Plague Diary, The Sourdough Saga
May. 5th, 2020 04:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lydyAs previously mentioned, I've been attempting sourdough. I have finally gotten to the point where I can reliably turn out a loaf that I'm happy with, so I'm going to document it here.
A note on my starter, which is named Hermione. She was too sour, so I stopped putting her in the oven on "proof" because higher temperatures create more sourness, and I tried switching her to all-purpose white, since whole wheat also increases sourness. Hermione then went into a serious case of the sulks. So, I reintroduced whole wheat, but didn't increase the temperature, and she decided she was happy. I am feeding her twice a day, at the following proportions: 50 grams starter, 100 grams warmed filtered water (44 sec. in the microwave takes refrigerated water to a good temerpature) 40 grams of whole wheat, and 60 grams of white all-purpose flour.
Ingredients:
50 grams whole wheat flour
450 grams white all-purpose flour
375 grams of filtered water
150 grams Hermione (starter)
11 grams of salt
Process:
Feed Hermione in the morning. Check after two hours to make sure she is happy. If she is not visibly bubbly, retreat, retreat, retreat. If she is:
3 - 4 hour after feeding Hermione, autolyze flour by combining all flour and 325 grams of warmed, filtered water. Mix with hands until doughy in large bowl. Cover with tea towel for about an hour. Dunno why this is important, but all the bakers say it is.
Add the remaining 50 grams of water (filtered, warmed, about 10-20 sec in microwave), salt, and 150 grams of Hermione. Mix with hands until dough-like.
Knead for about five minutes, until it feels...alive? Right? If you have kneaded bread before what you are looking for is that abrupt change from weird and sloppy to bread dough, and then a bit more. If you aren't in the habit of kneading bread, you are looking for a marked change in texture, and for the dough to start adhering to itself more than it is adhering to your hands or the bowl. Sourdough is very slack, so it will still be pretty sticky.
Turn into a bowl. I use a covered, stoneware casserole dish. Let it ferment for 4 to 5 hours, at room temperature. Three times, separated by 30 minutes, do a stretch and fold, as follows: wet hands with cold water, pull the top edge of the dough away from the bowl, grasp lightly and pull upwards until it will fold over to the bottom of the bowl. Turn 90 degrees, repeat. Do this at all four corners. I am not entirely sure what this does, but the website I used as a basis for this recipe thinks it's important. Of course, that website didn't recommend kneading the bread, so, um, dunno? At any rate, I do it, and it works, and since it ain't broke, I'm not fixing it.
After 4 or 5 hours, turn the dough out onto a very well-floured surface. I use whole wheat for this, as it is a bit coarser, and I think that helps. Form a boule by pulling a corner toward the middle, turn 90 degrees, take a corner, pull towards the middle, turn 90 degrees, and keep on doing this until it feels like it's a nice, springy loaf. Again, it's hard to describe how to tell when it's done, but it does go through a distinct state-change, where it feels more coherent and springy. Remember, sourdough is pretty slack. Add flour around the edges if it starts to stick. This is very similar to the stretch-and-fold from earlier. When it feels like it's done, sprinkle the top with flour, and rub it lightly to coat.
Take a large bowl, or proofing basket, or whatever. I use that same casserole dish. Line it with a tea towel (unless it's a proofing basket with cloth, in which case, it already has a tea towel incorporated its it). You want a smooth cloth towel, not a terry cloth towel. Flour generously. Turn the boule-in-waiting into the bowl, with the seam side down. Lightly flour the tops and sides of the boule-in-waiting, now known in my house as Baby Bunting. Make sure that the towel around the edges is well-floured, because otherwise the bastard will stick. Flop the edges of the tea towel over the top of the dough, and either cover with plastic or, in my case, put the casserole cover on the dish. Put in the refrigerator overnight.
Sometime after morning coffee, take Baby Bunting out of the refrigerator, set on the counter to warm and rise a bit more, and feed Hermione. I usually wait a couple of hours. Look in to see that it's risen, and that it's springy. When Baby Bunting is at room temperature, and looks like she might like to be baked, put a dutch oven in the oven, set the oven to 470 degrees and wait 30 minutes.
I am using a cast iron dutch oven, which David refers to as a chicken fryer. I believe it to be about 2.5 quarts. Whatever you are using should have a tight-fitting lid, and able to tolerate high heat. After 30 minutes, lay out a piece of parchment paper. A large piece. Turn Baby Bunting out on to the paper, at the center, seam side up, and score her to let the steam escape. I use kitchen scissors because I do not currently own a baker's lame, and I cut a box into the top, but pretty much any pattern you like will do.
Take the dutch oven out of the oven. It is very hot. Do not burn yourself like I have. Take the lid off, and lifting Baby Bunting by the parchment paper, place into the dutch oven, parchment paper and all. (Paper should be at the bottom and sides, this keeps the dough from sticking.) Baby Bunting will have spread a bit (remember, very slack dough) but don't worry. She'll scrunch up again when you put her in the dutch oven. Put the lid back on, place in the oven. Put a cookie sheet or another pan on the shelf below the dutch oven to prevent the bottom from being burned.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, put it some place where you won't burn yourself on it. Baby Bunting should be slightly golden. Bake for another 15 minutes. Baby Bunting should be a pleasing brown. Cool for as long as you can stand it, then eat.
I am really happy with this bread. If you need already started starter, I could certainly spare some Daughter of Hermione. Just let me know.
A note on my starter, which is named Hermione. She was too sour, so I stopped putting her in the oven on "proof" because higher temperatures create more sourness, and I tried switching her to all-purpose white, since whole wheat also increases sourness. Hermione then went into a serious case of the sulks. So, I reintroduced whole wheat, but didn't increase the temperature, and she decided she was happy. I am feeding her twice a day, at the following proportions: 50 grams starter, 100 grams warmed filtered water (44 sec. in the microwave takes refrigerated water to a good temerpature) 40 grams of whole wheat, and 60 grams of white all-purpose flour.
Ingredients:
50 grams whole wheat flour
450 grams white all-purpose flour
375 grams of filtered water
150 grams Hermione (starter)
11 grams of salt
Process:
Feed Hermione in the morning. Check after two hours to make sure she is happy. If she is not visibly bubbly, retreat, retreat, retreat. If she is:
3 - 4 hour after feeding Hermione, autolyze flour by combining all flour and 325 grams of warmed, filtered water. Mix with hands until doughy in large bowl. Cover with tea towel for about an hour. Dunno why this is important, but all the bakers say it is.
Add the remaining 50 grams of water (filtered, warmed, about 10-20 sec in microwave), salt, and 150 grams of Hermione. Mix with hands until dough-like.
Knead for about five minutes, until it feels...alive? Right? If you have kneaded bread before what you are looking for is that abrupt change from weird and sloppy to bread dough, and then a bit more. If you aren't in the habit of kneading bread, you are looking for a marked change in texture, and for the dough to start adhering to itself more than it is adhering to your hands or the bowl. Sourdough is very slack, so it will still be pretty sticky.
Turn into a bowl. I use a covered, stoneware casserole dish. Let it ferment for 4 to 5 hours, at room temperature. Three times, separated by 30 minutes, do a stretch and fold, as follows: wet hands with cold water, pull the top edge of the dough away from the bowl, grasp lightly and pull upwards until it will fold over to the bottom of the bowl. Turn 90 degrees, repeat. Do this at all four corners. I am not entirely sure what this does, but the website I used as a basis for this recipe thinks it's important. Of course, that website didn't recommend kneading the bread, so, um, dunno? At any rate, I do it, and it works, and since it ain't broke, I'm not fixing it.
After 4 or 5 hours, turn the dough out onto a very well-floured surface. I use whole wheat for this, as it is a bit coarser, and I think that helps. Form a boule by pulling a corner toward the middle, turn 90 degrees, take a corner, pull towards the middle, turn 90 degrees, and keep on doing this until it feels like it's a nice, springy loaf. Again, it's hard to describe how to tell when it's done, but it does go through a distinct state-change, where it feels more coherent and springy. Remember, sourdough is pretty slack. Add flour around the edges if it starts to stick. This is very similar to the stretch-and-fold from earlier. When it feels like it's done, sprinkle the top with flour, and rub it lightly to coat.
Take a large bowl, or proofing basket, or whatever. I use that same casserole dish. Line it with a tea towel (unless it's a proofing basket with cloth, in which case, it already has a tea towel incorporated its it). You want a smooth cloth towel, not a terry cloth towel. Flour generously. Turn the boule-in-waiting into the bowl, with the seam side down. Lightly flour the tops and sides of the boule-in-waiting, now known in my house as Baby Bunting. Make sure that the towel around the edges is well-floured, because otherwise the bastard will stick. Flop the edges of the tea towel over the top of the dough, and either cover with plastic or, in my case, put the casserole cover on the dish. Put in the refrigerator overnight.
Sometime after morning coffee, take Baby Bunting out of the refrigerator, set on the counter to warm and rise a bit more, and feed Hermione. I usually wait a couple of hours. Look in to see that it's risen, and that it's springy. When Baby Bunting is at room temperature, and looks like she might like to be baked, put a dutch oven in the oven, set the oven to 470 degrees and wait 30 minutes.
I am using a cast iron dutch oven, which David refers to as a chicken fryer. I believe it to be about 2.5 quarts. Whatever you are using should have a tight-fitting lid, and able to tolerate high heat. After 30 minutes, lay out a piece of parchment paper. A large piece. Turn Baby Bunting out on to the paper, at the center, seam side up, and score her to let the steam escape. I use kitchen scissors because I do not currently own a baker's lame, and I cut a box into the top, but pretty much any pattern you like will do.
Take the dutch oven out of the oven. It is very hot. Do not burn yourself like I have. Take the lid off, and lifting Baby Bunting by the parchment paper, place into the dutch oven, parchment paper and all. (Paper should be at the bottom and sides, this keeps the dough from sticking.) Baby Bunting will have spread a bit (remember, very slack dough) but don't worry. She'll scrunch up again when you put her in the dutch oven. Put the lid back on, place in the oven. Put a cookie sheet or another pan on the shelf below the dutch oven to prevent the bottom from being burned.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, put it some place where you won't burn yourself on it. Baby Bunting should be slightly golden. Bake for another 15 minutes. Baby Bunting should be a pleasing brown. Cool for as long as you can stand it, then eat.
I am really happy with this bread. If you need already started starter, I could certainly spare some Daughter of Hermione. Just let me know.
