JoelF wrote:Hey Sue just made one of those today too!
Very soft, the previous focaccia Sue baked was a little crustier - I may have liked that a little better. But I did like how high it rose.
ronnie_suburban wrote:JoelF wrote:Hey Sue just made one of those today too!
Very soft, the previous focaccia Sue baked was a little crustier - I may have liked that a little better. But I did like how high it rose.
What kind of pan did she use? Which olive oil? Curious about variables now. I think I'll use an unfiltered evoo next time, like Frantoia.
My loaves had ideal crustiness and I did like the rise -- it was quite pillowy -- but I think I could/should have let it proof a bit longer. That would have helped the rise even more and likely resulted in a more complex flavor. I might even hold it overnight in the fridge. Next time.
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JoelF wrote:ronnie_suburban wrote:JoelF wrote:Hey Sue just made one of those today too!
Very soft, the previous focaccia Sue baked was a little crustier - I may have liked that a little better. But I did like how high it rose.
What kind of pan did she use? Which olive oil? Curious about variables now. I think I'll use an unfiltered evoo next time, like Frantoia.
My loaves had ideal crustiness and I did like the rise -- it was quite pillowy -- but I think I could/should have let it proof a bit longer. That would have helped the rise even more and likely resulted in a more complex flavor. I might even hold it overnight in the fridge. Next time.
9x9 steel pan that once upon a time was non stick, but is seasoned bare metal now. Kirkland organic EVOO.
ronnie_suburban wrote:JoelF wrote:ronnie_suburban wrote:Okay, thanks. I like that Kirkland evoo and it's in my rotation (along with Partanna, Lucini and Horio) but I just finished a bottle and now I'm onto the Bertolli. I'd never tried it before but it rated highly, so I decided to try it. It's just okay imo, and will not become part of the rotation.
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lougord99 wrote:Humidity in the oven will usually increase the crispiness of the crust.
LynnB wrote:That looks so good, Ron!
Super-impressed that you baked your way through Nancy’s book. I aspire to do something like that. I contemplated doing it with The Nordic Baking Book. Time is an issue though right now. Maybe when I become an empty-nester….
LynnB wrote:I have a couple of Nancy Silverton stories…
I first met her in Hawaii when I was there working a “Cuisine’s of the Sun” event. I was with Monique King, chef of Soul Kitchen (I was pastry chef). David Leibowitz’s partner at the time, Fred, took a liking to me and I found myself hanging out with him, David, and Nancy. Her husband at the time, Mark Peel, was also there but it was mostly the four of us. Fred was a beautiful, kind person who recognized how green and insecure I was. I was 26 at the time. He really took me under his wing and boosted my confidence at this event. I was very surprised at how approachable and easygoing Nancy was.
Fast forward 2 years, I was working as pastry chef at 312 Chicago. The James Beard awards were being hosted in town and Nancy was assigned to work out of our kitchen. She recognized and acknowledged me from our previous meeting in Hawaii. I’ve been around many “celebrity “ chefs and she is a true gem - a real person with a kind heart and genuine passion for her craft.
ronnie_suburban wrote:The bottom line is that a longer ferment almost always leads to better flavor, so without it, there's just going to be a ceiling on quality. But, I'm glad the ease of this recipe got me baking bread again. It's been well over a decade (maybe 2?) since I baked my way through Nancy Silverton's Breads From The La Brea Bakery. That experience changed my life (truly) and it was fun to get back into it a bit with this KA recipe.
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zorkmead wrote:I have a lot less baking experience to offer, but I will say that my favorite self-made focaccia is from the Milk Street recipe that thaiobsessed posted about on the Bread-making and -breaking thread (I'm not sure how to link a particular post?) which calls for a 4.5 - 24 hour ferment.
When you compare it to King Arthur the two seem really different (you can find the MS recipe here: https://www.wskg.org/episodes/2021-01-1 ... pes-ep-416 ). It's really surprising to me that the recipe with the slower rise has so much MORE yeast. Also remarkable to me is that it has a much higher water to flour ratio.
- zorkmead