourdough (or really any crusty) bread.

First, they are pretty freaking expensive, even if you get a “low-end” model. If you decide to go high-end, a 7 qt Le Creuset can set you back $400. (Do any of you have a Le Creuset? Can you please tell me if it’s worth selling my left kidney in order to purchase one?)

Second, they can really only bake 1, maybe 2 (small) loaves at a time. I’ve spent nearly 3 hours baking 4 loaves of sourdough because I couldn’t get them all to fit in my trusty Dutch Oven. (They did come out beautifully)

Finally, Dutch Ovens are really not portable. They are incredibly heavy and if you packed one in your carry-on, TSA would think you’re trying to smuggle a cast iron bomb on board your flight. Inevitably, you will go in vacation, want to bake a loaf of bread, and be without a Dutch Oven.

A recent, Dutch Oven-less trip (I had the foresight to pack my sourdough starter) let me reconsider the question: how can I bake beautiful, crusty, artisan bread WITHOUT a Dutch Oven?

And this wasn’t the first time I’d asked the question. Earlier on in my baking career, I was far too cheap to invest in a Dutch Oven and spent 3 hours Googling “how to bake crusty bread with only a cookie sheet). I didn’t find the answer.

But now I have it. And I am here to share it so everyone can bake beautiful, delicious, crusty, artisan, perfectly puffed bread without a Dutch Oven.

Let’s level set – why is a Dutch Oven so great anyways?

Dutch Ovens are fabulously wonderful for baking bread because they are 1) really great at trapping steam and 2) provide an extra toasty warm environment for the bread. A lot of fancy professional ovens inject steam to create the perfect bread baking environment, so in a sense you can think of Dutch Ovens as a steam injection hack.

As a bread baker, you want your loaf to achieve two things:

Great oven spring for a light, airy loaf
A crackling, crisp crust

The warm temperature from the Dutch Oven can help with oven spring, and the steam is key for both oven spring and crust formation.

Oven spring

Oven spring is the term for the first 10 or so minutes your loaf is in the oven where your loaf rapidly grows and expands. This is because the warm temperatures encourages yeast to produce a last burst of activity (before dying and being entombed in your loaf) and causes gas bubbles to expand. Adequate oven spring helps your loaf become puffy and airy. If you’re a sourdough baker, this helps you get that coveted “ear” on your loaf.

Steam is integral for oven spring because it keeps your crust moist and hydrated. A moist crust is a soft crust that is able to expand with your loaf. Without steam, the crust hardens too quickly and limits your oven spring, causing the loaf to burst in weird places.

A warm, pre-heated Dutch Oven helps with oven spring by further encouraging yeast activity and gas expansion early on in the bake.

Crust

As the surface of the dough heats, starches at the surface begin to absorb moisture and gelatinize (wowza!). This starch gel is what becomes the crust. The more moisture / steam you have, the more gel is formed, leading to a crisper crust.

Steam also keeps the surface of the loaf at a cooler temperature, which delays the Maillard reaction. The Maillard reaction is chemical magic where sugars and amino acids in the loaf react with each other and cause browning (another famous Maillard reaction example is caramelization). Delaying the Maillard reaction keeps the loaf from browning too quickly.

My experiments

I did a series of experiments to try and imitate the temperature and steam capabilities of a Dutch Oven.

Experiment 1: boiling water in a tray at the bottom of the oven

The idea: create more steam with boiling water (not rocket science)

The outcome: A pretty crisp crust but subpar oven spring. I saw that the crust had burst at the bottom of the loaf, indicating that the crust had set too quickly. As you can see from the pictures, the crumb is dense.

Experiment 2: Pre-heated the baking sheet, plus boiling water in a tray PLUS ice cubes

The idea: Create extra heat to encourage oven spring by pre-heating the baking sheet, along with even more steam from ice cubes!!

The outcome: Pretty similar to loaf #1, where the crust had burst. I realized I needed a cover over my loaf both to protect it from the heat of the oven and to trap all that lovely steam.

Experiment 3: Pre-heated the baking sheet, placed ice cubes near the loaf, and covered everything with a giant aluminum baking dish

The idea: Mimic a Dutch Oven cover using a disposable aluminum baking dish. Place ice cubes inside the dish to create extra steam without needing a tray of water.

The outcome: Bingo! This loaf had a beautiful oven spring and didn’t split at the bottom. The crust was the perfect golden brown.

Was it actually the same as a Dutch Oven?

In the pictures below, you can compare a loaf baked in my Dutch Oven with a loaf baked using the aluminum baking tray method. In the end, I think the Dutch Oven gave a more open, airy crumb, but the results are quite similar. Inevitably, the baking tray is not as airtight as the Dutch Oven, which leads to some steam escaping.

When you look at the outside of the loaves, the result is pretty comparable. The loaf baked in a Dutch oven is slightly rounder with more blisters.

When you look at the inside of the loaves, you can see the loaf baked with a Dutch Oven had a slightly better oven spring, resulting in a rounder loaf with bigger air bubbles.

That being said, I would use the aluminum tray method again if I had to bake multiple loaves at once.

Do you bake bread with a Dutch Oven? If you try this method, let me know in the comments below! Or you can tag me on Instagram with @halicopteraway or #halicopterway.

Recipes to try this method with:

Resources:

https://slate.com/culture/2012/11/why-does-steam-make-bread-light-and-crusty-it-slows-down-the-cooking-process.html

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/4686/what-exactly-does-steam-oven-do-bread

Cooked by Michael Pollan

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How to make sourdough without a Dutch Oven

Learn how to make perfect crusty bread without a Dutch Oven – yes, it is possible!

4.80 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

1 disposable alumnium baking tray
1 baking sheet
parchment paper
3 ice cubes

Instructions

Place the baking tray in the oven and preheat to the temperature in the recipe you are following.
Place your shaped loaf on a sheet of parchment paper. Score the surface.
Once the oven is preheated, remove the tray from the oven and quickly transfer the loaf onto the tray. Place the ice cubes under the sides of the parchment paper. Cover with the aluminum baking tray, making sure that the ice cubes are under the parchment paper.
Place in the oven and bake. 10 – 20 minutes before the end of the bake (the time will vary depending on the recipe you are following), remove the aluminum baking tray and let the loaf finish baking uncovered.

The post How to bake sourdough (and any crusty bread!) without a Dutch Oven appeared first on Halicopter Away.

Beginner artisan sourdough bread

Hali — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 15:39:43 +0000

Learn how to bake homemade sourdough bread with a crackling crust and beautiful chew. This simple recipe is perfect for beginners learning how to make their first artisan loaf.

Click here to jump to recipe

There’s no better feeling than slicing into your first fresh, crusty loaf of artisan sourdough bread. A beautiful crust falls open to reveal a soft, moist crumb filled with airy pockets. At least – that’s what you hope will happen!

I’ve baked a number of sourdough loaves, and it has definitely been a journey to figure out a technique that works for me. Sourdough can be a fickle art, and because no two kitchens and no two sourdough starters are the same, people can have varying results even when they follow the same recipe. Today I’m sharing a recipe and technique that are manageable for a beginner sourdough baker – you’ll be taking your first loaf out of the oven in no time!

I’ve customized this beginner artisan sourdough recipe to help with common sourdough problems, such as gluten development and kneading. It also produces a very small loaf, only about 6 inches in diameter. You can definitely double the recipe to make a larger loaf, but I find a smaller amount of dough to be easier to handle.

You’ll also notice that this recipe is only in grams. Because sourdough can be so finicky, I strongly encourage you to invest in a food scale. You don’t want to spend 3 days on a loaf of bread, only to end up with a disaster because the ingredients were not measured properly.

How to make artisan sourdough bread

Sourdough is a multi-day process. Here are the basic phases, assuming that you have already made an active sourdough starter. You can check out my guide to making a healthy starter here.

Day 1: Refresh and feed your starter. Separate out a small amount to create your levain (a mixture of flour, starter, and water that you’ll add to your dough to leaven your loaf). Mix together your flour and water and let rest overnight.
Day 2: Create your dough by mixing together the flour, water, levain, and salt. Knead your dough using the slap and fold method and perform a bulk ferment. Bulk ferment is when you allow your dough to rise for a number of hours until is airy and light. Shape the loaf and let proof overnight in the fridge. Proofing is the second rise of your dough.
Day 3: Score your loaf using a sharp knife and bake in a Dutch oven. Scoring is when you cut a slash into your loaf to provide a release for air created during baking. Let cool completely before slicing.

Essentially, if I want a loaf of bread on Sunday, I’ll start the process Friday evening.

Common mistakes when baking sourdough

Using a starter that isn’t active enough. If your starter isn’t active, no matter what your dough will not rise. A good sourdough loaf begins with a healthy and happy starter.
Failing to develop gluten sufficiently. Gluten is a protein in flour that gives bread it’s structure. Kneading and folding dough helps build up strands of gluten. Think of the gluten like the stretchy plastic of a balloon. When you blow air into the balloon, it stretches and holds the air. Similarly, well-developed gluten will hold and capture air created by yeast and allow your sourdough loaf to puff up.
Not timing your bulk ferment correctly. Your first bulk ferment is key to getting your dough airy and light. If you don’t wait long enough, the yeast will not produce enough air and your loaf will come out flat. If you wait too long, the yeast will create too much air and your loaf will end up collapsing.
Not timing your final proof correctly. Again, your yeast need just the right amount of time to create air before you toss your loaf into the oven. The heat from the oven encourages your yeast to have a final burst of activity, lifting your loaf. If you don’t proof for long enough, your yeast die from the heat of the oven before the loaf is at its peak height. If you proof for too long, your yeast have already used up all their energy and are unable to muster up a lot of activity in the oven.

How can you avoid these mistakes and pitfalls when making beginner artisan sourdough bread? I’ve compiled an FAQ with my favorite techniques to troubleshoot common sourdough problems.

Beginner artisan sourdough bread FAQ

How do I know if my starter is active enough?

You can use the float test to determine if your starter or levain is ready for baking. Just scoop a tsp of starter and drop it in a glass of water. If it floats, it’s active and airy enough to be used in baking.

Why do I want to let the flour and water mixture rest before adding salt?

I let my flour and water rest overnight in the autolyse method. This allows the flour to absorb the water and also allows gluten to naturally develop without any kneading. Both of these things make the dough much easier to handle. Even a 30 minute autolyse can make a huge difference.

My sourdough is so sticky and wet! How can I knead the dough to develop gluten?

Sourdough is a very sticky and wet dough in general. The high percentage of water helps produce a light and airy crumb during baking. To manage the dough, I love to use the slap and fold method, where you raise the dough with both hands and then “slap” it on the counter. Fold up so the bottom of the dough meets the top, then repeat.

I also supplement the slap and fold with stretching and folding the dough during bulk ferment. About once every hour, I “stretch and fold” the dough by lifting up one side of the dough until it’s stretched out, and then folding it down. I repeat for each side of the dough. This also helps develop gluten.

A final method is just to do your bulk ferment in the fridge overnight. Gluten naturally develops over a long, slow ferment.

How can I tell when enough gluten has developed?

I like to use the window pane test. Taking a golf ball-sized piece of dough, I stretch it between my fingers and hold it up to the light. If it stretches thin enough so that I can see the light shine through it, the gluten has developed. Otherwise, I keep kneading.

How can I tell when I should end the bulk ferment?

Honestly, this is the million dollar question when it comes to baking sourdough. The length of your bulk ferment will depend on a number of factors, including how active your starter is, how humid your kitchen is, and how warm your kitchen is. A more warm and humid environment leads to a faster bulk ferment.

Using a clear container will help you observe the state of your dough. I end my bulk ferment when I notice air bubbles forming on the sides and top of the dough. When I shake the container, my dough will jiggle and feels airy and “alive” in my hands. At this point, the dough will have approximately doubled in size.

How can I tell if I’ve proofed my bread long enough?

I like to use the poke test to determine if my dough is done proofing. Using your index finger, give your dough a firm jab. If the indent fills back slowly about halfway, your dough is ready for baking. If it immediately springs back, it still needs time. If the indent stays, you may have overproofed your loaf.

Do I need a scoring knife to score my loaf?

No, you don’t need a scoring knife. A sharp kitchen knife or a pair of scissors will work fine.

Do I need proofing baskets?

No, I just use a bowl lined with floured towels.

My bread turns out really pale without a nice crust on top. How do I get a thick brown crust?

The key to a good crust is creating steam in your oven. This is why I love to bake my sourdough in a Dutch oven, which captures steam from the loaf. Another way to create steam is to put ice cubes on your baking tray, or to put a tray of water in the bottom of the oven.

You also could have a pale crust because you’ve overproofed your bread. Browning comes from caramelization of sugar in the bread. If you overproof, the yeast have consumed all the sugars.

Okay so that was a lot of reading just to bake a loaf of bread! The best way to improve at making sourdough is just to bake many loaves of sourdough. You may make mistakes, but each batch will turn out better and better. Are you ready to get started?

If you make beginner artisan sourdough bread using this recipe, let me know! You can drop a note in the comments or tag #halicopteraway on Instagram.

Other bread recipes:

Beginner artisan sourdough bread

Learn how to bake homemade sourdough bread with a crackling crust and beautiful chew. This simple recipe is perfect for beginners learning how to make their first artisan loaf.

Course Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword artisan, beginner, bread, sourdough

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 45

Resting Time 1

Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

1 large mixing bowl
Food scale
Dutch oven
Parchment paper

Ingredients

For the levain

10 g starter
25 g lukewarm water
25 g bread flour

For the dough

50 g levain (see above)
175 g white bread flour
75 g whole wheat flour
5 g kosher or sea salt
193 g lukewarm water
additional flour for dusting

Instructions

Day 1

Create your levain. On the evening of day 1, combine starter, flour, and water together. Cover and let sit overnight.
Prepare your flour and water. In a large mixing bowl, add your flour and 188g of lukewarm water. Lightly mix together with your hands or a wooden spoon. Cover and let sit overnight.

Day 2

Perform a float test on the levain to make sure it is ready to use. If it's not ready, try again in 30 minutes.
Your water and flour mixture should now be soft and stretchy. Add 50g of the levain into the center and incorporate by pinching and folding over the dough. Add the salt and water and incorporate by pinching and folding again. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Knead your dough. Pour the dough onto a clean countertop and knead using the slap and fold method for about 10 minutes. It will be very wet and sticky at first. Continue to slap and fold and resist the urge to add flour. After a while, the dough will stick to itself more than to your hands or the countertop. Perform a window pane test to see if gluten has developed sufficiently. Return the dough to the bowl and cover.
Allow your dough to bulk ferment. Let your dough rest anywhere from 3 – 8 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the activity of your starter. Once every hour during the bulk ferment, fold and turn your dough. To do so, grab the edge of the dough and pull up until it has stretched out fully, the bring down to the center. Do this with all 4 edges. At the end of the bulk ferment, the dough should feel light and airy with visible bubbles on the top and sides.
Shape your dough. Pour your dough onto a lightly floured surface. Grab the edges of the dough and pinch them in the center of the dough so you have a roughly round package. Roll your dough over and let it rest on this seam for 10 minutes. This helps the gluten relax into the final shape. Then, using your hands or a bench scraper, shape into a sphere and let rest for about a minute.
Line a round bowl with floured kitchen or paper towels. Smoothly transfer your dough into the bowl, with the seam side facing up. Proof for 45 minutes, then cover and place in fridge and finish the proof overnight.

Day 3

Preheat oven. Place an uncovered Dutch oven in your oven and preheat to 500°F.
Prepare loaf for baking. Prepare a floured sheet of parchment paper. Towards the end of the preheat, remove your loaf from the fridge. Gently rub flour into the surface of the loaf, which will prevent sticking and burning. Quickly turn the bowl holding your loaf onto the sheet of parchment paper. Using a kitchen knife or scissors, quickly and confidently cut a straight slash on the top of your loaf.
Bake your loaf. After the oven is done preheating, place your parchment paper with the loaf into the Dutch oven. Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and bake for 25 minutes. Then, remove the lid and bake for another 20 minutes until the crust of the loaf is browned and makes a hollow sound when tapped.
Remove from the oven and let completely cool (about 2 hours) before slicing. Cooling helps the final structure of the bread settle.

The post Beginner artisan sourdough bread appeared first on Halicopter Away.

Bread Diaries Day 5: How to make a decent homemade croissant

Hali — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 16:05:18 +0000

Day 0 | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

My first attempt at baking croissants was an absolute fail, though that certainly didn’t stop me from eating the whole batch. For my second attempt, I incorporated key learnings from my first batch, and this time managed to produce a halfway decent batch. Were they perfect? No! But they did have flaky, buttery layers and actually looked like croissants.

My 3 key tips from my first croissant attempt:

Keep everything cold and chill your dough frequently.
Make sure the butter isn’t too cold. It needs to be the same temperature as the dough, otherwise it will break into pieces.
Use a French rolling pin, which will give you more control.

The process:

I choose this recipe: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-croissants/

Sally is the absolute queen of home baking. I love her recipes because she walks you through the science behind each bake and is clear about potential pitfalls of each recipe. This detail is especially helpful when making something technical like croissants.

I halve the recipe because I want a reasonable amount of croissants. To do this, adjust the dimensions for rolling out the dough and butter.
Like the first time, it takes about 2 days. Day 1 is for proofing the dough and laminating, and day 2 is for shaping and baking.
The pastry rips a little during the lamination process. When this happens, I just fold that side in so the rip is covered.
I add chocolate in some of the croissants because why not!

The results

Even when I was making the pastry, I could tell this attempt was going better. There were visible layers when I cut into the pastry, which is a great sign.

What went wrong:

I didn’t distribute the butter evenly over the dough, so the edges of the dough were left with some sparse butter areas. This is called “dead” dough.
There was still a decent amount of butter leakage during baking, though not as bad as my first attempt.

What went right:

I actually managed to get layers, which was fantastic. The croissants were super crunchy, flaky, and delicious
The chocolate version was delicious. Turning a croissant into a chocolate croissant is very easy – it’s simply adding chocolate in the middle.

What I learned:

Really force the dough into a rectangle shape. I was a little lazy about making a perfect rectangle, but this impacts how even your layers turn out.
Trim off the edges of “dead” dough. When it came time for shaping, I realized the butter distribution was a little spotty. Trimming off the edges can help get rid of the doughy places.
Let my croissants proof for longer before baking. Underproofing can lead to butter spillage in the oven. Final proof time will vary depending on the temperature of the house, and the croissants should jiggle a little when you shake the tray.

In the end I was happy with this batch but there’s definitely still room for improvement. Which means… I should make more croissants!

The post Bread Diaries Day 5: How to make a decent homemade croissant appeared first on Halicopter Away.

No yeast? No problem – how to bake bread when there’s no yeast on hand

Hali — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 01:11:13 +0000

Fun fact learned during quarantine: when people are stuck in doors all day, they’ll return to their agricultural society roots and bake a ton of bread. I’m certainly guilty of this – I’ve been turning out loaves of Focaccia, messed-up baguettes, crusty loaves, and even croissants. I was on a bread-making roll… and then it seemed like the whole world ran out of yeast, all at once.

Seriously. First a run on toilet paper, now a run on yeast.

Granted, yeast is not essential to your day-to-day existence, but it is essential to making bread. So for all of you staying at home right now, lamenting the lack of yeast, I’ve come up with a guide to commercial yeast alternatives so you’ll be on your way to baking delicious loaves in no-time at all.

First, let’s do a little 101 on yeast.

What is yeast? Yeast is a living microorganism that occurs naturally in the environment around us. It lives on and in our bodies (see beer made from beard yeast) and has peacefully co-existed with humans for centuries, leavening our breads and fermenting our beer. When yeast divide, they produce carbon dioxide. This is what makes bubbles in all yeast-fermented products.

So what is “commercial yeast?”

Commercial yeast is the yeast that you can buy in your local grocery store. You can think about it as “domesticated” yeast that has been specially bred to multiply quickly and produce lots and lots of carbon dioxide in a very predictable manner. This makes commercial yeast great for bread-making because your loaves will quickly and dependably rise. Most bread recipes will call for “instant” or “active dry” yeast, which are both kinds of commercial yeast.

Ugh, so what if I don’t have any commercial yeast?

Well, yeast occurs naturally in the environment, all around us. And while I don’t recommend harvesting yeast from your beard, I do recommend creating a “sourdough starter.” A starter is a simple mix of flour and water that creates a happy, nourishing environment for yeast. They’ll start multiplying and bubbling away, creating a stock of yeast that you can for baking. A starter requires some upkeep, such as regular feedings of flour+water. It’s almost like having a very low maintenance pet that can also be turned into bread. You literally do not need anything other than flour and water to make this happen.

Great! Does that mean I never need to buy commercial yeast again?

Not exactly. Wild starter yeast and commercial yeast are NOT the same. First, starter yeast tends to have a distinct flavor – that’s what makes sourdough sour. Second, starter yeast is not purposely designed to quickly create a burst of carbon dioxide. As a result, you need more yeast and more time to achieve the same lift, and the rise time can be more unpredictable. And because your starter yeast live in a liquidy / floury environment, you need to adjust your recipe to take into account this difference. So if you have commercial yeast, and the recipe calls for commercial yeast, I would just use commercial yeast.

That being said, there are a number of awesome sourdough starter recipes for a variety of breads outside of just sourdough:

Sourdough milk bread

Sourdough croissants

Sourdough Focaccia

Are there any reasons to use sourdough starter instead of commercial yeast?

Yup, some people really prefer baking exclusively with sourdough starter. You get a deep, complex flavor that is unique to geography, since the yeast is captured from the local environment. Additionally, there are studies that show that bread fermented with wild yeast has better health benefits that bread fermented by commercial yeast. The slower fermentation provides better nutrients, makes bread easier to digest, and regulates blood sugar levels.

Okay I just don’t want to deal with yeast at all! Can I still make bread?

You won’t be able to make super fluffy leavened bread, but there are a number of recipes where the lift comes from baking powder or baking soda. These are generally called “quickbreads,” because you don’t have to patiently wait for the bread to rise.

Some quickbread recipes:

Banana bread: Classic banana bread muffins

Soda bread: Easy Irish soda bread

Beer bread: Honey beer bread

Okay you’ve convinced me – how do I make my own sourdough starter?

It’s super easy – I’m sharing what I did at the bottom of this post.

Other FAQ

Why do I have to throw out so much starter when I feed it?

You don’t want the starter to take over your house. What you can do is use it in some excellent sourdough starter recipes: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/collections/sourdough-discard-recipes

What if I don’t want to upkeep my starter anymore?

You can mix in some flour so it becomes hard and then store it in your freezer. When you want to bake again, revive with water and flour a few days before baking.

My starter smells funny and there’s green / pink stuff growing on it – what should I do?

That sounds like a bacterial infection to me. Usually a well-fed and cared for starter will take care of any bacterial problems, but if the bacteria strikes I’d recommend throwing it out and starting from scratch.

Awesome resources:

Cooked by Michael Pollan

https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-starter-recipe

https://www.breadmatters.com/the-benefits-of-sourdough/

Print Pin

DIY Sourdough starter

Make your own yeast that will be unique to your local environment. All you need is flour and water!

Prep Time 15

Equipment

glass or food-grade plastic jar

Ingredients

50 g (1/3 cup) whole wheat flour
50 g (1/3 cup) all-purpose flour
100 g (1/2 cup) warm water (about 110 degrees F)

Instructions

Select a nice glass or food-grade plastic jar to be your starter's home. It should have room to grow – I use a 32oz mason jar.
Fill the jar with a 1:1 ratio of flour to warm water. I use a 50/50 mix of whole and all-purpose flours, but you can certainly use only all-purpose flour if that's your preference. Make sure your water is "warm," not "hot." It should feel comfortable to the touch.
Stir the flour and water thoroughly until you have a thick batter. Leave out in a cool, dry location with the top off.
Observe for any signs of yeast activity, such as bubbling or a smell of ripe fruit. This could take up to 5 days.
After you notice yeast activity, maintain your starter with regular feedings. Discard 80% of your starter and then mix in another 100g of flour and 100g of warm water. If you don't feed your starter, it will die, and dead starter will not leaven anything.

The post No yeast? No problem – how to bake bread when there’s no yeast on hand appeared first on Halicopter Away.

Tips and tricks for perfect enriched bread

Hali — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 08:00:20 +0000

Ready to bake a beautiful fluffy loaf of bread but don’t know where to start? Having trouble making the perfect brioche? This guide to enriched bread will prepare you for success!

Ahh, bread-making. Is there anything more satisfying then a fresh, warm loaf of homemade bread? A soft, fluffy crumb, a golden brown crust, the sheer satisfaction of kneading, raising, and baking a loaf FROM SCRATCH… it makes you feel like a baking master. So what’s keeping you from baking your own from-scratch bread?

Well, there’s something undeniably intimidating about working with yeast. With all the different factors and variables, bread making can seem like a mysterious process. Will the dough rise? Will it rise too much? How do you know when it’s done baking? A string of questions and doubts can send you to the grocery to buy that loaf instead of making it yourself.

But I want to dispel the mystery around bread – and this post is going to tackle it head on with enriched bread. I want to give you the confidence and knowledge to try your hand at a loaf and experience the satisfaction of your own homemade bread. And if things don’t turn out perfectly the first time, just remember practice makes perfect, and a slightly defunct loaf of bread will still taste pretty good. So if you’re ready… let’s go!

First – what is enriched bread dough and how is it different from regular bread dough?

Regular bread dough has simple ingredients – yeast, flour, water, salt. Enriched bread dough adds fats such as milk, butter, and/or eggs. Breads that fall into this category include challah and brioche, and it’s the added fats that give those two breads their luscious golden color.

In each of the bread-making stages, I’ll outline the unique challenges that enriched dough can bring. But, the main thing to keep in mind is patience – enriched dough takes longer to rise (because of the additional weight in the dough), and longer to bake.

What do I need to know to bake the ultimate loaf?

I like to think of 6 stages to breadmaking, which sounds rather like a lot. But I will stress that while breadmaking does not need any advanced skills, breadmaking needs patience. Breadmaking needs time. Breadmaking does not respond well to rushing. So if you proceed methodically with these 6 stages and give them the appropriate time and care, you should produce a lovely loaf.

Here are the 6 stages we’ll walk through:

Creating the dough
Kneading the dough
First proof
Shaping
Second proof
Baking

How to bake enriched bread

Creating the dough

The first step is measure out and combine your ingredients, which sounds deceivingly simple. The tricky thing with bread, more so than for say, cookies, is that proportions are critical to achieving a proper rise and bake, so you want to take care to measure your ingredients carefully. If you have a food scale, now’s the time to whip it out since it will give you more precision that cups and tablespoons. The order in which you combine the ingredients is important as well, since mixing your salt and yeast directly together can lead to dead yeast, which will lead to a flat bread. The key thing here is to read the instructions before starting, measure your ingredients before starting, and then carefully follow the instructions. Sounds simple enough, but reading comprehension has been known to fail even the best of us.

What can be tricky about enriched dough: The temperature of your ingredients is important – your butter needs to be room temperature and very soft so that it can properly incorporated into the dough. When you add the fats and how much you add also affects how well they’re incorporated, so again, read your recipe with care!
Kneading the dough

Kneading dough is important because it helps develop the gluten in the bread – this is what gives bread it’s wonderful structure and chew. If you don’t knead your bread properly, it’s texture will be off, so take the time to knead properly. Flour your surfaces and your hands to avoid stickiness, and then go for it. I like to push my palm in forcefully into the dough, rotate 45 degrees, and push in again. You’ll know the dough is at the right stage when it becomes smooth and tight. You can also use the window pane test – when you’re able to stretch the dough out thinly enough so that light shines through and the dough doesn’t break, the gluten has developed sufficiently.

What can be tricky about enriched dough: Because of the extra fats, enriched dough requires more kneading to develop the gluten. So get ready for a bicep workout and take the time to knead thoroughly, or use a stand mixer.
First proof

While kneading is all about action, proofing is all about patience (and temperature). Proofing is when you allow the dough to rest and let the yeast take over. As yeast gobble up the glucose in the dough, they reproduce and produce air that causes the bread to rise. Yeast grow more quickly in warm and humid environments, so proofing speed will differ depending on the day. It’s important to let your bread rest and grow sufficiently during this first proof. A rule of thumb is to let it double in size.

What can be tricky about enriched dough: Since enriched dough has additional fats, it will take longer to proof – fats make the dough heavier. You also have to be careful with the temperature, as anything above 85F can make the butter and fats start to melt.

If you’re feeling impatient or are really crunched for time (I espouse patience, but we’ve all been there), there are ways to proof faster – you can check out How to Quickly Proof Bread Dough
Shaping

This stage is when you turn your dough into a loaf, and also when you incorporate any additional add-ons. You want to be firm but gentle so you don’t squeeze out too much of the air you just gained on the first proof.

What can be tricky about enriched dough: The dough needs to be handled firmly, and can benefit with chilling the fridge to help firm up the fats. It’s very fun to braid and shape these doughs into all sorts of beautiful patterns!
Second proof

Another round of patience to ensure that your loaf reaches a proper size before going into the oven. If you don’t proof long enough on the second proof, the dough may rise too quickly and then collapse when it hits the warmth of the oven. On the other hand, if you overproof, the loaf will also collapse from it’s own weight. Again, a good rule of thumb is to let your loaves or buns double in size. If you’re using a bread pan, once the dough has risen above the edge of the bread pan, it’ll be ready for baking. Another good test in the poke test. When you poke the loaf with your finger, the indent should fill back slowly to about halfway.

What can be tricky about enriched dough: Enriched dough is more susceptible to collapse because the fats are weighing it down, so be extra careful with the proof time. Sometimes I let my bread rest in the refrigerator overnight for a slower proof that helps flavors develop.
Baking

Final step, we’re almost there! This is the magical part where your whole house smells cozy and delicious. The key parts of baking are 1) setting the right temperature and 2) baking for the right amount of time. Everyone’s oven is a little different, so the best way to ensure your oven is at the right temperature is to use an oven thermometer. To check if your bread has baked for the right amount of time, tap the top with a spoon – a hollow sound indicates that the middle is cooked through.

What can be tricky about enriched dough: Enriched doughs need to be baked at a lower temperature for a longer time than traditional doughs. But be careful not to overbake, as there is a higher chance your loaf will turn out crumbly and dry.

If you make it through all 6 steps, then congrats – you’re reading to tackle an enriched loaf!

Some great enriched bread recipes for beginners:

All of these warnings and caveats may sound intimidating, but the single most important thing to achieving a fantastic loaf of bread is to practice and experiment and not fear failure. Do it over and over again. Your friends and family certainly won’t mind the explosion of brioche loaves coming out of the kitchen (I know mine didn’t!). And soon you’ll develop an instinct for making loaves that are sure to impress.

Resources:

Bread making for beginners by Bonnie Ohara

https://theweek.com/articles/443386/secret-baking-enriched-breads-home

https://food52.com/blog/16600-how-to-master-sweet-yeasted-doughs-i-e-your-favorite-foods

The post Tips and tricks for perfect enriched bread appeared first on Halicopter Away.

Dark vs Light Brown Sugar – Does it Matter?

Hali — Sun, 24 Mar 2019 18:42:13 +0000

We’ve all had this moment – the recipe calls for light brown sugar, and you open your cupboard and only find dark. What to do? Does it really matter? What’s really the difference anyways? When I first started baking, I always followed recipes exactly because I didn’t have a good idea about how the individual ingredients come together to create the final product. As I’ve baked more, I’ve developed more of an instinct about how changing specific ingredients in a recipe will change the outcome of the bake.

This past weekend, I baked my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe (they are SO GOOD) but instead of using dark brown sugar as usual, I decided to try it with light brown sugar. The results were markedly different but was one really better than the other?

The quick answer: yes, you can interchange dark with light brown sugar without ruining your bake. However, there will be distinct differences and read on to learn why

Brown Sugar 101

The difference between brown and white sugar lies in their molasses content. Molasses is a thick, dark brown highly concentrated sugar syrup. Brown sugar has molasses, leading to its distinct brown color and a moist, crumbly texture, and dark brown sugar simply has a higher molasses content than light brown sugar.

So why does the molasses content matter?

Molasses increases the moisture and acidity of your bake. This will mean denser, slightly heavier sweets, and the acidity may also cause your baked goods to rise a little more in the oven. It also has a deeper, more intense flavor, similar to caramel.

The Cookie Test

So did my cookies turn out differently? Yes!

Cookies made with dark brown sugar

Using dark brown sugar, my cookies spread less in the oven and were denser, heavier, and quite moist.

Cookies made with light brown sugar

Using light brown sugar, my cookies spread a far bit more, were more airy, and had lighter flavors.

Overall, I wouldn’t say that the type of brown sugar significantly changed the outcome of the recipe. So go ahead and make your substitutions without worries – your cookies will turn out delicious no matter what (unless you burn them to a crisp, which has nothing to do with sugar content).

Sources:

https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/whats-the-difference-between-light-and-dark-b.html

https://www.myrecipes.com/extracrispy/dark-brown-sugar-light-brown-sugar

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