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Entry tags:
bread
A month or two ago, my sourdough culture got nasty and I threw it out. I tried restoring from the backup in the freezer, and that didn't smell very good either. But I had a little more left in the freezer, which I tried resuscitating yesterday: it's not OMG wonderful but it isn't actively nasty, and it might work.
As it happens, the New York Times just published an article about making sourdough bread yesterday. The method in the article differs in a number of ways from what I've been doing:
1) feed the sourdough once a week, and keep in in the fridge. I've been feeding it a little bit every day or two, and keeping it on the counter.
2) Do two feed-and-proof cycles, 12 hours each at room temperature, just before making bread dough. Discard the excess starter.
3) Mix flour and water and let rest for at least 1/2 hour, preferably 2-3 hours, to develop gluten before adding starter.
4) Add salt shortly after adding starter (I've been giving the dough 12 hours before adding salt).
5) After final shaping, refrigerate overnight (up to 2 days for stronger flavor).
6) Bake in a Dutch oven preheated to 500F: covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered at 450F for 30-40 minutes. (I've been using a soaked Romertopf, starting in a cold oven because that's what you do with a Romertopf.)
Perhaps I'll try some of these things this weekend. Or not, if the starter doesn't seem sufficiently vigorous.
As it happens, the New York Times just published an article about making sourdough bread yesterday. The method in the article differs in a number of ways from what I've been doing:
1) feed the sourdough once a week, and keep in in the fridge. I've been feeding it a little bit every day or two, and keeping it on the counter.
2) Do two feed-and-proof cycles, 12 hours each at room temperature, just before making bread dough. Discard the excess starter.
3) Mix flour and water and let rest for at least 1/2 hour, preferably 2-3 hours, to develop gluten before adding starter.
4) Add salt shortly after adding starter (I've been giving the dough 12 hours before adding salt).
5) After final shaping, refrigerate overnight (up to 2 days for stronger flavor).
6) Bake in a Dutch oven preheated to 500F: covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered at 450F for 30-40 minutes. (I've been using a soaked Romertopf, starting in a cold oven because that's what you do with a Romertopf.)
Perhaps I'll try some of these things this weekend. Or not, if the starter doesn't seem sufficiently vigorous.