c/bakers

4

james661•2d ago

My sponge cake fell flat and I finally figured out why after 8 tries

I have been trying to perfect a vanilla sponge cake for about 2 months now. Every single time I pulled it out of the oven it would sink right in the middle after a few minutes. I tried different pans, different oven temps, even a new mixer. Finally this past Tuesday I realized my baking powder was sitting in my cabinet for over a year. Picked up a fresh can and boom the cake rose perfect and stayed that way. Has anyone else had a simple ingredient go bad on them without noticing?

4

james661•3d ago

Noticed a big shift in my sourdough after switching flour brands

I used the same cheap store brand bread flour for two years and my loaves were always flat and dense, then I tried a local mill's flour three weeks ago and got huge oven spring overnight. The protein content was actually higher but also the ash content changed everything about how the dough handled. Has anyone else seen that big of a difference just from switching where your flour comes from?

2

gibson.sean•6d ago

My aunt told me my pie crust was 'too tough' and it bugged me for weeks

I've been using my grandma's recipe for years and thought it was perfect until my aunt said that at a family dinner in Cleveland last month. She said I was overworking the dough and making the gluten develop too much. Now I barely mix the butter and flour together, stop while it's still crumbly, and the crust comes out way flakier. Anyone else have a relative who gave you feedback that actually made you better?

3

the_robert•7d ago

Just found out my starter is basically a 5 year old petri dish of doom

I was reading this food science blog last night, got deep into a rabbit hole about sourdough starters. Apparently a 5 year old starter like mine has thousands of different bacteria strains living in it, some of which can actually make you sick if the pH gets out of whack. I always thought the older the better, no questions asked. But this article said after year two, the risk of bad bacteria taking over goes up by like 30% if you don't feed it right. Now I'm paranoid, I've been baking with this thing for years and never once checked the pH. Has anyone else tested their starter's acidity levels or am I just overthinking this whole thing?

13

matthew_wilson46•24d ago

Celebrating a Slight Victory: My Sourdough Didn't Die

I was in my tiny kitchen last Tuesday and forgot to feed my starter for THREE days straight. I thought it was a goner but it bounced back with a double rise after two feedings. Anyone else had a starter that just refuses to quit on you?

30

nathan851•25d ago

Customer told me my sourdough was 'too sour' and I had to rethink everything

I had a regular at the farmer's market in Portland tell me straight up my sourdough tasted like vinegar. I was using a 24 hour cold ferment and feeding my starter once a day with rye flour. Turns out my starter was way too acidic because I was keeping it at 80 degrees and feeding it too often. I switched to feeding it every 12 hours with a 50/50 mix of white and whole wheat and dropped my bulk ferment to just 8 hours at room temp. The difference was night and day - now people actually ask for a second loaf instead of just buying one to be polite. Anyone else adjust their starter routine after getting blunt feedback?

19

grantthomas•26d ago

Found out most croissants use margarine not butter from a bakery tour in Chicago last weekend

The guide said over 80% of the commercial bakeries in the city use margarine for the lamination because it's cheaper and holds up better in the fridge, and I honestly had no idea until that moment.

28

wren976•26d ago

The way my sourdough starter changed after 3 weeks of feeding it rye flour is wild

I had been using all-purpose flour for like 6 months and my loaves were fine but kinda flat. Switched to rye flour in my feedings on a whim and after 3 weeks it was doubling in half the time. The crumb got way more open and that sour tang finally showed up. Has anyone else seen a big shift just from changing their flour type?

24

parker_bailey•27d ago

The day my sourdough starter exploded all over the kitchen ceiling

I had this jar of starter on the counter that I been feeding for like 2 months. Forgot to loosen the lid before I went to bed last Tuesday. Woke up at 3am to a loud POP and found sticky dough goo dripping from the light fixture. Still finding little dried bits in random places 4 days later. Has anyone else had a starter get that violent on them?

13

ross.river•27d ago

Had to pick between a $10 Dutch oven and a $60 one at the thrift store last Sunday

Honestly, I was at a Goodwill in Denver and saw two Dutch ovens sitting right next to each other. One was a cheap off-brand with a chipped lid for $10, and the other was a Lodge for $60 that looked barely used. I stood there for like 10 minutes trying to decide. Ended up grabbing the Lodge because I figured I'd use it for sourdough and stews and it would last forever. Got it home, scrubbed it down, and made a batch of no-knead bread that came out perfect with a crispy crust. The lid fit tight and the heat spread even, no hot spots at all. Now I'm wondering if I should have bought both and cleaned up the $10 one. Has anyone else found a killer deal on cookware at a thrift store that surprised you?

4

christopher385•28d ago

A customer told me my croissants were too dense and it hurt but they were right

About three months ago a regular customer pulled me aside and said my croissants looked nice but felt heavy inside. I was a bit defensive at first but then I weighed a few and they were almost 30% heavier than the ones from a bakery I respect. I realized I was rushing the lamination process and not letting the dough rest enough between folds. Now I take more time and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes between each turn. The layers are much flakier and the texture is way lighter. Has anyone else gotten tough feedback that actually improved their baking?

4

evannelson•28d ago

Can we talk about the whole 'never open the oven door' rule?

My grandma always told me opening the oven door while baking bread would ruin the rise. I followed that for years until my buddy, who runs a bakery in Denver, said I was being too careful. He said I should peek after 10 minutes to check color and adjust temp if needed. Last week I tried his way with a sourdough loaf and it came out fine, maybe even better than usual. But now I'm wondering if I just got lucky or if the rule is actually overblown. Anyone else gotten conflicting advice about oven door timing and had different results?

7

karenw23•29d ago

Visited the King Arthur Baking School in Vermont and think their sourdough method is overcomplicated.

I watched a lady spend 45 minutes on a feeding schedule when my grandma's bucket-in-the-corner starter has been going strong for 30 years with no fuss, why do we make this harder than it needs to be?

9

troy439•1mo ago

Just had a regular customer compliment my sourdough crumb

I've been baking out of my home kitchen in Columbus for about 8 months now, selling at a tiny weekend stall. Last Saturday this older guy comes up and says my loaf had the best texture he's had since his grandma used to bake in the 60s. Has anyone else had a comment from a stranger that just made your whole month?

28

robin_foster1•1mo ago

Fought my stand mixer for years before I saw the light

I used to dump everything in at once. Flour, butter, sugar all together. Hit start and just let it go. Then my neighbor watched me make cookies one time and said 'you're supposed to cream the butter and sugar first for 3 full minutes.' I tried it and the texture was night and day. Has anyone else had a basic technique they ignored for way too long?

3

andrew_kelly•1mo ago

That one Saturday where every single batch of croissants came out perfect

I had a day about two weeks ago where everything just clicked. Got to the shop at 4am, dough felt right, butter was at that perfect temp, and every single fold came out clean. Ended up with 8 dozen croissants that looked like magazine photos. Usually I'm fighting with at least one tray that decides to spread weird or get too dark. This time zero waste. Has anyone else had a day like that where the baking gods just smiled on you for no reason?

2

sage52•1mo ago

Old baker at the county fair showed me a trick with overproofed dough

I was panicking at the Kern County Fair last summer because my brioche had proofed way too long in the heat, and this 70 year old baker named Frank walked over and told me to chill it for 20 minutes then punch it down twice as hard as usual. He said the extra air just needed to be forced out and the gluten would bounce back, and I ended up with the softest rolls I've ever made. Has anyone else salvaged dough this way or did I just get lucky?

22

simonw41•1mo ago

My buddy the pastry chef talked me into trying a digital scale for bakes

I've been using measuring cups my whole life, never saw a problem. Then Mike from Flour Power in Portland showed me his setup. He said 'cups are for coffee, grams are for baking' and handed me a $25 scale. Tried it on a batch of cinnamon rolls last Sunday and my dough came out perfect for the first time. Has anyone else had a big shift like that?

21

julia_fisher28•1mo ago

Cold butter trick for laminated dough I picked up from a bakery in Denver

I used to struggle with butter breaking through my croissant layers until a baker told me to chill my butter block to 55 degrees exactly, not just 'cold' from the fridge. Has anyone else measured temp instead of just going by feel?

22

ryanprice•1mo ago

TIL that old bakers trick with adding vinegar to pie dough actually works

I was at a bake off in Portland last spring and this 70 year old guy named Bob walked over while I was struggling with my crust. He said "ditch the ice water and splash in a teaspoon of white vinegar next time." I tried it the next day at 4am before the farmers market and my dough came out flaky as heck. Has anyone else had luck with this or am I just imagining things?

10

jessicaw11•1mo ago

Pro tip: Hit 1000 loaf mark last weekend and realized my sourdough starter is way more forgiving than I thought

I've been stressing about keeping my starter at exactly 75 degrees and feeding it at the same time every day for like a year. But last week I forgot to feed it for two days straight because I was sick. I figured it was dead so I almost tossed it but decided to try feeding it one more time. It came back to life in like 6 hours and made my best batch of bread ever. Maybe it's just me but I think I was overcomplicating things. Has anyone else had a starter that seemed totally ruined but bounced back?

8

walker.rowan•1mo ago

Sourdough vs commercial yeast is a fight I keep having at my bakery in Philly

I used a 12 hour cold ferment for my baguettes with commercial yeast and they came out perfect every time. But my coworkers sourdough starter gives a better crust and flavor though it takes triple the prep. Which approach do you lean on when you need consistent results vs maximum taste?

5

sandralee•1mo ago

My grandma's pie crust trick actually makes sense now after 10 years of ignoring it

I always thought my grandma was just being extra with her ice water method for pie dough. Last weekend I was making a double crust apple pie for a bake sale and my dough kept tearing on me. She told me to stop using tap water and get a bowl of ice cubes melting, then use that water. Tried it with a cheap plastic pastry cutter from Walmart and my crust came out flaky for the first time ever. Has anyone else had a old family trick click way later than it should have?

11

matthewp52•1mo ago

Remember when every bakery had a single, giant Hobart mixer?

My first job at Miller's Bakery in 2005, we had this old 80-quart beast that mixed everything. Now my shop uses three smaller 20-quart mixers for different doughs, so we can do brioche, baguettes, and cookies all at once without cross-contamination. It's way more efficient but I miss the rumble of that one big machine doing the heavy lifting for the whole day. Anyone else make a switch like that in the last decade?

6

mason_ward•1mo ago

A customer told me my sourdough was 'too dense' last month

Honestly, I was just doing my usual process, but they were right. I started doing an extra set of folds during bulk fermentation and the crumb is way more open now. Anyone have other tips for improving oven spring?