Bread Baking (sourdough)

[Mr. Mike]

I think you should hold off.

[Skidog]

For tonight's dinner. Against better judgement we are getting together with parents. Less than 10 and noone showing symptoms (we all live 5 min from each other).

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[grskier]

A couple of Easter loaves




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[snoboy]

Today's effort, same recipe, much less chaos as we've done it once now... Yielded a more blistered crust, and just as tasty as last time. It has highlighted the fact that I need to sharpen my bread knife though!

[~mikey b]

I’ve been told I can use my dehydrator to dry my starter and it can be rejuvenated

[S_jenks]

Been trying my hand for he first time at sourdough. Got a starter going after a week of feeding, and managed to try a few different things with it:












Starter is now sitting in the fridge for a week, since I've got to pace my calorie consumption a bit.

[SB]

Very nice!

I been making SD bread every other week mostly.

Running low on block cheese to have my favorite snack.

Gifted a buddy some starter and tips I have learnt on the way. He nailed it his first loaf!

[KQ]

[KQ]

Wow - you guys are going strong! My what beautiful loaves you all have.

Tomorrow is bread baking day for me.

[KQ]

Bread baking day! Making my new favorite white with 10% whole wheat. There is something so cathartic about kneading dough. The smell, the feel of it in my hand (actually makes my one badly arthritic knuckle feel better), the satisfaction of making something from scratch. It's all so wonderfully calming.

Got the dough right at the target temp this time too. Currently resting after the first fold. I have to say I'm really pleased with the Forkish method for straight dough. Thanks for the tip Mr. Mike!

[Mr. Mike]

glad to help. Get yourself Tartine for Christmas this year. I'm enjoying working through it now. It's not quite as formulaic as Forkish's book, but it's good in a different way. it's interesting how you can get good results with somewhat dissimilar techniques.

[KQ]

glad to help. Get yourself Tartine for Christmas this year. I'm enjoying working through it now. It's not quite as formulaic as Forkish's book, but it's good in a different way. it's interesting how you can get good results with somewhat dissimilar techniques.

Will definitely look into it!

Today's effort:

[SB]

Nice pair

[Mr. Mike]

Nice pair

even symmetrical. Methinks they're fake.

[Skidog]

Today

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[KQ]

even symmetrical. Methinks they're fake.

That's where you're wrong - they're real and they are spectacular!

[krp8128]

Checking in.

I'm not big on carbs, but every few weeks make a pizza dough on a friday or saturday.

Can't get yeast so started a starter today. 1/2 cup water, 1 cup whole wheat.

Any basic tips?

[Buke]

glad to help. Get yourself Tartine for Christmas this year. I'm enjoying working through it now. It's not quite as formulaic as Forkish's book, but it's good in a different way. it's interesting how you can get good results with somewhat dissimilar techniques.

Agreed, Tartine is a pretty solid book. A few weeks ago, my wife's long schemed plans for my birthday couldn't materialize so she asked me what I wanted as a gift. I knew she wouldn't accept "nothing" as an answer so I told her I'd been thinking about getting Tartine Bread, Tartine No. 3, and the Forkish book but couldn't decide which one. She bought all 3. So, I've been skimming through them for the last couple weeks. I can attest that Forkish and Tartine are different but I can't decide which is "better". But what I'm really excited about is all of the interesting things in Tartine #3. One of these days the grocery stores are actually going to have things like spelt, and rye flour, and various oddball whole grains.

This weekend was full of baking experiments. My 9 year old and I made sourdough cinnamon rolls which turned out to be probably the best cinnamon rolls I've ever had (recipe here: https://www.theperfectloaf.com/sourd...innamon-rolls/). Pulled them out of the oven fresh for breakfast this morning and they were a hit with the kids. My 4 year old and I made banana bread, which she would probably eat for every meal if we'd let her. My 6 year old helped me mix up dough for a Pain de Mie. We used it for grilled cheese sandwhiches today and it was a hit with the kids. We also had sourdough pizza dough (using the overnight levain recipe from the forkish book) on Friday.

[KQ]

Checking in.

I'm not big on carbs, but every few weeks make a pizza dough on a friday or saturday.

Can't get yeast so started a starter today. 1/2 cup water, 1 cup whole wheat.

Any basic tips?

I've got nothing experience wise with this but have posted several informative articles in this thread on how to make your own starter. This is one:

Baking bread with a yeast water starter

and:

Sourdough Starter

and:


Sourdough Starter
Makes 1 starter

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
By nurturing a culture of naturally occurring bacteria and yeast, a healthy sourdough starter will leaven bread while also lending it the trademark sour flavor. For a simple, foolproof approach, we began by mixing all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour, which provided extra nutrition for the developing bacteria and yeasts. We then added enough water to form a wet dough and let it sit at room temperature. After a few days, when it showed signs of life in the form of gas bubbles and a pungent aroma, we began a routine of daily feedings, mixing some of the culture with fresh flour and water to refresh the food supply. After 10 to 14 days, we found that the starter smelled pleasantly yeasty and doubled in volume 8 to 12 hours after the last feeding, a sign that it was ready to use to bake bread.

We also came up with an easy way to maintain the starter between uses. We found that we could refresh the food supply just once a week by letting the culture sit for 5 hours at room temperature after feeding it and then moving it to the refrigerator for storage.

Sourdough Starter

INGREDIENTS
4 ½ cups (24 3/4 ounces) whole-wheat flour
5 cups (25 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus extra for maintaining starter
Water, room temperature

*BEFORE YOU BEGIN
It’s okay to occasionally miss a daily feeding in step 2, but don’t let it go for more than 48 hours. For the best results, weigh your ingredients and use organic flour and bottled or filtered water to create the starter. Once the starter is mature, all-purpose flour should be used to maintain it. Placing the starter in a glass bowl will allow for easier observation of activity beneath the surface. Discarding some starter before each feeding gets rid of waste and keeps the amount of starter manageable.


INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine whole-wheat flour and all-purpose flour in large container. Using wooden spoon, mix 1 cup (5 ounces) flour mixture and 2/3 cup (5 1/3 ounces) room-temperature water in glass bowl until no dry flour remains (reserve remaining flour mixture). Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until bubbly and fragrant, 48 to 72 hours.


FEED STARTER:
2. Measure out 1/4 cup (2 ounces) starter and transfer to clean bowl or jar; discard remaining starter. Stir 1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) flour mixture and 1/4 cup (2 ounces) room-temperature water into starter until no dry flour remains. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.


3. Repeat step 2 every 24 hours until starter is pleasantly aromatic and doubles in size 8 to 12 hours after being fed, 10 to 14 days. At this point starter is mature and ready to be baked with, or it can be moved to storage. (If baking, use starter once it has doubled in size during 8-to-12-hour window. Use starter within 1 hour after it starts to deflate once reaching its peak.)


TO STORE AND MAINTAIN MATURE STARTER:
4A. Measure out 1/4 cup (2 ounces) starter and transfer to clean bowl; discard remaining starter. Stir 1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup (2 ounces) room-temperature water into starter until no dry flour remains. Transfer to clean container that can be loosely covered (plastic container or mason jar with its lid inverted) and let sit at room temperature for 5 hours. Cover and transfer to refrigerator. If not baking regularly, repeat process weekly.

TO PREPARE FOR BAKING:
4B. Eighteen to 24 hours before baking, measure out 1/2 cup (4 ounces) starter and transfer to clean bowl; discard remaining starter. Stir 1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup (4 ounces) room-temperature water into starter until no dry flour remains. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 5 hours. Measure out amount of starter called for in bread recipe and transfer to second bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 18 hours. Remaining starter should be refrigerated and maintained as directed.

[Mr. Mike]

Hmm, did not know there was a Tartine 3. I'll add that to my list.

I had a baking orgy Thursday.

[KQ]

Hmm, did not know there was a Tartine 3. I'll add that to my list.

I had a baking orgy Thursday.

Wow - that's a lotta loaves! So how long does that last you?

I baked 2 loaves last Monday and just now finished the first one. I end up having to put the second one in the fridge or it won't keep long enough for me to finish it. Not the best solution but I eat most of my bread toasted so it all works out.

[Mr. Mike]

gave a loaf and 3 baguettes away, so that will save some of the waste. Other than the baguettes, it's all pure levain based, so lasts at least a few days. For the rectangular loaves, if I wrap in plastic after 2 or 3 days (just a grocery produce bag), they stay ok for a week for a breakfast piece of toast or a lunch sandwich. I make croutons from the stale hunks too. Tear (or cut with a chopping knife with too hard) into squares, toss with olive oil, dry italian herbs, and garlic salt. Toast in a cast iron on the stove top. Really tasty while still warm.

[KQ]

Everyone posting here is so amazing. I started this thread but you guys have carried it. I'm am not worthy.....

[dookeyXXX]

File under "waste not/want not"...

Suggestions for "discarded" starter:

https://foodprint.org/blog/sourdough...dprint_general

[~mikey b]

who discards starter?

not me