Poolish with and without salt

Experiment to see the effects of adding salt to the poolish. The seasoned sponge - on the right - was slow to rise but got there in the end.

The loaves were very similar after baking. The unseasoned sponge resulted in a slightly larger and softer loaf. Perhaps a longer proof would have helped?

Overall I think I'll stick to deferring the salt as the dough feels much more active. But taste-wise they were identical.

Doves Farm strong white bread flour	100.0%
Evian mineral water	64.0%
Fresh yeast	4.0%
Billington's Organic Golden Granulated	2.0%
Pro Fusion Himalayan Rose Pink	2.5%

Proofing in the crisp sea air

Simple white loaf, proofed on the prom. Actually en route to try a friend's new oven but it did make me chuckle!

I'd like to think it made a difference. Terroirists.

Doves Farm strong white bread flour	100.0%
Evian mineral water	64.0%
Fresh yeast	4.0%
Billington's Organic Golden Granulated	2.0%
Pro Fusion Himalayan Rose Pink	2.5%

Madeleines without baking powder

Experiment to understand the effect of baking powder.

I weighed one egg (47g) then added an equal amount of caster suger. Gave it a whisk until frothy, added an equal amount of flour and combined. I then left it rest for a while while the (equal quantity) of butter soften on the radiator. I combined the butter and split the mixture into two: to one half I added one gram of baking powder.

Cooked for 8 mins at 200.

The one with baking powder made an extra cake, was better risen and was also better coloured and flavoured.

When is a cake not a cake? When it's a biscuit

Comparison of proportions of flour, butter, sugar and egg in common recipes.

Searching for the ideal shortbread

Cooked with increasing amounts of fat (top to bottom) and sugar (left to right). The best two shortbreads are highlighted green; the best cookie, orange. The 62.5% shortbread is almost as good as the 75%.

			Sugar
100%	flour	Butter	25%	62.5%	75%
		50%	1	2	3
		62.5%	1	2	3
		75%	1	2	3

50% fat

1. Cheap shortbread 
2. Too hard
3. Almost inedibly hard

62.5% fat

1. Nice, yields easily
2. Slightly more chewy
3. Too hard

75% fat

1. Yields even more, disappears to nothing in the mouth
2. Chewy, a good cookie
3. Slightly too sweet, not unlike the supermarket bakery cookies