Topic: Sourdough Bread

[Whandsy]

Has anybody got any interest in sourdough bread making? Ive have been making it for a couple of months now and really enjoying the crusty, tangy bread i'm producing. I grew the sourdough starter myself from just rye flour and water. I'm still amazed that flour, water salt and (wild) yeast can produce something so delicious.

Anybody who loves bread, this is well worth a try, the sourdough starter just lives in the fridge once it becomes active

A couple of links below to a loaf i produced today, recipe is from dan lepards "the handmade loaf".

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/df4f35ace404671b9a81315ed612f11a.jpg

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/d1a97ca6b13e593050170ac3410f23ed.jpg

Regards

Wayne

[curryhell]

Can I have four slices of that lovely looking loaf for my bacon sarnies in the morning? Nice one W.

[natterjak]

Looks fantastic whandsy. Really first class.  I did have a go at sourdough after it was mentioned in the recent pizza threads but never had much success. Mine seems to just go watery and slack, not fluffy like supposed to. Maybe the wrong kind of wild wee beasties took over the culture.

[haldi]

Has anybody got any interest in sourdough bread making?

Funny you should say that
I got interested about a month ago
I made the starter over a week
Just plain flour and water, adding a little more flour every day
I didn't have much confidence in it working, but it did
I couldn't follow the recipe exactly
The dough needed to be cooked in a heavy duty lidded oven pot
It steams for part of the cooking
I guess this is what makes it so crusty
You use a similar steam method to make crusty cobs
Anyhow I cooked it in a stainless steel stock pot, and it stuck on the base
When I say stuck, I mean more like fused with the metal
I got the bread out, ok
But I lost the lovely shape it could have been
And it tasted great
We ate everything we crowbarred out
I'll definitely give sourdough bread another go, when I've got a better pot

[Les]

Here's a vid  you may want to watch.
Paul Hollywood making sourdough bread. and how to make a starter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUJH98Io_BE

Les

[Whandsy]

I just bake mine straight off a pizza stone after proving, although an upturned baking tray will do. I don't use the "no knead" method which is a very wet dough mix and baked in a pot.
 The sourdough starter is mixed with flour and water and is periodically kneaded in small bursts which distributes the starter and stretches the glutens. The shape and feel is that of a regular dough so it can prove in a bowl and bake openly. The process takes a lot lot longer with wild yeasts rather then the dried commercial yeasts but the bread has a more "bready" taste due to this and is more continental style in depth of flavour and crustiness.

Nj / haldi, I've done a lot of reading about it if you fancy another go at making it, and have any questions I can help with. (Or anybody for that matter)

Heres a link to a sourdough website that answers a lot of questions about starters and baking sourdoughs.

http://www.sourdoughhome.com/index.php?content=startingastarter

The recipe i use comes from Peter Reinharts book "the bread bakers apprentice"

The results are delicious

W

[Malc.]

I have to say, that bread looks very tasty indeed. I've never been one for baking as i'm more spur of moment but that is certainly inspiring.

I might just have to try this.

[Whandsy]

I might just have to try this.

Well worth the effort (imo) Axe, something quite satisfying about creating life then turning it into bread

W

[Whandsy]

Just thought I'd bump this thread again, anybody who loves artisan breads should try getting into sourdough. Having spent a day cooking a jalfrezi for myself tomorrow and a korma for the kids tonight, I also had a sourdough loaf fermenting and proving for the day. This loaf nails supermarket sourdoughs to the wall. Delfish for both toast a sandwiches alike!

 }

Wayne

[Micky Tikka]

Well done Whandsy
I cant echo your views enough
I was going to PM you to see how your baking was getting on
The bread book Flour water salt Yeast by Ken Forkish  That you recommended is a must for all who want to make the best bread
I don't think people realise you do not have to knead to make great bread from this book
Unless you have found another book to recommend ;D
Cheers Michael