Loaf #13, almost a good idea.

Ok, this was an experiment that went right in some ways and horribly wrong in others.

I started with the basic bread recipe. The preferment was 8oz of high gluten bread flour which usually gives the loaf a nice lift and soft texture. The rest of the loaf had 4 oz high gluten flour, 2 oz teff flour, 2 tablespoons flax meal, and the rest was about 10 ounces of whole wheat flour. It proofed nicely and was perfect for forming a freestanding loaf, but I decided to try and make a ring loaf. This involves making a boule, punch a hole in the middle and form it into a ring. What I ended up doing was taking away any structural support that would have turned this into a high proofing loaf. As you see in the cross section it ended up going outwards rather than upwards. The texture is still good, soft but slightly mealy with the addition of the flax meal and teff flour, and a slightly nutty taste. It makes a great bread to serve with soup, especially for dipping. Again I'll try this recipe variation again, but won't mess with the ring form until I have a clue what I'm doing. I prefer my loaves to move upwards rather than outwards most of the time.