Paul Hollywood's Bread on TV tonight

[dennispc Profile]

It was fine Gill, didn't rise as much as the first one but crustier.

OH says we've got one of those hand mixers, so no excuse to buy a big mixer!

Oh, RBI says a true French baguette must weigh exactly 320 gems and have seven cuts.

Now you know!

[jeral Profile]

I'm just watching Guy's Big Bite (Food Network Ch48) and there's a guy who's caught and cleaned a 3-4lb octopus and is using his stand mixer (looks like a hefty swirly single hook) to tenderise it for 15 mins. Could that be purpose enough to justify buying a counter-top mixer? Just a thought.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Oh, RBI says a true French baguette must weigh exactly 320 gems and have seven cuts.

Ah-HA!
The way to cut a baguette rightly, so the slashes open up properly is 5 to 5 or 5 past 7 (ie just off vertical), depending if you're a righty or leftie.

Jeral - what exactly did he do?

[jeral Profile]

Hi Gillthepainter, the cook put the octopus into the stand mixer. Looked mostly tentacles about 1ft long so no or little head/body left on. He added a small handful of salt before setting it going.

The whole meal put together by Guy was T-bone lamb steaks (obviously bone-in although I doubt that we in UK get those, but same as T-bone steak so different meat either side of bone, one side being the fillet so very tender). They were poly-bag marinated awhile in citrus/herb/olive oil then whacked onto a hot griddle either side. Meanwhile the octopus tentacles were griddled (not sure if just oiled) then cut into thin slices to go into a green salad, set off with salted lemons(*), for the base on which to serve the lamb T-bones. Looked really fresh and lovely actually.

(*)What we call preserved lemons. I think Guy said they'd been cut into a chiffonade (very thin bits) before adding into the salad.

I had only one eye on it, but that's the gist of it. Reminded me that I like preserved lemons...

[jaybird Profile]

The garlic bread looked delish, I really like roasted garlic mmmm.
I'd love to try the biscotti as well, it's expensive to buy so would be good I think.
His pizza was burned! I make pizza and in my mind I would have failed if it had blackish bits on it as Paul's had. All in all though a great programme (that dough did look like underpants though didn't it?). Eagerly await the next one.

[dennispc Profile]

That's often the shape of my pizzas, jay bird! And, his pizza way too thick for our tastes. I mix OO flour with bread flour.

Thanks for the idea Jeral but not something we tend to buy!

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Yes, I wasn't too sure about the pizza. Remind me, did he bake it then add toppings?

Reporting back on using dough beaters, and what a result. I'm going to incorporate it into my bread making.
5mins of use max! and the mix is ready to be left until you shape it. Very manageable, which is unusual for sourdough.

I loved the result, soft even crumb, pleasing aeration pockets which are the mark of a sourdough, and excellent lift for so little effort.

[dennispc Profile]

Thanks Gill, we're away so that will have to wait.

Was that a ciabatta mix?

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

It was his bloomer recipe too, Dennis. (the only change to the ingredients was less salt and 100g fresh leaven instead of yeast).

Talking of which, next time I'll add the salt into the water as he said, see if that improved the mix.
I always add it dry, but know varying its usage gives differing results.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/paul_ ... omer_84636

[jaybird Profile]

He added the toppings before baking Gill (onion, figs, ham & gorgonzola I think). He then drizzled with oilive oil and balsamic vinegar, maybe some of that got onto the uncovered dough and that's why it burnt a bit.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Ah, thanks Jaybird.

I think it was the Hairy Bakers who baked the pizza first then added masses of topping.

[hungryhousewife Profile]

Gill your bread looks lovely. I always use my Kenwood to do the main kneading, and it does a great job.

Did you really need a saw to cut through the bread? It looks so beautiful, I can't believe it!

HH

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

ha-HA! It looks a mean machine now you mention it, HH.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Ooooo, sourdough tonight.

[hungryhousewife Profile]

That was so interesting! I've made sour dough before, making a standard Biga, but I loved the use of grapes to get the natural yeasts workign. COOL!!!!
HH

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Hi HH. I enjoyed that one too. He seemed to handle the complication of the subject very well.

Although he didn't explain the use of the grapes - yeasts on the surface giving a certain type of starter.
In mine I used raisins. These 2 seem to create a very stable leaven, but you can use other fruits.

The young baker didn't think much of his boule making skills did he. I think his heavy handedness on the yeast dough isn't suitable for the sourdough.

[dennispc Profile]

Missed it had to catch up on iPlayer. Fascinating stuff, now I do very little bread that isn't sour dough as it suits our digestive systems. He, and Gill mentioning the 100g of starter for the bloomer, means a new world opens up before me. Sadly I won't be home for another two weeks from our family tour so it will all have to wait.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

You'll be itching to to feed your starter.

I remember now that he used 100g. As a standard for me, when converting any yeast recipe, I just use 100g instead if I'm making a loaf overnight, or 120 - 150g if it's during the day.

There are conversion methods, but it hurts my head to get into the bakers' percentages.

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

I enjoyed tonight's programme. I can definitely see myself making soda bread, especially the stout loaf . I would imagine that this would be a good alternative to a dark rye bread and much quicker to make as well!

[Happy Violas Profile]

I made his cheesy rosemary scones for beef cobbler from last week and the carnivores loved it .... I really fancy some of his enriched breads this week