King Arthur DVD: ARTISAN BREADS

[kokopuffs]

Voila, the answer to my breadmaking problems. Made homemade breads using book recipies for over 4 years and even purchased a Kenwood mixer (when they WERE the upgrade to a KitchenAid). Most of the loaves I produced were doorstops.

I finally broke down to get the KA dvd. The kneading technique that Mr. Jubinsky demonstrates highlights very gentle handling of the dough. HIS technique which I adopted involves several steps of folding the dough followed by relaxation period. This is in opposition to the 'traditional' fold towards you and push down - a technique which, as opposed to stretching the dough, actually breaks the holes into smaller holes resulting in a denser loaf.

And approximately 1/6'th of the flour is held back from mixing; some (a little bit) of that flour is used for dusting the work surface. If the dough doesn't stick to you hands during the preliminary knead, then it's too dry, way way too dry. The dough should stick to the fingers bigtime and not pull away cleanly when the hands are withdrawn from the dough.

In the final steps prior to baking he demonstrates rounding the dough ball into a 'beret' TWICE to create surface tension that results a much taller oven spring and bigger holes.

At the outset of my breadmaking journey, I should have gotten this instructional dvd because it would have eliminated the need to get a mixer along with several breadmaking books. As opposed to the 'traditional knead', folding the dough like he demonstrates requires much less energy. Your arms won't fatigue from working the dough if you do it like he does.

To anyone wanting to even delve minutely into breadmaking, I recommend this dvd before spending $$'s on books and mixers. You won't be disappointed.

[kuan]

So do you just get it from King Arthur?

BTW in Late Night Cafe there's a thread on "baker's arm" so if you have anything good to add please feel free.

[kokopuffs]

I do know that it's produced by and sold thru KA for around $15. Trust me, that dvd is the best investment and has made the most improvement in my breadmaking to date. No more mixers; no more doorstops.

[KyleW]

As someone once said, "All roads lead to Rome". What I love most about bread baking is that there are so many ways to bake great bread. In this case, there are many ways to develop gluten, the goal of kneading dough. By hand, in a mixer, forward, backwards, or this techniques, which sounds like a stretch and fold technique. Once properly developed you can sitll end up with a door stop. I maintain that most door stops are caused by underhydrated doughs

[kokopuffs]

I agree but the demonstration also highlighted witholding a sizeable amount of flour; a just a little of it was used for dusting and making minute adjustments in the dough's consistency. Mr. Jubinsky emphasized wet dough, too.

[kokopuffs]

Also to actually observe him making a wet dough reassures me that THAT's the way it's done: wet and therefore sticky. And unlike the dvd, most breadmaking books that I've used didn't convey to me (perhaps they conveyed to others) the kneading technique of making a 'beret' and remaking it a second time to achieve a good degree of surface tension that results in a great oven spring as opposed to a spread out flat mass of final product.

[kokopuffs]

Kyle: After making dough using identical proportions for years and getting a variable product, I insist that handling as well as humidity certainly figures into the equation.

[KyleW]

Of this there is no doubt. Humidity effects hydration. This is why a scale and smart eyes and fingers are essential!

[kokopuffs]

EDIT: proportions by volume and not by weight. Weight is without a doubt the most accurate factor in measuring ingredients for bread but I always measured stuff by volume.