Sour Dough Bread... an adventure.

[BettyR]

Quote:
Thank you very much!!!

 

[bigmike&nan]

Well as per usual for me I've been searching and reading up about sourdough, it's origins and so on. Sure read my share of advice too on how to make your own sourdough - most people recommend you buy some starter from someone. I decided to order some 100 year old Alaska starter from eBay - and have the wife hitting Walmart for whole wheat and bread flour - also to look and buy any sourdough starters she sees. I'll report back when I have some results. This is cool, love experimenting and it's been since I was in California that I had good sourdough bread (a strain of sourdough bacteria is named after San Francisco)... Much to learn if you have time.

Making some ciabatta starter and will be experimenting - at another site I post at I am known as The Mad Baker, figures. LOL
Great way to pass the time on a very crummy snowy day.

 

[al6517]

Mike : I am glad you finaly mentioned the real reason for the unique taste in many sour dough's, and that is the regional Bacteria. You can get a sour dough starter for instance from SF and it may taste like SF sour dough bread for a little while, until the starter begins to absorb more & more of the regional bacteria in your kitchen. Many other types of bread recipes use a starter other than sour dough and those starters also use the bacteria geniology, for instance in France & Italy those flavored starters cannot be imported because of the regional bacteria that is the real reason for their unique flavor.

AL

 

[bigmike&nan]

Quote:
Well I DID mention it earlier in this thread, in relation to San Francisco sourdough and someone said that wasn't so. I remember three different advanced baking and pastry instructors telling us that San Francisco did have a unique bacteria in the air that gave the local sourdough it's "personality". Aaaahhhh what do those guys (and women) know ?? LOL

 

[al6517]

bigmike&nan :

Quote:
Well I DID mention it earlier in this thread, in relation to San Francisco sourdough and someone said that wasn't so. I remember three different advanced baking and pastry instructors telling us that San Francisco did have a unique bacteria in the air that gave the local sourdough it's "personality". Aaaahhhh what do those guys (and women) know ?? LOL

I know really, some folks just can't get past the Betty Crocker instant mentality LOL. What's a real cook to do !!! LOL.

AL​

 

[vfem]

Ok... I have my bread on it's second rise right now. When its done in the 'warm proof oven' (83 degrees its at right now) then I will bake at 375 for 35 minutes.

Here's my recipe I'm using.

2 1/2 cups of flour
1 packet of active dry yeast
(mix together set aside)
2 cups water
3 Tbsp Butter
1 Tsp salt
(combine in sauce pan on low until butter is melted)

Now add 1 cup of your sour dough starter to flour/yeast mix
Slowly pour in melted butter/water as its mixing

Now slowly add in 2 1/2 more cups of flour until it is smooth and easily elastic
(you can add one more 1/2 of flour if you can get the dough to take it)

Now oil a bowl and place your dough there to rise until double in size

When doubled, pour out your dough onto a flour surface, punch down & cut into 2 equal pieces.
Cover and let rise 10 minutes

Now shade your loaves how you want, and put on a greased pan or sheet with some corn meal or flour under the loaves.
Allow to rise 30 more minutes

Preheat oven for 375
Bake for 30-35 minutes with steam in the oven

(I do this by putting a broiler pan in the bottom of the oven when I preheat. Then when I put the bread in, which I mist with water, I pour in 2 cups of water into the broiler. I do this about every 5-8 minutes during baking time to keep the steam up.)

I'll get photos!

 

[vfem]

Photos -

Starter:

Dough rising:

 

[bigmike&nan]

Your kitchen is too clean - I can fix that in no time. LOL

Looking good

 

[vfem]

bigmike&nan :

Your kitchen is too clean - I can fix that in no time. LOL

Looking good

It has to be... I run a baking business here! lol

Wow... these look so rustic as they bake

I get to pull them out in like 5 minutes... whooohooo​

 

[al6517]

We want after pic's you know LOL.

AL