Bread Baking (sourdough)

[riser4]

Mmmm, doursough. Me likey.

[SB]

Something to think about if your starter isn’t working: your water. If your tap water is chlorinated it could be killing or inhibiting the yeastie beasties and bacteria you’re trying to encourage. I suggested this to my friend who’s starter was flat. She tried distilled water and it seemed to do the trick. You can also just let the tap water sit in a jar and gas off for a day. I know brewers who do this. I use the already boiled water in my tea kettle.

Happy baking!

Pro tip

[~mikey b]

Bam!

Damn

[splat]

Dearest Kumquat......do you have a bread pudding recipe that is not just a bunch of stale bread held together with a bit of milk and eggs? I'm talking a more eggy, melt in your mouth bread pudding; it exists but is hard to find.

[~mikey b]

The Beast escaped while I was gone for the weekend. Tried to attack my wife. She didn’t get the hint. Still won’t even try to bake bread. Weak sauce.

[SB]

[KQ]

Dearest Kumquat......do you have a bread pudding recipe that is not just a bunch of stale bread held together with a bit of milk and eggs? I'm talking a more eggy, melt in your mouth bread pudding; it exists but is hard to find.

I have an Amaretto one from my friend's mother Patsy. It is to-die-for. I'll have to dig it out.... give me a minute or two.

[KQ]

The Beast escaped while I was gone for the weekend. Tried to attack my wife. She didn’t get the hint. Still won’t even try to bake bread. Weak sauce.

and why should she? You do such a good job.

[KQ]

Okay Splat - I'm going to start you off with Cook's version because they have a narrative that you might find helpful in your quest for the best bread pudding. If you're interested they have many variations like Chocolate, Bourbon, Cinnamon, Pecan, Caramel and savory.

Classic Bread Pudding
SERVES 8 TO 10

Contemporary versions of this humble dish vary in texture, from mushy, sweetened porridge to chewy, desiccated cousins of overcooked holiday stuffing. We wanted a dessert cart–worthy dish as refined as any French soufflé: a moist, creamy (but not eggy) interior and a crisp top crust.

After extensive testing of different types of bread, we chose challah for its rich flavor. We cut the bread into cubes, toasted them until lightly browned, and soaked the cubes with a batch of basic custard. Once the cubes were saturated, we transferred them to a baking dish and slid our pudding into a low-temperature oven to prevent curdling. The custard turned out creamy and smooth, but not as set as we’d have liked. Adding another egg or two would help, but tasters were already complaining that the pudding tasted somewhat eggy. It turns out that eggy flavor comes from the sulfur compounds in egg whites. We got rid of the whites and just used the yolks. We now had a luscious, silky custard with no trace of egginess.

To create a crackly crust, we dotted the top of the pudding with additional toasted bread cubes before baking it. After brushing the surface with melted butter and sprinkling the dish with a flavorful mixture of white and brown sugar, we transferred it to the oven. The crunchy, buttery, sugary crust was the perfect partner to the satiny-smooth custard that lay below.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons light brown sugar
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
1 (14-ounce) loaf challah bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 10 cups) (see note)
9 large egg yolks
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon table salt
2 ½ cups heavy cream
2 ½ cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS

Challah is an egg-enriched bread that can be found in most bakeries and supermarkets. If you cannot find challah, a firm high-quality sandwich bread such as Arnold Country Classics White or Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White may be substituted. If desired, serve this pudding with softly whipped cream or with Bourbon-Brown Sugar Sauce (see related recipe). Store leftovers tightly wrapped in the refrigerator. To retain a crisp top crust when reheating leftovers, cut the bread pudding into squares and heat, uncovered, in a 450-degree oven until warmed through, 6 to 8 minutes.

1. Adjust oven racks to middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine brown sugar and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in small bowl; set aside.

2. Spread bread cubes in single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake, tossing occasionally, until just dry, about 15 minutes, switching trays from top to bottom racks halfway through. Cool bread cubes about 15 minutes; set aside 2 cups.

3. Whisk yolks, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk in cream and milk until combined. Add remaining 8 cups cooled bread cubes and toss to coat. Transfer mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish and let stand, occasionally pressing bread cubes into custard, until cubes are thoroughly saturated, about 30 minutes.

4. Spread reserved bread cubes evenly over top of soaked bread mixture and gently press into custard. Using pastry brush, dab melted butter over top of unsoaked bread pieces. Sprinkle brown-sugar mixture evenly over top. Place bread pudding on rimmed baking sheet and bake on middle rack until custard has just set, and pressing center of pudding with finger reveals no runny liquid, 45 to 50 minutes. (Instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pudding should read 170 degrees.) Transfer to wire rack and cool until pudding is set and just warm, about 45 minutes. Serve.

[KQ]

Here is Patsy's Amaretto Bread Pudding

SOAK ONE HOUR:
1lb loaf of Challah or French bread in one quart half & half (plus some milk)

WHISK TOGETHER:
1/2 stick butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs

THEN ADD:
2T pure almond extract
3/4c sliced almonds

Place in buttered 9x13 pan
Bake at 325 for 45 minutes



AMARETTO SAUCE:
1c powdered sugar
1 egg
1 stick butter
1/4c Amaretto

Cook sugar and butter until very hot. Whisk in egg. Cool to room temp. Add Amaretto

Slice pudding. Spoon sauce over
Place under broiler until sauce bubbles.

[~mikey b]

and why should she? You do such a good job.

Yeah but...

[splat]

Thank you, KQ!

[KQ]

FYI:

SOURDOUGH STARTER TROUBLESHOOTING: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO KILL YOUR STARTER?

[~mikey b]

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart...um=socialmedia

[~mikey b]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...e_iOSApp_Other

[old goat]

I've never baked sourdough bread but I love the stuff. I was at my favorite lunch place in Sacramento the other day where they bake their own bread and make tremendous banh mi sandwiches. They were pushing loaves of bread for $6--I'm not sure how heavy the round loaves were but at least 2 lbs, probably more, and I ate about half of it in the first day. If I ever got good at baking bread it would kill me.

[~mikey b]

Why would it kill you to eat more homemade bread? We go through a loaf every couple of days around here.

If I make it to Truckee this month I’ll bring you some starter and a fresh loaf.

[~mikey b]

I’m going to meet my birth mother for the first time later today so I’m nervously making bread....

[Dantheman]

Whoa, heavy, good luck.

[KQ]

Interesting if true.

How Sourdough Bread Is Helping People Eat Gluten Again

[KQ]

SOURDOUGH DISCARD RECIPES

[KQ]

Thoughts - Could Organic Flour Make a Difference?

Last time I went to the store for flour all they had in Bob's Red Mill all purpose was Organic. I don't usually buy it because it's double the price and I don't really care plus I go through a lot of flour.

Anyhoo... got the organic and used it last week to feed my starter. Pulled out my starter last night to feed it again and make sponge for pancakes and noticed it had greater volume than I'd seen before. I weigh out all my ingredients so I know I didn't accidentally feed the starter more than normal - it got what it always gets so I'm wondering if the organic flour might and the lack of something that is in reg. flour might make a difference.

Pancake batter also seemed to rise more and be more elastic.

What do you think?

[~mikey b]

That’s the only flour I ever use. My starter kicks ass

[KQ]

PUTTING YOUR SOURDOUGH STARTER ON HOLD: FOR BEST LONG-TERM STORAGE, DRY IT.

[~mikey b]

Mine was on hold. I didn’t have an oven for about 3 months. Starter was in the fridge until a few days ago. Poured off the liquor and fed it. No worries.



Yum