The Bread Log

February 12, 2012

Last time I baked bread, I tried the ratio 5:3 of bread flour to water, with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp yeast. The dough was very stiff, didn't knead easily, and was very dense once baked.

This time, I tried a 5:4 ratio of flour to water, with 2.5 tsp salt and 1 tsp yeast. The dough was much more wet, but much less stiff. After 15 mins in the stand mixer, the dough could pass the windowpane test, but was still extremely sticky. I let it rise for a little over 2 hours on top of the water heater, then poured the dough out onto the floured counter and folded it a few times. Shaped it into a boule, using a lot of flour on my hands and the counter to keep my hands from sticking, then put it (seam side down) in the dutch oven to let proof, covered in plastic wrap and the dutch oven lid.