Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Sourdough Bread

On January 6, I began my starter for a sourdough bread recipe that I had found online. Last night, I made a batch and let it rise overnight in the oven. This morning while making coffee, I punched it down and put it in to bake. Another 20 minutes and I should know if I did everything right. It's supposed to be simple, right?

It smells wonderful.

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Cloudy and 32 degrees. What happened to the sunlight we were promised?

I've got a few errands to run today, three more jobs to apply for, and I really have to start sorting these seeds for the swap I'm hosting. I promised to start sending them out on Wednesday. I'd like to get 5 packages a day mailed. Everyone should have their seeds back in early February.

Now where's that coffee I made?

10:06am - The bread is done. Doesn't taste exactly as I had imagined, but it's decent. Hopefully it will get better as the starter gets some age to it.

2:29pm - 39 and cloudy still. I know what I should have done with the bread. I let it rise overnight in the oven with just the light on. I should have baked it without rekneading it. Instead of a light and fluffy bread, I got a solid chunk of cooked dough. The texture inside is close, but the outside is hard as a rock. I think I also baked it too long.

4 comments:

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Did you use a recipe that had yeast in it? It's a challenge for those inexperienced at making bread to make sourdough that depends on the sour dough for all the rising. I used to make all our bread, and probably did from time to time make it without yeast, but if my memory serves me, I used to put a little yeast in. I bought it in jars or in bulk at the food coop. keep trying!

Sue

Tom - 7th Street Cottage said...

It was a no yeast recipe. I don't think my starter was old enough. And I kneaded it too much. First time, it wasn't bad though.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I personally like heavy bread, as long as it's not too hard. I use mostly whole wheat or other whole grains. My daughter just found out she is allergic to wheat, so I'd like to learn to make rice or other gluten free bread. It's very expensive at the store.

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