Better Luck Next Time

 

When you wake up to Betty looking like this you have to make bread. 

The starter she made later that morning was equally anxious to get to work. 

And here's where things went haywire. I bought these cute little 6.5 inch banneton baskets right before my back gave up on me and I'd been itching to use them. I needed to increase my little loaf recipe just a tad to fit in them properly and when I did, I increased the hydration percentage of the recipe too much. In baker's speak, I used a 80% hydration ratio when I should have used 70%. 80 is not for beginners. 

I had to wrestle a very wet dough all afternoon and thought I had won the battle when I realized I had not seasoned my new bannetons so I couldn't use them after all. You have to wash them, dry them, mist them with water and then coat them with rice flour. I hadn't done any of that so I had to hurry up and figure out something else for its overnight cold proofing which turned out to be a glass bowl lined with a coffee filter. 

After baking, I knew by looking at it that it wasn't right. It sort of looks like a brain doesn't it? I was scared.

When I cut it, it looked okay but it was gummy. Disappointing.

I toasted a slice and it made a decent little sandwich. The good thing is, as long as Betty is enjoying this warm weather, I can try again. Like today. I'm getting right back on that horse.