My 1st Sourdough Bread and naming my sourdough starter...

Sourdough bread’s history is long and interesting, I’ve just begun to scratch the surface of the many ways to start, grow and use it in my daily baking and cooking.  So far, I’ve been more than impressed with the results.   I love seeing how I can make “something” out of practically nothing more than basic ingredients most people – even if their kitchen isn’t “stocked” have – as well as the fact that it’s….dare I say… EASY.   I’m LOVING the fact that I can produce fancy “bakery” style loaves to compliment a simple homemade soup, or produce an Artisan Looking loaf for when we have friends over for dinner.  OH – and let’s not forget to mention… it tastes awesome.

It started with the *NO-KNEAD BREAD*  Where after searching the web, I fell in love with sites like Breadtopia and Yeastspotting  I’ve also learned that there are some “secret” starters / recipes, that people are more than willing to share their starter… just not their actual recipe.  Now, playing with flour, and yeast (whether naturally leavened or store bought active quick rise) has become an addiction of mine!

This is the latest update from my new Sourdough ventures… as it’s the first loaf I made using a starter that was simple…as long as you remember to feed and water it.  It’s a growing, “living” (kinda weird eh?!) THING that resembles something like “THE BLOB”, I really do think I should name THE BLOB…  as I’ve grown kinda fond of it…. Hmmmmm.

Step One – Sourdough Starter (recipe adapted from Breadtopia)

I used one of Breadtopia’s recipes, and followed along with his basic method for managing the starter.

• 3 ½ tablespoon  whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened pineapple juice (I used a “no-sugar added” one)

-  Whisk flour/juice in small plastic (clear) container until well combined

-  Cover and set aside for 48 hours at room temperature

-  Stir/whisk well  2 to 3 times a day

48 hours later….

• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons pineapple juice

- Whisk flour/juice into starter mixture

- Cover, and set aside at room temperature for another 48 hours – stirring 2 to 3 times a day

- At this point, you should see the start of some fermentation activity (BUBBLES).  If you don’t you may want to toss starter and try again

48 hours later….

• 5 ¼ tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 3 tablespoons water

- whisk flour/water into starter, cover and set aside for 24hours. (Mixture should have bubbles/show signs of fermentation)

24 hours later....

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup water

- Add flour/water to starter mixture and stir well, at this point you should have a very healthy starter.  (if not, you may want to toss, and start again)

At this point do a little bit of research on how to maintain your starter.  Me, I’ve been “feeding” it on a weekly basis, and before I baked with it, I made sure I fed it twice prior to baking, to make sure it was as strong and as “healthy” as I could get it.  (still… haven’t figured out a name for my growing BLOB)

It was just over a week and a bit before I tried out my starter, decided to play a little with the fermentation / proofing a bit, the end result… a delicious loaf of Sourdough Bread, and one of the coolest parts – it’s STILL a NO-KNEAD bread!! Woot Woot!

Sour Dough Bread (No-Knead)

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 1/2 cups Bread flour
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cup water (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup starter

*For this recipe, when it came time to actually bake the bread, I used a round heavy 3 QT Ceramic pot with lid, which is safe to use in a 500F oven. * (Winner’s had one for $15)

- Mix whole wheat flour, bread flour and salt into a large (non-metal) mixing bowl

- Mix water and the ¼ cup of starter into a separate bowl (I just used my 2 cup measuring cup)

- combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients  with a plastic (or wooden) spoon.  Dough should be sticky, however, pull away from sides of bowl when done.  *remember this is no-knead so you should be able to mix it well enough with just a spoon!*   If required, add a bit more water, or flour until dough looks like this:

Here’s the “tough” part….

- Cover with plastic wrap tightly (so dough doesn’t dry out) and put into fridge for 2 days (up to 4 days) Just leave it,  alone in the fridge to slowly rise/ferment further

2 days later…

- Remove dough from fridge, and let sit on counter for 1-2 hours until dough doubles in bulk

-Take dough out of bowl and turn onto a generously floured countertop

-carefully “push” out dough to form a rectangular shape.  (be careful not to play with the dough so much that it deflates)

-fold dough one side of dough into the middle, repeat with other side, then fold in half again

- Place in a proofing bowl (or I used a lightly oiled ceramic mixing bowl), cover and let rise again for an hour.

- After an hour, place the ceramic pot with lid (one that’s safe to withstand temp of 500F) into your oven, and preheat oven to 500F, let your dough continue to rest for another 30-40 minutes.

- Carefully and quickly remove hot pot from the heated oven, and using both hands, take resting dough and “flip” bowl upside down, so that the dough drops neatly into the hot pot.  Place lid back on pot, and put back in oven for 30 minutes at 500F

- Remove lid and reduce oven temperature to 450F, bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until crust is golden and bread sounds hollow when tapped.

- Remove finished bread from hot pot, and place on cooling rack.  You should be able to hear the crust crackling!

This bread was YUMMY with a little herbed butter (Italian seasoning, and 1 gloved garlic minced, and mixed into softened butter)   

Making this style of bread is teaching me patience; however, the reward is well worth it!  It also helps to know that TIME is really the “one” who’s doing all the work here….This makes it that much easier to wait!  From everything I’ve read, there are a billion variations.. I’m just getting started!

Then there’s this ongoing small issue I have… I STILL haven’t named my starter.  It’s alive..and healthy… in my fridge, happy to be taken out and feed once or twice a week…  hmmm…  Mr. Blob?? Bob the Blob?  I’ll need to work on that one….maybe over a piece of freshly toasted sourdough….

NO-Knead Bread ---yup...any BEER drinking Gal/Guy can do this!

OK...SO... I will raise my hand...stand up...and ADMIT IT.  I....L-O-V-E making bread now.  It's like I'm addicted to working with the dough...anxious when it's "supposed" to be rising... and the smells! wow.  When it's finally done... that first slice (if all turns out) is heavenly.  Just made for a butter commercial!

THEN... reality hits.  I find most people shy away from bread - and it's rising times - and that whole using YEAST thing.  I've been addicted to blogs / books that contain bread recipes. (thank you AGAIN Yeast spotting , Food Wishes - there's a great video Chef John posted using a recipe for this style of bread making)  I'm learning - adapting - adjusting... and so far, results have been awesome! (or I think so!)  I do know of several people that also shy away from just the kneading part, as lets face it....  it's a work out at times!  WELL.. in my latest ventures of bread making 101... I did 2 "new" things.  1st - started off making a "sponge" (ooo getting all techy!) ...and 2nd - I put AWAY the mixer..  brought out a spoon and a spatula as this recipe...no need to KNEAD! SO, while I didn't get that arm work out.. I DID get a beautiful "artisan" looking loaf of bread!


No-KNEAD Bread! who'da thunk!!

 OK, and here's a lil' secret...  there's a "special" ingredient that's added... BEER! SO, with only a few ingredients, no mixer, no kneading required... even your everyday - Mr or Miss Joe Blow can make this bread!!  ---and did I forget to mention -- minimal rising time...even with the making of a sponge!?  Woot Woot!!

NO-Knead Bread

For the Sponge:

• 1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup warm water

Dough:

• 1 BOTTLE of Beer  (I used a lager)
• 2 1/2 teaspoon salt (table salt works)
• 4 Cups All Purpose Flour

In a large mixing bowl, place yeast, flour and warm water (not boiling...little warmer than lukewarm), whisk together well.  Cover and place in a draft free - warm area.  Inside of oven with your light turned on works well. - LEAVE IT for 30 mins to let the sponge develop.

It should look something like the above - bubbly and "spongy" when stirred with a spoon. 

Next, add the BEER, slowly (it'll bubble up a bit), salt and all 4 cups of flour.

Give it a real good mix with the spoon until the sticky, gooey dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  Be patient with this, as it may take a couple of minutes to  mix the flour in well.  *if it appears too dry - add a bit of water. *if all flour is mixed in, and it doesn't want to start to pull away from the side of the bowl, add a bit more flour.  Your dough should look like this:

Cover the bowl with a dish towel - I used the tip from Food Wishes and dampened the towel with HOT HOT water, rung out thoroughly.  Placed it back in my oven with the light turned on.   Let it rise to double the size.  (mine took about an hour)...some say it can take up to 2 hours.

Now, using a spatula, mix the dough well.  This will deflate the dough and unstick it from the sides of the bowl. 

 Turn out the gooey, sticky dough on to a well floured surface, (cover your hands with a bit of flour, as this helps you remove and work with the dough).  I just rolled the dough a few times into a "log" shape, and placed it onto a lightly floured and greased (I used PAM spray) cookie sheet. 

Back into the oven it goes - and cover it with a DRY tea towel.  Let rise for another 30 mins.

Keeping dough covered, remove from oven (if in) - or if you placed it else where on a counter... just let it sit there a while longer -  Place a loaf pan half full of water in oven, and pre-heat to 425F.

Once oven is ready - uncover dough, and take a sharp knife, slice down length if dough.  Then, slice again down same length.  Sprinkle top of loaf with a little bit of flour.  Now place, uncovered, in oven.

Bake at 425F for 35 mins to 40 mins or until loaf is a golden colour, and sounds hollow when "knocked". 

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Once cooled.... slice open and ENJOY!  Awesome with butter... and went perfect with a homemade soup! 

For this loaf... I used the  Whistler Brewing Company - Powder Mountain Lager.  Worked great. 

Throw in a hearty soup, maybe another Beer (or 2), and you've got yourself a comforting, YUMMY meal! 

I think, next time... I'm going to start playing with "flavours" for the bread...asiago cheese, roasted garlic, rosemary... okok... now my mouth is watering....mind is creating....  Have a great weekend everyone!