Tag Archives: Jeffrey Hamelman

When your sourdough starter goes bad

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Burnt My Fingers

  My 60% Hamelman sourdough starter is no more. I had scooped up a wad (with the master’s permission) when I took the Wood Fired Oven class at King Arthur Flour back in 2012, nurtured it to a bubbly bloom, … Continue reading →

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Best and worst online cooking and drinking classes

Posted on February 25, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers

Like you, I have spent a lot of time in this past year eating and drinking with strangers through online classes and tastings. Maybe the best so far was Kenji’s Japanese soufflé pancake class which I attended with my daughter … Continue reading →

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Recipe: Go-To Sourdough Bread

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Burnt My Fingers

This is my favorite sourdough bread recipe which I’ve been tweaking for the past couple of years. I am obsessed with making presentable baguettes, but it also makes excellent and reliable boules and batards for sandwiches and everyday use. It … Continue reading →

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How to get big(ger) holes in your baguettes

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Burnt My Fingers

[New to Burnt My Fingers? See UPDATE at the end of this post.] Big, lacy holes are a right of passage in baguette making. Big holes in baguettes mean an airy, well-made loaf with a chewy, tasty crumb. Contributing factors … Continue reading →

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Baking Hamelman’s 80% rye “Affidavit Bread”

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Burnt My Fingers

The other day I baked up a wonderful pullman loaf of 80% whole rye that’s perfect for serving with smoked salmon or some of the nice Brooklyn whitefish salad I had left over from a party last weekend. With a … Continue reading →

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Why bakers steam their bread (and how you can too)

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Burnt My Fingers

One of the differences between home and professional bakers is that commercial bakeries have ovens which release copious quantities of steam on demand. I got a lesson this week in why steam is important, when I took a Sourdough Rye … Continue reading →

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What’s the best flour for baking bread?

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Burnt My Fingers

What’s the best flour? In this post I will tell you. But you will have to sit through a bit of a windup first, even though I’m simplifying. I am not going to talk about stone ground flours or specialty … Continue reading →

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Recipe: Country-Style Miche

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Burnt My Fingers

A miche (pronounced “meesh”) is a rustic loaf made with high extraction flour. It’s big and hearty and gets better as it ages over several days. Great for sandwiches or just eating with some good butter. Ingredients: For the levain: … Continue reading →

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Country miche taste test … take two

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Burnt My Fingers

After my first miche test taste, there were a few loose ends. I wanted to add Central Milling Type 85 Malted to the contestants, and I wanted to try a smaller loaf after Michael London’s advice for baking in dutch … Continue reading →

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Taste test: Country-Style Miche

Posted on September 29, 2012 by Burnt My Fingers

A miche is a rustic loaf made with levain and flour that has retained most of its outer coating of bran and aleurones. Its most distinctive feature is its volume: the typical miche is 4 pounds or more and spreads … Continue reading →

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