Bread Baking (sourdough)

[KQ]

Anyone here bake bread, in particular sourdough? (yes, I did a search).

I got a starter last month and finally baked a couple of boules yesterday which turned out as good as I'd hope they would - nice crumb and good flavor (might enjoy a tad more tang but I think I can work on that, no?). The recipe I used was a 24hr process that involved putting the formed boules in the fridge overnight.

Would be really interested in other people's sourdough recipes, tricks or tips.





Also made a fruited sourdough sandwich loaf that was insanely wonderful - had chopped granny smith apple and golden raisins. As per King Arthur's recommendation I used it for toasted cheese sammies with granny smith apple slices and arugula. Really yummy but I bet it would be over the top with bacon added to it. Also was fantastic toasted with butter.

Fruited Sourdough Sandwich Bread

This soft sourdough loaf is studded with sweet raisins and tangy apple pieces.
We like it served simply toasted with melting butter; or as a grilled cheese
sandwich with apples and arugula.

5 1/2 ounces sourdough starter, fed or unfed
5 3/8 ounces lukewarm water*
1/2 ounce olive oil or vegetable oil
1/2 ounce sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
9 1/2 ounces King Arthur Unbleached AllPurpose
Flour
1 1/2 ounces potato flour or 1/2 cup instant potato flakes
1 1/4 ounces rolled oats, traditional or quick
2 teaspoons instant yeast
4 ounces chopped Granny Smith apple (about 1 small apple), peeled or not
5 1/4 ounces golden raisins
*In summer, or during hot/humid weather, reduce the water by 1 tablespoon.

Directions
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, the bowl of an electric mixer, or the
pan of your bread machine, and mix and knead to form a smooth yet sticky
dough. If you're kneading by hand, you'll want to keep your hands well
greased.

2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and allow it to rise for
about 90 minutes. The dough will become puffy, though it may not double in
bulk.

3. Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.

4. Gently deflate the risen dough, and shape it into a log. Place it in the pan,
cover it lightly, and allow it to rise until it crests at least 1" over the rim of the
pan, 60 to 90 minutes.

5. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

6. Bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes, tenting it with foil after 15 to 20
minutes; it will continue to brown slowly. When it's done, the bread will be
golden brown, and will register 190°F on an instantread thermometer
inserted into the center.

7. Remove the bread from the oven, and after a couple of minutes turn it out of
the pan onto a rack to cool.

8. Yield: 1 loaf, about 12 to 16 servings.

[sb]

I luv me sum sour dough


And sour beers

[lerxst]

Where did you get your starter? I've tried doing au natural sourdough via the tartine bread method. Results were less than spectacular.

Nice looking loaves.

[abraham]

Been doing sour dense rye loafs. had guests over, neglected it and it got infected. I'll start a new one soon.

How's the proofer??

[KQ]

Where did you get your starter? I've tried doing au natural sourdough via the tartine bread method. Results were less than spectacular.

Nice looking loaves.

Thank you - I'm quite proud of my loaves

Got the starter from King Arthur Flour (bought the crock set) Seems great but this is my first time (didn't hurt at all!) so I'm not an expert on what is good and what is better. They have a great help line you can call anytime.

Been doing sour dense rye loafs. had guests over, neglected it and it got infected. I'll start a new one soon.

How's the proofer??

Oh man the proofer rocks! And it folds up small enough to slide in with my cookie sheets and cooling racks. I highly recommend it if you have a big open house. I know someone mentioned using the oven for proofing but in the instance of the sourdough I just baked I need to warm up the baking stone for a couple hours prior to baking so it wouldn't have worked.

[lerxst]

Nice, KQ. You've re-inspired me to try again. Time to order up some KA starter. I've got all the other tools. Hope to get a well fed sample going in time for some vacation baking.

[Tippster]

This method works really well to make your own starter: http://www.northwestsourdough.com/in.../make-starter/

As soon as we are done with our renovations I will make and maintain another critter. I plan on making no-knead whole wheat sourdoughs for the kids' lunches.

My father always baked our breads at home, it was his hobby. German "Bauernbrot," Black bread (Schwartzbrot), and San Francisco style sourdoughs were our staples. Nothing better than a slice of warm German sour black bread generously slathered with cold butter to snack on after swim team practice.

[KQ]

This method works really well to make your own starter: http://www.northwestsourdough.com/in.../make-starter/

As soon as we are done with our renovations I will make and maintain another critter. I plan on making no-knead whole wheat sourdoughs for the kids' lunches.

My father always baked our breads at home, it was his hobby. German "Bauernbrot," Black bread (Schwartzbrot), and San Francisco style sourdoughs were our staples. Nothing better than a slice of warm German sour black bread generously slathered with cold butter to snack on after swim team practice.

Oh man that sounds soooooooo good. I swear I could live on bread. My dad was the bread baker in the family too. Fond memories of the smell of bread baking on a Sunday afternoon.

Have you ever made Broa? Not a sourdough but very very tasty esp. with Caldo Verde (Portuguese Cabbage Soup)

Broa

Perhaps Portugal's most famous bread is the ubiquitous Portuguese sweet bread, massa sovada, a loaf rich with eggs, milk and butter, and sweet enough to eat as dessert. But clearly, sweet bread isn't an everyday, every-meal bread; the more homely broa is the better choice to serve with meat, cheese and salad, for lunch or at dinner. Broa's traditional accompaniments are caldo verde (a kale, potato and sausage soup), and a dish of peas and eggs. We suggest using it for sandwiches and toast; it's a delightful everyday bread.

1 cup (4 1/8 ounces) yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup (6 ounces) hot water
1/2 cup (4 ounces) milk, warmed
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 1/2 cups (10 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) honey
1 tablespoon olive oil

Mix together the cornmeal and hot water in a small bowl. Stir in the warm milk, and let the mixture cool to lukewarm. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix and knead them together -- by hand, mixer or bread machine -- to form a smooth, slightly sticky dough.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and turn it over, so that the top is oiled. Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until it's puffy; this rising time will develop both the flavor and the gluten.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased or floured work surface, knead it lightly (just once or twice), and form it into a ball. Place it onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, or one that's been sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover it and let it rise for 45 minutes, or until it's very puffy.

Just before placing the loaf in a preheated 450°F oven, spritz it lightly with water and make four slashes, each about 1/4-inch deep, into the top crust. Place the loaf in the oven and bake it for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 400°F, and continue to bake for another 15 minutes, or until it's golden brown.

Yield: l round loaf, 12 slices.

Nutrition information per serving (1 slice, 61g): 148 cal, 2g fat, 4g protein, 27g complex carbohydrates, 2g sugar, 2g dietary fiber, 276mg sodium, 90mg potassium, 11RE vitamin A, 2mg iron, 14mg calcium, 64mg phosphorus.

[Tippster]

Does sound good. I'd want to make an oblong loaf for more even sandwich fixins.

[KQ]

How many loaves does that Bauernbrot recipe make?

Can I feed the starter I have to or is it better to follow the recipe?

[Tippster]

Not sure how many loaves - I posted it as an example of my Dad's bread. Never made it.

I think starter is starter. Use yours. My dad used the same starter in all his breads.

[riser4]

Sour bread, yes. Sour beer, notso much. I have not found a single one I like. But I'll wash that sourdough sandwich down with a stout any ol day.

[mtngirl79]

I made sourdough starter from scratch years ago and it worked well, but eventually I forgot to feed it and it died.

[mtngirl79]

this is basically what I did, but it seems like I would throw out half of it and then add flour and water every week? There use to be this really good artesian bread website that is no longer.

https://www.exploratorium.edu/cookin...sourdough.html

[Skidog]

KQ is like Renaissance woman extrordinaire. #marthastewartsayswhat

[KQ]

I made sourdough starter from scratch years ago and it worked well, but eventually I forgot to feed it and it died.

enter the smart phone with scheduled reminders! Once a week it tweets at me so I don't forget because I would.

KQ is like Renaissance woman extrordinaire. #marthastewartsayswhat

LOL! I was raised but people who homesteaded Montana at the turn of the last century. Nuff said.

[Skidog]

enter the smart phone with scheduled reminders! Once a week it tweets at me so I don't forget because I would.




LOL! I was raised but people who homesteaded Montana at the turn of the last century. Nuff said.

"Pioneer woman" aint got shit on you..she's "city folk" married into the ranch life... When will we see a line of your wares in Walmart?

[sb]

Sour bread, yes. Sour beer, notso much. I have not found a single one I like. But I'll wash that sourdough sandwich down with a stout any ol day.

Sour beer is an acquired taste and not for everyone but if you keep trying different ones you may hit on something you like.


Stout and sour dough Sammy=heaven.

[KQ]

Here's a question for you sourdough people - do you use purified water to feed your critter? I've read that city tap water can alter the starter because of chlorination. I've use my tap water which comes from a well.

[Game Over]

Great thread. We use well water.

[mtngirl79]

I used filtered city tap water and it was fine but I bet it depends on the location.

It also depends on your kitchen. Super sterile kitchens don't have enough yeasty bugs floating around and they say older kitchens make better sourdough.

[Dantheman]

Here's a question for you sourdough people - do you use purified water to feed your critter? I've read that city tap water can alter the starter because of chlorination. I've use my tap water which comes from a well.

I periodically make some crazy good sprouted/fermented buckwheat waffles (I have a skin condition related to celiac, so no wheat for me). I used to go through the trouble of dechlorinating my city-folk tap water by boiling or just leaving it in an open pot on the counter overnight since I had read that the chlorine would mess up the sprouting and fermenting. One time I forgot to do that and just made it with water straight from the faucet. It turned out exactly the same. My water doesn't have a noticeable chlorine odor, so YMMV.

[KQ]

"Pioneer woman" aint got shit on you..she's "city folk" married into the ranch life... When will we see a line of your wares in Walmart?

Around here I'd probably have to sell my wears at Ranch & Home (great place if you've never been there!)

I used filtered city tap water and it was fine but I bet it depends on the location.

It also depends on your kitchen. Super sterile kitchens don't have enough yeasty bugs floating around and they say older kitchens make better sourdough.

Interesting.

I was reading though King Arthur's question & answer page for sourdough starter and saw that they had all kinds of suggestions for where to keep your starter if you aren't refrigerating it. Most had to do with keeping it warm but still I wondered about what kind of microbes it might absorb from some of the locations like a furnace room or a hot water closet.

Great info here if anyone is interested:

MAINTAINING YOUR SOURDOUGH STARTER: FOOD, WATER, AND TIME

There is some fantastic stuff here too (more than just bread): Tips

[KQ]

I periodically make some crazy good sprouted/fermented buckwheat waffles (I have a skin condition related to celiac, so no wheat for me). I used to go through the trouble of dechlorinating my city-folk tap water by boiling or just leaving it in an open pot on the counter overnight since I had read that the chlorine would mess up the sprouting and fermenting. One time I forgot to do that and just made it with water straight from the faucet. It turned out exactly the same. My water doesn't have a noticeable chlorine odor, so YMMV.

Hmmmmm. I think Seattle is pretty heavily chlorinated. After living here and being on a well for about 18 months I went back west for a week and man could I smell the chlorine! It was crazy. Never noticed it when I lived there. I was quite surprised I could actually smell it in tap water.

[lifelinksplit]

LOL! I was raised by people who homesteaded Montana at the turn of the last century. Nuff said.

Bonus points if it was the hi-line! Them some tough folks.