Whole Wheat Bread with 50% Biga

Bread

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I bet a lot of people reading this are currently holed up inside their house with a crazy amount of snow and wind outside. I hope you've got a fire roaring, a cup of tea or hot chocolate, and someone to cuddle with. It's nice to have a few days off work, even if you can't really step outside your own home. 

Since you're stuck inside for a little while, you might as well make the best of it. You can get started on this bread this evening and have it ready to eat by lunch tomorrow! A nice thick slice of this whole wheat bread alongside a hearty stew or soup and you've got yourself the ideal meal after coming in from the cold.

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Overnight White Bread

Bread

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Bread is happenin' on this blog, you guys. I'm really getting into it for many reasons, one reason being that homemade bread is super easy, ridiculously tasty, and relatively cheap. Flour, water, salt, yeast, and some patience is all you need for a delicious loaf of bread.

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Chocolate Caramels with Sea Salt

Chocolate | Confections

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Everyone getting ready for New Years Eve? Picked out your dress, got your booze, got all these parties to go to? Yeah?? 

Well, not for me. I'm going to stay at home by myself and probably read over my new baking books (again) and maybe fiddle around with my new light setup. Exciting, I know.

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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80% Biga Bread

Bread

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"What the heck is a biga?" is most likely what you're thinking right now. Simple - a type of preferment for bread. If you've read my basic bread dough recipe, you should know what a preferment is, but if your memory is a little foggy, no worries. A preferment is a portion of water and flour and yeast that are allowed to ferment for 12-18 hours, then more flour and water are added to make the final dough. It improves flavour, acidity, and texture. A great way to improve the taste of your bread with minimal effort, essentially. Usually preferments are a small percentage of the final bread, maybe 20% or so. But it doesn't always have to be, as with this one. 

Before this, I had never made a bread with this much of a preferment. I was a little worried about it, especially since I've never tried this method of bread making before. But I have to say that this is some excellent bread. This is my ideal bread right here. Super crunchy crust, moist interior, lots of fermentation bubbles. I could eat it all day long. And I did.

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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Hot Buttered Rum Apple Pie

Fruit | Pie

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I know I already mentioned this in the last post, but Merry Christmas! I hope you had a sweet ol' time with your family and/or friends. I hope you over-ate and then did not feel a smidgen of guilt cause it's Christmas!! It's the one time you get to overeat (well, maybe Thanksgiving... and your birthday... and when you're sad). I hope your holidays were filled with pie and chocolate and ice cream and cookies. Cause really, deep down, that's what Christmas is all about.

Just kidding. I think.

Posted by : Hint of Vanilla
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