Beyond the realm of ordinary loaves, sourdough wild yeast bread stands as a testament to the magic of fermentation and the enduring artistry of breadmaking. Crafted with a natural leaven rather than commercial yeast, sourdough possesses a captivating sour tang, a rustic crust, and an alluring aroma that beckons the senses. As an ancient art form passed down through generations, sourdough bread embodies the essence of culinary heritage and tradition. In this comprehensive guide, we embark on a journey to unravel the secrets of this beloved bread, exploring the nuances of sourdough starters, the intricacies of fermentation, and the techniques that elevate each loaf to a masterpiece of flavor and texture.
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SOURDOUGH (WILD YEAST) BREAD
Sourdough is believed to have originated in Ancient Egyptian times around 1500 BC, and was likely the first form of leavening available to bakers. This is definitely a labor of love, but the end result is the most amazing bread! Because of the complex three build process, this recipe probably is not the best choice for the first time bread baker. Besides basic sourdough bread, there are so many possibilities. Just to give you some ideas, check out the Optional Additions; let your imagination be your guide; walnuts and blue cheese together is amazing! It takes a little time and attention, but your efforts will definitely be rewarded. Please read the instructions thoroughly before starting. Note that the special equipment needed is a baking stone, steam pan (see *note at bottom) and spray bottle. This recipe is from Peter Reinhart's book The Bread Baker's Apprentice. If you want to raise your level of bread baking, this is the book you need! PIctured to the left is a loaf where walnuts and blue cheese were added.
Provided by Galley Wench
Categories Sourdough Breads
Time P2DT45m
Yield 2 loaves
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- DAY ONE: You will need 2/3 cups of active starter so refresh your starter with 2/3 cup flour and 2/3 cup bottled water. Cover and allow to ferment for 6-8 hours. Once the starter has been refreshed you can continue with the recipe, or refrigerate the bowl over night.
- MAKE FIRM STARTER:.
- If you have refrigerated the starter, remove it from the refrigerator and measure out 2/3 cups and place in a small bowl, cover with towel or plastic wrap and allow to warm up for one hour. If the starter is room termperatue then continue as noted below.
- Add one cup flour to the bowl; add the starter and mix together, adding only enough additional water so that you can knead this into a small ball. Should be about the texture of french bread dough. No need to work very long, just be sure that the flour is hydrated and the starter is evenly distributed.
- Place dough in small bowl sprayed with non-stick cooking oi, turn dough once and cover with plastic; allow to rise until doubled in size, approximately 4 hours.
- Place in the refrigerator overnight.
- NEXT DAY:.
- Remove the firm starter from the refrigerator and cut into about 10 small pieces with a pastry scraper. Mist with non-stick spray, cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 1 hour to take off the chill from the dough.
- To a large mixing bowel stir together the flour and salt.
- With a large spoon, stir in the starter pieces and enough water to bring everything together into a ball.
- Hand Kneading: Sprinkle counter lightly with flour and knead for 12 to 15 minutes.
- Kitchen Aid Mixer: Sprinkle dough lightly and knead with DOUGH HOOK for 4 minutes on medium-low speed; allow dough to rest for 5-10 minutes, and then mix for another 4 minutes.
- Additions such as garlic, nuts or cheese, should be added during the last two minutes of mixing.
- With both methods, adjust the flour and water as needed. The dough should be firm but tacky, like firm French bread dough. The temperature of the bread dough should be between 77º and 81º F.
- Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling around to coat with oil.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to ferment at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, or until dough has doubled in size.
- Gently remove the dough from the bowl and divide into 2 equal parts (approximately 22 oz. each), being careful not to degas the dough.
- Gently shape dough into a boule, baguette, batard or rolls.
- Proof the dough in bannetons or proofing bowls, or on parchment-lined sheet pans that have been dusted with semolina flour or cornmeal.
- Mist the exposed part of the dough with spray oil and loosely cover the dough with a towel or plastic wrap.
- At this point you can either proof the loaves until doubles (2 to 3 hours), or retard overnight in the refrigerator. Or you may wish to do as I do, bake one now and retard the other for tomorrow.
- If retarding, remove them from the refrigerator approximately 4 hours before you plan to bake them.
- BAKING:.
- Place baking stone on middle shelf.
- Place oven-proof skillet or broiler pan in bottom of oven to use as a steam pan. (*I use a cast iron skillet,but a broiler pan will work just fine.).
- Preheat oven 500º F.
- Ten minutes before baking remove plastic covers.
- Carefully move dough to peel dusted with cornmeal or semolina flour.
- Score the top of the dough.
- Slide the dough onto preheat baking stone.
- Pour 1 cup hot water into the steam pan and close the door.
- After 30 seconds spray the oven walls with water and close the door (careful not to spray glass window).
- Repeat twice more at 30 second intervals.
- After the final spray reduce the temperature to 450º F and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the loaves are done.
- The centers should register 200º in the center on an instant read thermometer.
- When done they will be a rich golden brown and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.
- Remove from oven and transfer to wire rack and cool for 45 minutes before slicing.
WILD SOURDOUGH STARTER
You absolutely can purchase a starter over the interwebs, or, if you're lucky, acquire one from a family member or friend. But you don't actually need to: All you need is flour and water and, of course, yeast and bacteria, which are literally EVERYWHERE. There are a lot of different ways to do this, but this method has worked consistently in our test kitchen and builds a robust and flavorful starter.
Provided by Alton Brown
Time P8DT25m
Yield 250 grams
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- To begin: Mix together 125 grams flour and 125 grams water with a clean hand in a medium glass bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let sit undisturbed at room temperature until the mixture is full of bubbles and has nearly doubled in size, usually 2 to 3 days. During this time, yeasts and bacteria from the air and from the flour and probably from you will set up housekeeping in the bowl (see Cook's Note).
- For daily feeding: Peel back any crust that may have formed and transfer 20% of the culture (50 grams) to a clean, wide-mouthed jar. Stir in 100 grams flour and 100 grams water, loosely screw on the lid and stash at room temperature for 24 hours. (The culture will have a stinky-sour smell at this point.) Discard the rest of the original mixture.
- Repeat step 2 every 24 hours for 5 days. By then the culture should smell yeasty-sweet-sour, which means you're ready to put the starter to work.
Tips:
- Choosing the right flour is essential. Bread flour or all-purpose flour can be used, but bread flour will produce a chewier loaf with a crispier crust. If using all-purpose flour, add an extra 1/4 cup of water to the dough.
- Make sure the water is warm, but not hot. Hot water will kill the yeast and prevent the bread from rising.
- Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes. This will help to develop the gluten in the flour and create a smooth, elastic dough.
- Let the dough rise in a warm place for at least 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size. If the dough is too cold, it will not rise properly.
- When shaping the dough, be gentle and do not overwork it. Overworking the dough will make it tough.
- Bake the bread in a preheated oven. This will help to create a crispy crust.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing it. This will help to prevent the bread from becoming gummy.
Conclusion:
Sourdough bread is a delicious and nutritious bread that can be made at home with a few simple ingredients. By following these tips, you can create a perfect loaf of sourdough bread that your family and friends will love.
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