LESSON 1

Learn to use your scales: Escali Pico and Escali Primo. Their limits, the maximum weight of empty bowl that you can use with them, SETTING IT TO ZERO, etc. Determine how uneven surface will change the number on the scale, i.e. iF the surface of the worktable  is slightly angled.

Determine the weight of YOUR brand of flour, white and whole wheat, per cup: settled in a bag, fluffed up and sifted 3 times. Use scoop and sweep and spoon and sweep methods of filling the measuring cup with flour. How much is it?

Example, measure 4-10 cups of flour, determine how much that amount weighs, then divide by the number of cups of flour in a bowl, to determine how much flour per cup on average.

Felipe's results. Felipe was determining the weight of 4 cups of flour.

White Flour, Ceresota APF, 11.5-11.8% protein:

Sifted	Fluffed	Settled	Method of measuring.
541g 1 cup = 135g	539 g 1 cup = 135g	598 g 1 cup =150g	Scoop & sweep
516g 1 cup =129g	527 g 1 cup = 132g	531 g 1 cup = 133g	Spoon & sweep

Findings: The more the flour is moved and aerated, the less weight it has when placed in my bowl for weighing. There is a considerable weight difference between the “Scoop & sweep” and the “Spoon & sweep” methods.

Whole wheat all-purpose flour, Ceresota brand:

Sifted	Fluffed	Settled	Method of measuring.
4 cups = 476 g 1 cup = 119g	504 g 1 cup = 126g	608 g 1 cup =152g	Scoop & sweep
478 g 1 cup = 120g	500 g 1 cup =125g	502 g 1 cup =126g	Spoon & sweep

Finding: it was much, much more time consuming to sift the whole wheat flour. When settled it was more compact that the white flour. However when “spoon and sweep” method was used it weighs less than white flour. There was basically no real difference between using the “Scoop & sweep” and the “Spoon & sweep” method once the flour was sifted. Lastly one cup of sifted whole wheat flour has less weight than one cup of white sifted flour.

 This is Felipe (and me)

Learn to use you thermometers. Difference between T of the substance on its surface and inside (liquids, dough). Measure the temperature of your frozen yeast, of your flour, of the cold and hot water in your faucet. Leave a cup of water on the countertop in the kitchen and measure its T in the morning and in the evening. Leave a cup of water in your fridge and measure its temperature every hour, to see how quickly it will cool and stay stable at the low T.

Learn the rules of storage of baker's yeast. Fresh (compressed) yeast must be stored at 4-6C (refrigerated). All dry yeasts (active dry and instant) must be frozen, preferably below 18C, either in unopened package or in small, well enclosed containers with clearly marked expiration date.

 Prior to use, frozen dry yeast must be tempered, i.e. its temperature brought to the room temperature and its moisture to the level of moisture of flour. Thus, after scaling your frozen yeast for the recipe, mix it with the portion of flour from the recipe and let it stand at room T for at least 5 minutes for each 10C difference between T of yeast and T of flour.

Learn baker's math and conventions in different countries. Example, take recipe of French bread from Hamelman, 2nd ed, p276 and see how he gives baker's math (baker's percentages, explained on p 442) and weight of ingredients in lbs and oz (US system), in g and kg (modern scientific system), in cups (traditional household system).

How much flour is per cup in Hamelman's recipes, in oz and in grams? How much salt per spoon? Measure your salt in your measuring spoon (scoop and sweep method), how much is it? How much instant yeast per spoon in Hamelman's recipe? Measure your instant yeast in your spoon, use scoop and sweep method (CUISIPRO and Zojirushi spoons). How much water is in 1 cup in Hamelman's recipe? How much water is in your measuring cups (OXO and Zojirushi)?

Homework

watch how French bread is made by hand (Danielle Forrestier with Julia Child, part 1 and part 2) and  learn new words that bakers use and memorise stages of breadmaking.
Read chapter 1 in Hamelman, pp. 5-28