Monday, 15 August 2011

it's the fourth incarnation..

of my sourdough starter as a loaf of bread and it's a bit different to the others..i still used the same recipe but i did three things differently..

  1. i substituted the wholemeal flour with rye flour because i had no wholemeal left..
  2. and because my kitchen was a bit chilly and i didn't want to be baking bread at midnight i put the dough into my oven on it's dough proving setting for half an hour of the 5 hours of it's first proving..
  3. and then instead of shaping the dough and putting it onto a baking sheet for its final prove i put it into a flour sprinkled muslin lined colander..
i noticed a difference in the texture of the dough even before i baked it as it was very smooth and glossy looking and as you can see in the photos the crumb still has a shine to it and it's also full of quite large holes..the crust is chewier than my three previous loaves and it tastes slightly ryeish although maybe that's a figment of my imagination because if i hadn't made it myself i might not identify rye in a taste test..but please don't think these are complaints because it's still really tasty and for me these differences add to the joy of making bread.. and i doubt i will ever become inured to the sense of anticipation and delight i experience every time i take a freshly baked loaf from the oven..




have a happy day whatever you are doing..jane
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12 comments:

  1. Anonymous15 August 2011 at 18:30

    Aahh! I can smell it. I really should try this because I get so intimidated with baking bread. Don't know why. I just think I can't do it.
    Could be those times I did and it was used for a door stop :)
    I love a good rye and bread that has all those holes is yummy. Thanks for sharing I'll let you know how I do.
    susie

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  2. Anonymous16 August 2011 at 04:06

    Looks delcious! I still get excited getting a loaf out of the oven...or peeking at it while it's cooking to see how how it's getting along.

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  3. tea with hazel16 August 2011 at 15:41

    thanks for visiting susie..bread making is not hard..i promise..i'd love to hear about your bread making adventures..and good luck..

    thanks cityhippyfarmgirl..i wonder if professional bakers still feel the joy or does it become just repetitive work..

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  4. Not Quite Nigella16 August 2011 at 18:02

    Look at that slice! It looks fantastic and I'd love a piece slathered with some fresh butter :)

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  5. Annette - MyRoseValley17 August 2011 at 13:07

    Beautiful! My husband is a hell of a baker. Nothing beats a newly baked loaf of bread. This looks absolutely Yummy yum yum yum!
    Ciao!
    Annette

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  6. Annette - MyRoseValley17 August 2011 at 13:15

    Oh, check out this book, Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Fast, on baking bread that lasts soft and fresh for days. The technique is lightly different from traditional baking as the dough is more wet. Very very nice bread indeed. And actually dead simple. We usually make focaccia with this technique that we bring with us when we are invited to diners or BBQs and our friends are all blown away by how sift and incredibly yummy this bread is. Have fun. The book can be found at Amazon.
    Ciao!
    Annette

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  7. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes17 August 2011 at 13:55

    Lovely loaf jane, you describe that shiny glossy texture to the sourdough so well, I can almost imagine eating it - I sit down when I have put the bread in the oven and watch through the glass door and Zeb usually hops up on my lap as he knows I am not going anywhere while I watch entranced. The magic never goes away ;)

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  8. Anonymous19 August 2011 at 02:58

    That's a truly lovely loaf of bread. I've considered using that colander method, and I wonder if the loaf collapsed any when it's transfered to the baking tray. Did you find that?

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  9. Anonymous23 August 2011 at 23:30

    Beautiful! My baker friend Craig told me that the shiny elasticky look in the holes is a good sign that the gluten is well developed!

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  10. tea with hazel24 August 2011 at 13:47

    oops..the comments on this post have got away from me because i've been rather busy lately..so apologetically i will make a collective thankyou for all your lovely comments..

    thanks for the book tip annette..i need to look into it..

    and miskcooks..the first time i tried this manoeuvre i was worried the dough would splodge into a big flat crepe but it just sat there looking very perky..

    it's good to know that the shine is a good sign celia..i wasn't sure how to interpret it..

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  11. Anonymous26 August 2011 at 02:09

    Hi Jane. I've started using your colander method ... with varying success. The first time it worked perfectly but the second required some reshaping and crossed fingers. the over-spring was good so all was okay.

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  12. tea with hazel26 August 2011 at 02:41

    i'm glad you had some success miskcooks..not only do i use a colander for proving but i cook the bread in a preheated cast iron frying pan which means it's high diving dough for a while.. :)

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