My First Artisan Bread

I really like the smell of freshly baked bread in the morning, have you been to Artisan breads shop when it just opened in the morning ort the small bakeries in every village, Pan De Manila perhaps? The aroma is so enticing, warm and homely. I like the smell of breads with starters more. I know it's sour, sometimes malty like beer, but once you understand the process, or the reason why it smells like that, you learned to love it. Well, I don't know with you :) But for me, I love the strong acidic aroma of freshly baked breads, it's like the sound track of the Sound Of Music to me :)

Way back in Baking school, we had this subject called "Artisan Breads". Artisan meaning made by hands, yes, meaning kneaded by hands, but also with a machine specially for huge bread productions. Traditionally baked in brick ovens, carefully fermented and usually infused with "babies".

Multi Grain Rye & Black Rice Bread

was trying to make a batard with a # scoring. but my scoring was so ugly, looks like a scarred face to me.

I like calling Fermeentees' "babies", because you feed them everyday, watch them grow day by day. Just like newly borns :) My first Artisan Bread project is to re-make, actually to copy, a bread I ate during a cafe visit (Mary Grace.) I just love their Sourdough bread paired with their pastas that I craved for it for weeks. I decided to make my own hoping to get the same texture of crusty, moist and aromatic bread. Yep, Good luck to me! I'm not really good at making breads, so what more of making my own recipe :D

Multi Grain Rye & Wild Rice Bread; made with Rolled Oats, Wheat Flour & Rye Flour  :)))) mission accomplissssssss... My 1st artisan bread r&d. 


Multi Grain Rye & Black Rice Bread

Rye flour           500g
Bread Flour      500g

  Yeast                   20g

   Salt                      20g

Warm Water   700g
Wild Rice          25g

Rolled Oats       25g


To make this recipe:

1. In a boiling water, pre-cook the Wild Rice to al dente, strain and drain.

2. Sift Rye flour, Bread Flour and yeast together.

3. Dilute salt in warm water

4. Start making the dough by mixing the flours and water, add oats and rice before passing window pane.

5. Continue kneading until the dough passes window pane test.

6. Ferment for 2 hours

7. Degass the dough and Divide  into desired weight (250g)

8. Round each piece and pan (with floured tray)

9. Complete fermentation for 1 hour 

10. Score the top with a paring knife or clean blade

11. Spray the oven surface with water, Bake at 375F for about 30 mins

12. Cool down before slicing, and eat as you please <3

guilty kitchen clogs <3

Trunks, Buds and Fleur De Lys

It's been a while :) Been busy at work :D.. that I only had the time to update today. On my Pastry Chef perspective I would just like to say that It's not everyday that we are able to make really perfect, nice products. Maybe because a science like Baking & Pastry is much more of an art. It got to be therapeutic and stress relieving, most of the cakes or pastries not done by such finesse usually flops, ends rough or bumpy. While pieces done with passion, fascination and happy thoughts, believe it or not, ends really pretty.

from this white four layer  fondant cake...

It was a lazy Friday afternoon yesterday, lazy because it was a rainy weekend coming, plus I finished early with my production, instead of going home earlier I decided to help in Chef Mhai's special fondant project. The concept is to make a four layer fondant cake for Engr. Cecille's wedding, with branches, greens and "blossoming' details.

to hand painted branches..

busy like buzzing bees..

I find this photo funny :) it's like someone is insisting to take photos while the girls are busy (Kuya Moi)

to carefully piped leaves and buds..

spot Mang Joery! <3

:DDDDDDD

 pretending that we are busy in this photo! haha! kidding aside :)

busy-busihan kezzz. tsar!

to this! <3

tadahhhhhh! tadahhh! tadaahhh! taddahh!  taddaaaahh! We were like crazy girls after we finished this cake. We were just really happy and proud of each other. Really happy :) Really fulfilling :)

closer look to the details.. looks like grand mother's porcelain vases with hand detail imprints. The colors are so lovely and fresh.. feels like spring had just began

top-most layer

I would like to dedicate this entry to Chef Mhai, Thank you for letting me assist you in this project. It's not everyday that we are able to make as beautiful edible art as this, Thank you because I know you will not forget this cake, and I promise you to re-make this cake when it's your turn to walk down the aisle :)