Giving things (dough) time
To the tune of 'The Reason' by Hoobastank: I'm not a patient person.
I want things to be done as quickly as possible.
This attitude doesn't work so well when it comes to baking, especially when you want to make bagels, pretzels, and breads in general. All of these require rests — at least ten minutes but up to eight, twelve hours.
I've always learnt most effectively by doing, so though I grumble and whine throughout the process I appreciate how this process has forced me to develop a semblance of patience and plan my schedule more wisely.
Anyway, this week I've been baking my way through my own cravings and requests from friends.
Mille crepes
I'm not much of a cake person. Not sure why. Cakes are more difficult to store, and also, my ADHD brain forgets about them the second they enter the fridge. It's the land of no return. Case in point: the big New York cheesecake I made for A which ended up going uneaten for over a month.
Anyway, mille crepes are time-consuming and I kind of hate them. You have to fry(?) each crepe one by one. Depending on its size (diameter), each crepe layer takes at least 30 seconds to set.
From V1 I learned that mille crepes need thicc layers of cream. By "thicc", I mean that the crepe shouldn't even be visible under the cream.
Also: if you're making a matcha- or hojicha-flavored mille crepe you need to think carefully about how you want to add the powder to the batter. If you don't think about it properly you'll end up with tiny ugly tiny clumps or specks.
From V2, I learned barely-set, paper thin crepe layers are easier to slice through with a fork.
Pretzels
I love Auntie Anne's but pretzels for the whole family gets expensive fast. Fortunately, pretzels are less time-consuming than mille crepes and bagels. A 45-60 minute rest after initial kneading is usually enough — after that, it's rolling, shaping, and a quick dip in a tub of baking soda.
I take pride in shaping pretzels and bagels neatly. Seeing their mostly-uniform shapes scratches an itch in my lizard brain; I get upset when they're uneven or lopsided.
Bagels
I've been screwing around with bagels for a while now. I've arrived at a hydration level and overall recipe + process that I'm happy with, though some have commented that the crumb and chew are softer than they expected. Is it because I'm using too much yeast? Resting too much? Maybe so, but at this point I'd rather have a soft bagel than one that turns gummy and hard.