What to do with leftover brioche dough? Buns allow for easy storage and variety. Continue reading Brioche buns (plus chocolate)

I used to attribute the dark color of pumpernickel to its rye flour, but it is in fact artificial, typically contributed by added cocoa powder or caramel color. Even knowing this secret, the rich dark color combined with the slight … Continue reading Pumpernickel bagels

Amateur bread bakers often struggle to create a crisp crust that gives way to a soft crumb beneath, using high-hydration dough and various techniques to infuse steam into the early stages of baking. Recently, I became aware of a shortcut … Continue reading Easy Tiger

One of the best aspects of my buttermilk bread dough is it’s versatility. It works equally well in loaves, rolls, and even cinnamon rolls. It’s a classic, soft white bread with a bit of sweetness and richness, but no one … Continue reading A Buttermilk Bounty

Bagel dough is typically characterized by low hydration dough, with a hydration (weight of water/weight of flour) typically hovering around 60%. This results in a dense texture that many associate with bagels, but can make the dough hard to work … Continue reading High hydration bagels

While I prefer alkali-boiled bagels, I have this lingering feeling that their crust is a bit softer than the ones I boil in neutral water. In an attempt to (excuse the term) neutralize this effect, I cooked my latest batch … Continue reading Crusty alkaline bagels

Bagels must be boiled in lye! No, baking soda is fine! Use honey water instead! While it is widely accepted that bagels should be boiled before being baked, regional variations have produced a range of dogmas regarding the optimal poaching … Continue reading pH Balanced Bagels