Sourdough Bread and Starter

Sourdough Bread

When I started getting back into bread baking several months ago now, one thing I really wanted to try making was sourdough bread. While it is probably more common in the US than in the UK, there does seem to be a growing interest here, due to the increase of US cooking shows on our TVs.

I think that the name, sourdough, is also quite misleading. I have spoken to people who have not tried it because they are expecting the bread to have a sour taste. I would describe it as having a more 'bread-like' taste and a very slight tang. There is a slightly deeper flavour as it is a more fermented than usual bread, so if like me, you are a bread fan, then waste no time in getting your hands on a starter. It is fantastic with soup, and it makes the most unbelievably tasty toast.

Unlike bread that is made using cultured yeast, sourdough bread takes a lot longer to prove than you are used to. It takes me about a day and half to make my bread, but in the time, my actual involvement is very little.


How to grow your own sourdough starter

Having a sourdough starter in your life is much like having a pet. We have actually named ours Heston. You have to keep him in the right conditions and feed him, or he will die.

The hardest bit is getting your starter started, but once its going, it is much easier to look after. There are many variations of method on the web if you care to look, but this is the method I prefer. You could also ask around your friends, because if someone has a starter already, that would make your life much easier.

Equipment you need:
* a clean large glass jar or jug (I use an old pickled gherkin jar)
* bottled water - not tap water
* organic rye flour

Day 1
-------
add 100g rye flour and 140g bottled water. Mix thoroughly into a paste. Cover with towel, and leave away from direct heat (radiators etc) at room temp (20c/21c) for 24hrs

Day 2
-------
You may not see much activity at this stage. Discard half the starter and add in 100g rye flour and 140g water. Cover and leave at room temp for another 24hrs

Day 3, 4 & 5
---------------
You should see some activity now, and have maybe a fresh beer-like yeasty smell. There should be bubbles in the mixture which is caused by the wild yeast population eating the flour.Now that your yeast population is growing you now need to feed twice a day at evenly spaced intervals - roughly every 12 hrs.

For each feed - keep 100g of starter, and discard the rest. Add 100g of rye flour and 140g water, cover and leave.

Day 6
-------
By now you should have quite an active starter. It should have a slightly acidic smell. If at any point it smells 'off' and offensive, discard and start again as something nasty has gotten in. If you get a slight layer of off-coloured liquid on top, that is 'hooch'. Essentially its alcohol produced by the yeast. Pour it off or stir back in - either is good.

Your starter should be stable enough to use now and store in the fridge, which means it is much less maintenance.

Baking with your starter.

There are many recipes out there for sourdough bread if you do some searching online,  but this is the recipe/routine I have developed which works best for me.

Sat AM
--------

Fed starter

I take my starter out of the fridge, and place 1 large tablespoon into a clean glass bowl, and discard the rest. Instead of chucking it in the bin, you can use it to make pancakes or waffles for breakfast.

Add 100g of rye flour & 140g bottled water. Cover with tea towel and leave to double in size - approx 5-6 hrs depending on room temp. When it is risen, spongy and bubbly, it's now called a 'fed starter'.


Sat PM
--------
Take 200g of 'fed starter' and place in a large mixing bowl. There should be a small amount left of fed starter which can be popped back into your large jar with 100g rye flour and 140g bottled water. Stir, then place the lid on loosely, not tightened, and leave in the fridge until next week.

Add to the 200g of starter - 500g strong white or wholemeal bread flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 240ml bottled water (and I also add on a squirt of honey to feed the yeast but not enough to make the bread taste sweet, but this is completely optional).

Mix until combined, and then knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic for 8-10 mins. If the mixture seems too sloppy, add a smidge more flour before turning out to knead, but beware the more flour you add the denser and heavier your bread will be, and a wet dough will tighten up as you knead and produce a much better crumb.

Once kneaded, place in an oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm, then place in the fridge overnight.

Sun AM
---------
Your dough should have doubled in size by now. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knock all the air out, then half the mixture. Shape into smooth rectangles and place gently in to 2 x greased and floured 2lb loaf tins.

Dust the top with more flour, and make a shallow slash cut along the top in the middle, from about half inch from each end.

Cover both loaves with a clean tea towel and leave at room temp for about 5-6 hours at least, longer if it is cold, until it has doubled in size again.

Sun PM
---------
Bake in middle of oven at gas mark 5/375f/190c for 30 mins, then turn out onto a baking tray, upside down. Place back in over for a further 10 mins, then cool on a cooling rack.


Once cooled, I tend to place one loaf in a freezer bag and freeze. The bread will keep fresh for several days, but it is definitely at its best eaten within 2 or 3 days.

About Sourdough bread

Sourdough bread, unlike bread made from cultured yeast, is slightly better for you because the lengthier rising times actually breaks down a lot of the proteins(gluten) making it more digestible for humans. Good if you have a sensitivity to wheat gluten.

Like all other fermentation processes, the bacteria present in the sourdough starter eat the starch and sugars present in the grain. This results in a lowering of the starch or carbohydrate content of the bread, which is helpful for keeping blood sugar levels regulated. It also increases some of the vitamin and mineral content of the grain.

The increase in lactic acid, what gives it that light tang, actually works as a natural preservative, and prevents mold growth.

Finally, the bacteria present in the sourdough help to activate phytase, an enzyme that breaks down an anti-nutrient present in all grains, beans, and seeds called phytic acid. This may seem minor, but phytic acid is known to strip your body of minerals and can be hard on your digestion.

Your starter will live quite happily in the fridge for a week. You will notice it rises after about 3 or 4 days then starts to drop a little by the 7th day as the yeast population has peaked. I would advise feeding once a week, even if not baking with it, to keep the yeast and bacteria population strong, but it can go up to two weeks at a push. It's not unknown for sourdough enthusiasts to take their starter with them on holiday.

If you want to bake more than once a week, you can always take your starter out of the fridge after about 3 or 4 days. Alternatively, you can store it at room temp but you will have to bake with it and feed it every day.

Have a play, do some reading on the web, but don't be too put off - everyone seems to handle things slightly differently but the basic rules are the same.

Cinnamon Rolls

For a long time, I didn't think I liked cinnamon.

Growing up in a household that used very little in the way of herbs and spices in cooking, I wasn't too familiar with it. My introduction to cinnamon came in the form of some horrendous boiled sweets a friend brought back from the US. I hated them, and so I though I hated cinnamon.

It is a spice that I have since grown to love however, but in moderation. I still don't like it if people are too heavy handed with it. Other than in apple pie, my favourite use of cinnamon is in the cinnamon roll. The beautiful soft enriched dough with the hint of cinnamon is a great breakfast treat, especially if it is oozing with a delicious cream cheese frosting, or maple syrup glaze. As it is quite sweet, you can just brush it with a little melted butter.



Dough Ingredients:

• 180ml milk, warmed (110f/43c)
• 7g instant yeast
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 560g plain flour
• 70g corn flour
• 115g caster sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 170g  softened unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (easier to do this while cold)

Filling Ingredients:

• 200g light brown sugar
• 1½ Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 70g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Method:

1.      Line a 13"(33cm) by 9"(23cm) baking pan with foil, allowing excess foil to hang over pan edges. Grease foil and set aside.

2.      Add warm milk into mixing bowl, stir in yeast and allow to bloom.

3.      In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cornflour, sugar and salt.

4.      Once the yeast has bloomed, dump the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl.

5.      With mixer on low and using a dough hook, slowly add in the beaten eggs until dough comes together.

6.      Increase speed to medium, and add the butter 1 piece at a time until incorporated.

7.      Either turn out and knead by hand or continue to mix until the dough is smooth and comes away from the bowl (approx. 8-10 mins).

8.      Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with cling film, and place somewhere warmish until its doubled in size(about 1½-2 hours)

9.      In the meantime, prepare your filling. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and salt into a small bowl.

10.  Once the dough is fully risen, turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knock the air out of the dough, then roll our into a rectangle about 16"(40cm) wide by 12" (30cm).

11.  Pour the melted butter over the dough and spread with your finger tips. Sprinkle over the sugar mix and spread with your fingertips.

12.  Starting at the edge nearest to you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder and pinch to seal seam.

13.  Cut into 12 even sized rolls. Transfer rolls into prepared foil-lined pan. Cover with cling film and leave to rise again until doubled in size. This can be done overnight in a fridge so that they are ready to bake for breakfast.

14.  When ready to bake, discard cling film and place in an oven pre-heated to Gas 4/180c/350f for 35 to 40 minutes.

15.  When done, allow to cool in the pan for a moment. At this point, you can ice or glaze them if you want. When ready to serve, use the excess foil to lift from the pan.

TIP: Cinnamon rolls freeze very well once cooked (unfrosted). You can freeze them  in bulk or individually, then once thawed, warm for a few minutes in the oven before frosting, or you could just stuff your face with them  straight away.

Also, for an interesting twist, why not try throwing a handful or two of mixed dried fruit along with your sugar and cinnamon filling.

Soft Pretzels

Some time ago, I decided to make some pretzels. As soon as they were out of the oven, and I mean they were still surface-of-the-sun hot, my husband and brother descended on them. Within moments, all that remained were a couple of sheepish faces and a few leftover crumbs.

To be fair, these are best when warm, so be prepared to fight people off as they come out of the oven.

The glossy finish is due to boiling them in a water and bicarbonate of soda, then egg-washing before baking.  Commercial bakers use a food-grade sodium hydroxide, but sadly I cannot get hold of that in small quantities, so baking soda will have to do.


Ingredients:

• 250ml warm water or milk (or half milk half water)
• 1 tbsp instant yeast
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp cooking salt
• 440g strong white bread flour
• 5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 egg

Method:

1. Pour warm water in a mixing bowl
2. Stir in the yeast and sugar and leave for a few minutes to bloom
3. add in the salt and flour
4. Once mixed, turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 mins until dough is smooth and elastic.
5. Place in a bowl and cover with clingfilm and leave to double in size, about an hour.
6. Turn out onto floured surface and divide into 4,6,8 pieces depending how big you want your pretzels. This mixture will make 4 large pretzels.
7. roll each portion into a long rope, then form into a pretzel shape (see here for tips on folding a pretzel).
8. when you have all your pretzels formed, boil 1½ litres of water with 5 tsp of bicarbonate of soda
9. add each pretzel individually and boil for 1 min on each side the place on a lined baking sheet
10. once your pretzels are all boiled, brush with an egg-wash and then sprinkle with rock salt or sesame seeds
11. bake in hot oven Gas 8/230c/450f for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown

You can eat these just as they are or try serving them with a spicy tomato or barbecue dip.

Maine Shrimp Casserole

Okay, so I had to make this with Atlantic prawns, as bizarrely, Maine shrimp isn't available in downtown Nottingham,so technically I suppose it isnt a Maine Shrimp Casserole, but the recipe is from Maine. Does that count?

Maine shrimp are usually caught in the Spring, and unlike the more familiar grey, they are a rosy pink-red when raw. We also pay about twice the price in our supermarkets than the fortunate residents of Maine. Another reason for me to envy them.

There are variations of this recipe I have seen on the web, some including making a flavoured roux, then topping with breadcrumbs, but I really like this recipe because it is creamy and cheesy and oh-so-tasty.

Ingredients:

• 8 slices of bread, buttered and cubed (you can leave off the butter if you are watching the calories)
• 200g mature cheddar, grated (low fat is fine)
• 400g cooked prawns
• 1 pint of milk
• 3 eggs, beaten
• a little salt
• 1 tsp paprika (optional)

Method:

1. In a large bowl, add your cubed bread, prawns, and cheese, and salt.
2. Stir gently until well mixed
3. Tip into a buttered oven proof dish
4. Mix the egg and milk together, then add the paprika (if using)
5. Slowy pour the milk mixture over the bread and prawns
6. Press lightly with the back of a spoon
7. Bake in an over at 325 F / Gas Mark 3 for 1 hour

This recipe will feed 4 on its own, but would go further as an accompaniment to steak, or a juicy burger.
 

Servings	4
Calories per serving	604

Boule - a Bread Bowl

Boule is French for ball, and is a traditional French shape for French bread.

It is usually made from a sour dough starter, but if you can't be bothered with that, then it is perfectly acceptable to make it with normal breadmaker's yeast. I won't tell - it will just be our secret.

The Boule, apart from being an attractive little loaf, makes a perfect edible bowl for serving thick soups and chowders.


Ingredients:

• 750ml warm water
• 1½ teaspoons instant yeast
• 1½ teaspoons kosher (cooking) salt
• 1000g strong bread flour

Method:

1. Add the yeast to the warm water  and leave for a few minutes
2. Add in all the flour and salt
3. Mix until the flour is fully incorporated. You should be left with a fairly wet and loose.
4. Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse, or at least flattens on the top, (about 2 hours depending on the room's temperature and the initial water temperature). Alternatively, you can let it prove for up to 24hrs in a fridge.
5. If you did the prove at room temp, it is a good idea at this point to refrigerate the dough for a few hours as it will be a lot easier to work with.
6.  Sprinkle a baking tray with a little cornmeal to prevent your dough from sticking.
7. There is no need to knead this dough as you want to keep the air in. Just cut it into 4. 
8. Take one of the quarters, and shape it quickly into a ball by smoothing and stretch the top with your floured hands and pushing the under itself.
9. Place your shaped ball onto your dusted tray and allow it to rest uncovered for 40 minutes.
10. Place a roasting tin in the bottom of your oven, and heat to Gas Mark 8 / 450 F / 230 C
11. Dust the top of your boule liberally with flour, then slash a shallow cross in the top
12. When you slide your bread into the centre of the oven, pour a cup of water into the roasting tray and quickly close the door to trap the steam. 
13. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top starts to brown and is firm to touch.
14. Allow to cool on a wire rack

TIP:
If you are making the boule to use as serving bowls for chowder, or soup, you may wish to divide the mixture just into two loaves, instead of 4.

Servings	4 x 1 lb loaves
Calories per serving	846 kcal