Swedish Christmas Bread

Swedish Christmas Bread

The combination of rye, beer and molasses makes this an unusual Christmas bread.

Makes two 1 1/2 pound (680 g) Loaves

2 cups (480 ml) culture
2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup (120 ml) molasses...
1 cup (240 ml) beer
1/2 cup (60g) chopped candied fruit peel
2 tablespoons anise seed
3 cups (340 g) rye flour
3 cups (420 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Dough Proof

Pour the culture into a mixing bowl. Melt the butter, then stir into it the salt, molasses, and beer. Add the candied fruit peel and anise to the mixture, then pour it into the culture and mix well. Add the rye flour and mix well. Add the all-purpose flour a cup (140 g) at a time until the dough becomes too stiff to mix by hand. Turn out onto a floured board and knead in the remaining flour until the dough is smooth and satiny.

Proof the dough overnight (8 to 12 hours) at room temperature, about 70°F (21°C), in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap. During this time, the dough should double in size. After the proof, use a spatula to gently ease the dough out onto a floured board. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. If marked flattening occurs during this time, knead in additional flour before shaping.

Loaf Proof

Shape the rested dough by dividing it in half and forming 2 balls, then pulling and patting the balls into 2 oblong loaves. Place the loaves, seam side down, on a baking sheet and proof for 2 to 4 hours, until the loaves double in bulk. Proof, the first hour at room temperature and then at 85° to 90°F (29° to 32°C) in a proofing box.

Baking

Place the baking sheet with its shaped, proofed loaves in a cool oven, then turn the temperature to 375°F (190°) and bake for 65 to 70 minutes. When the loaf is baked, remove it from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.

Have a very merry Christmas!!!!

Cocoa Rye Bread in a Bread Machine

We get questions about making sourdough bread in bread machines. Yes, you can. Our cookbook has many bread machine recipes and great hints. Here is a recipe from one of Ed's books, Worldwide Sourdoughs From Your Bread Machine, that he co-wrote with Donna Rathmell.

Cocoa Rye Bread

Cocoa rye is out of Germany. The cocoa addition offers a unique flavor and produces a super dark bread. Use a French or basic white cycle. This recipe is for 1 1/2lb.

2 cups Sourdough Culture
1 cup White Bread Flour
Knead for 5 minutes, allow to sit for 8 hours, add following ingredients and start cycle.
1/4 cup Water
1 tsp. Salt
1 tbp. Sugar
1 tbp. Vegetable Oil
1/4 cup Cocoa
1 tbs. Caraway Seeds
2 tsp. Vital Gluten
1 1/2 cups Rye Flour
2/3 cup White Bread Flour
Water as Needed

Happy Baking!

Cranberry Orange Spiced Sourdough Cookies

I can smell these coming out of the oven.  Makes my mouth water!

Cranberry Orange Spiced Sourdough Cookies from Just Making Noise

1 cup sourdough starter
1 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1/4 cup raw honey
1/2 brown sugar
3/4 tsp sea salt
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cloves
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
zest from 1 medium orange
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped

In a medium bowl, mix together the starter and butter.
Add 1 cup of flour and the oatmeal, stirring to incorporate.
Continue adding flour until you have a thick dough.
Cover and allow to sour for 8 or more hours.
Preheat your oven to 375° F.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, eggs, sugar, vanilla, sea salt, cloves, cinnamon, orange zest, ginger, baking powder and baking soda.
Pour the mixture over the soured dough and mix (using your hands is easiest for this) until well incorporated.
Stir the cranberries and walnuts.
Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.
Bake 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden.
You may also spread the whole batter into a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes to get bars.
Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie with Buttered Sourdough Crust

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Pumpkin Pie with Buttered Sourdough Crust

Ingredients

Filling:
2 cups of pumpkin pulp puree from a sugar pumpkin
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup Rapadura...
2/3 cup organic maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
3 eggs
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest
1 teaspoon whole wheat pastry flour

Crust:
1 1/2 cups sifted whole-grain flour
1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
1/4 cup chilled butter (chopped into 1/4 inch cubes)
1/2 cup sourdough starter
1/8-1 1/2 cup cold, filtered water

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Start with a small-medium sugar pumpkin, cut out the stem and scrape out the insides, discard (or save seeds for other use). Cut the pumpkin in half and lay cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350°F until fork tender, about an hour to an hour and a half. Remove from oven, let cool, scoop out the pulp. If you want the pulp to be extra smooth, put it through a food mill or chinois. Scrape pumpkin into a food processor; puree until smooth.
2. In a stand mixer, or by hand, stir salt into flour. Then beat in chilled butter until the flour resembles corn meal. Beat in sourdough starter until the dough is smooth. If needed, add enough water just to the point it sticks together. You don't want it to be too sticky. Form the dough into a flattened ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 and up to 24 hours.
3. Measure 2 cups pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups pumpkin, Rapadura, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt. Stir in maple syrup, cream, and flour. Mix in eggs one at a time. Pour filling into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350° F for 1 hour, or until center is set.

Wishing you all a great holiday with your family and friends. Happy baking.

Simple Sourdough Dutch Baby

Get ready for all those overnight guests that will be coming for the holidays. Here is a quick, simple recipe and they will love the results.

Simple Sourdough Dutch Baby

Serves 2-4...

Ingredients

1 T. butter
2 eggs
2/3 cup sourdough starter
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 T. maple syrup (grade B preferred)
2 T. milk
Cast iron skillet for cooking

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°

In a bowl mix eggs, starter, salt, syrup and milk until thoroughly combined into a thin batter.

Place butter in cast iron skillet and brown in the oven. Remove from oven.

Pour batter into pan. Place in oven.

Cook for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Serve warm with toppings of your choosing.

Recipe by Grain Mill Wagon.

Peanut Butter Sourdough Cookies

Can you smell the cookies in the air? We can.

Peanut Butter Sourdough Cookies

1 cup starter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder...
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350° F

In a large bowl, mix together the starter, peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the starter mixture and combine.

Roll the dough into balls and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove to a wire rack and cool.

Happy baking.

Gingerbread

It is that time of the year.  Even though Thanksgiving isn't here yet there are Christmas decorations up at the stores and everyone seems to be chomping at the bit.  Our cultures make wonderful gifts.  They last a lifetime, easy to mail and who doesn't go crazy over sourdough?  Here is a recipe to get you in the holiday mood.

Gingerbread

Makes 1 Loaf

Baking soda helps to leaven this delicious bread; no additional proofing is required.

2 cups sourdough culture
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup molasses
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup white bread flour

Baking

Measure the culture into a large mixing bowl.  Preheat over to 350°.  Add melted butter, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, egg, sugar, and salt to the culture and mix well.

Add baking soda to the flour and mix.  Then add the flour to the culture and mix until smooth.

Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch square baking pan.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes.

What a great smelling kitchen you will have!  Happy baking!

Butterflake Rolls

Get ready for the cold weather! Bake some rolls!

Butterflake Rolls

This is a fun, buttery treat with delicious sourdough flavor. Makes 8 to 10 rolls.

2 cups (480 ml) sourdough culture
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
1 teaspoon salt...
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup (180 g) melted butter
1 egg, beaten
4 cups (560 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Dough Proof

Pour the culture into a mixing bowl. Add the water, milk, salt, sugar, half of the butter, and the beaten egg and mix. Add the flour a cup (140 g) at a time until the dough is too stiff to mix by hand. Turn out onto a floured board and knead in the remaining flour until the dough is smooth and satiny.

Proof the dough overnight (8 to 12 hours) at room temperature, about 70°F (21°C), in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap. During this time, the dough should double in size. After the proof, use a spatula to gently ease the dough out onto a floured board. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. If marked flattening occurs during this time, knead in additional flour before shaping.

Loaf Proof

Roll the rested dough into a rectangle about 5 inches (12 cm) wide and 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick. Brush the remaining half of the butter over the dough. Cut into 4 strips lengthwise with a pizza cutter. Stack the strips with the buttered sides up. Cut the stacked strips into eight to ten 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) pieces. Put the rolls in the cups of a muffin pan with the cut sides facing down so that the layers are visible on top.

Proof for 2 to 4 hours, until doubled in bulk. Proof for the first hour at room temperature and then at 85° to 90°F (29° to 32°C) in a proofing box.

Baking

Bake in a preheated oven at 400° (200°C) for 12 to 15 minutes, or until brown. Remove the rolls from the pan and let cool on a wire rack.

Happy Baking!!! And enjoy the fall weather.

Irish Cream Chocolate Sourdough Cake

This cake has everything...Chocolate, Sourdough Starter, Irish Cream Liqueur, Cream Cheese Filling, Irish Cream Glaze and Irish Cream Cheese Frosting!  Plus a drizzle of Chocolate Syrup!  That should give you a sugar rush!

Irish Cream Chocolate Sourdough Cake~

1 cup "fed" sourdough starter
3/4 cup milk (whole or 2%)
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch process)
1 Tbsp brewed coffee, cold
1/4 cup Irish Cream Liqueur
2 eggs

Cream Cheese Filling~

1/4 cup sugar
1 8oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1 Tbsp Irish Cream Liqueur

Irish Cream Glaze~

1 cup confectioner's sugar
3 Tbsp Irish Cream Liqueur

Irish Cream Cheese Frosting~

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup confectioners sugar
3 Tbsp Irish Cream Liqueur

Chocolate Syrup

In a large bowl, stir together the fed starter, milk and flour, it will be fairly thick.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours.  The mixture will expand slightly.

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan, set aside.

Filling:  Combine all filling ingredients in a small bowl.  Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth.  Set aside.

Cake:  In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, oil, vanilla extract, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder.  Beat on low speed to combine, the batter will be grainy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the coffee and Irish Cream Liqueur.  Beat until combined.  Add the starter mixture to the batter and beat on low until incorporated.  This may take a few minutes and you may need to scrape the starter mixture off the paddle, (the starter will have a slightly elastic quality that makes it stick to the paddle) continue beating until batter is smooth.

Pour 3 cups batter into greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan.  Spoon filling over batter without touching sides of pan; cover with remaining batter.  Bake for 55-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer pan to a wire rack, cool on rack for 15 min.  Turn cake out, removing carefully from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack.

Irish Cream Glaze:  In a small bowl combine confectioner's sugar and 3 Tbsp Irish Cream Liqueur, whisk until smooth.  Drizzle over cooled cake.  Let set for 1 hour.

Irish Cream Cheese Frosting:  Beat cream chees until light.  Add confectioner's sugar and Irish cream liqueur; beat until smooth.  Spread over cake.  Drizzle with Chocolate Syrup.

This should be a favorite for many.  Happy baking!
This recipe came from Turnips2Tangerines.

Party Loaf

With the football season in full swing and the holidays coming up fast...this looks like a perfect fit.  We found this recipe on pinterest from Rhodes Bake-N-Serv Mobile.  Let us know how you like it and if you played around with different ingredients.

Party Loaf

Ingredients

Enough of your favorite sourdough to make one loaf of bread (we think any one of our sourdough cultures would be great with this)
Slices of your favorite cheese
Cooked bacon
Green onion, diced
Dipping sauce

Instructions

Roll loaf into a 20-22 inch rope.  Form into a circle and place in the bottom of a sprayed bundt pan.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size.  Remove wrap and bake at 350° F 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool and then make cuts lengthwise and widthwise, about 1-inch apart, without cutting through the bottom crust.  Place on a sprayed baking sheet or cooking stone.  Insert cheese slices and bacon pieces between the cuts.  Return to oven and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until chees is melted.  Serve with your favorite dip in the middle.

Hope this turns into a favorite of yours.  I am thinking of several different ways that I could serve this.  Happy baking!

Moni's Sourdough Rye Pumpkinseed

This is a perfect recipe for this time of year and is bound to be a favorite!

Moni's Sourdough Rye Pumpkinseed

Sourdough Starter

New Zealand for Rye Flour or Polish
Feed with 1:1 water and flour (1/3 whole rye flour + 2/3 pumpernickel rye)

For 2 Loaves...

320 g rye berries, finely ground (or buy stone-ground whole rye flour)
100 g rye berries, ground coarsely (or buy pumpernickel rye)
170 g bread flour
80 g oat bran
(650 g total flour)
2 tsp salt
1 cup pumpkin seeds (raw unsalted)
1 1/2 cups sourdough starter
2 cups water (or pumpkin juice)

Mix dry ingredients in non-metal bowl, add starter and water, mix well using a spatula.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm 70° F location overnight, about 16 hours.

The next morning, transfer dough onto a floured (rye) counter and divide into two pieces: shape into oblong loaves and place into floured (rye) bread baskets.

Let rise in a cool location 60°F for 8-10 hours.

Preheat oven to 500-550°F (place a baking stone on one rack and an empty roasting pan on the rack below). About 10 min before putting in loaves pour 2 cups of water into the roasting pan.

Gently transfer loaves onto a floured (semonlina) peel, score surface with razor blade, and put in the oven.

Bake at 500-550° F (convection) for 5 min, then lower heat to 400° F (bake) for 45-50min.

Hope you have fun baking this.

Sourdough Sugar Cookies Recipes

Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner.  What a perfect time to make Sourdough Sugar Cookies!

Sourdough Sugar Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract or almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sourdough starter
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

In a large bowl, cream vegetable shortening and sugar.  Beat in eggs, lemon or almond extract, and vanilla extract until mixture if fluffy.  Stir in sourdough starter; set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt;  stir into sourdough mixture.  Refrigerate dough, covered, at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350° F.  On a lightly floured board, roll dough to 1/4 inch thick;  cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.  Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until very lightly browned on the bottoms.  Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.  When cool, frost and decorate with your favorites.

Rustic Sourdough Carrot Cake

We found a recipe that looks like it will be a perfect match for our starters.

Rustic Sourdough Carrot Cake
Author:  Marillyn Beard @ just-making-noise    

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup sourdough starter, fed in the last 8 hours
2/3 cups coconut milk or regular milk
1 1/4 cup rapadura, coconut sugar or maple sugar
1 cup butter
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 1/2 cups pineapple, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, preferable soaked & dehydrated
1 cup coconut flakes, plus more

Instructions

1.  Mix together the sourdough starter, milk and flour.  Cover and let it sour for 8 - 12 hours or overnight.
2.  Preheat oven to 350° F and grease two 8 or 9 inch cake pans or a 9x13 pan and set aside.
3.  In a different bowl, beat together sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.  Add eggs and continue to beat well.
4.  Combine the sourdough mixture with the wet batter and mix until smooth.  Add in baking soda and stir.
5.  Gently fold in carrots, pineapple, raisins, chopped nuts and coconut flakes.
6.  Pour into prepared pans and bake for 30-45 minutes.  Test with a toothpick in the center to see if it is done.
7.  Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before tipping them out.
8.  Whip up your choice of homemade frosting and frost the first cake, then put the second cake on top and frost.
9.  Cover the frosting with coconut flakes, if desired.  You can toast it beforehand for a nutty flavor.

Let us know what you think of this.  Have a great time baking!

How Long Did That Culture Last???

A story from a customer. We think you will like this.

This is just a little story I thought you might find interesting. I found it absolutely amazing, but it might not be quite as surprising to you guys.

Back in the mid-90's, being fascinated with sourdough cultures, I acquired quite a few (actually a lot) of your various sourdough starters while living in upstate New York. In late 1998, I ac...cepted a new job in Atlanta, GA and was only able to bring with me a few jars of live sourdough starter, so I dried all the rest and put them in zip-lock bags. When I got to Atlanta, I put the dried starters in the spare refrigerator in my basement and there they have remained for the last 15 years. This weekend while perusing your latest book, I saw some comments about the Giza starter and how it was a real "sleeper" and decided to try some recipes with it. Unfortunately, I had never re-activated the Giza starter and it was still in a dried version in the frig. Not really expecting it to re-activate, I nevertheless soaked it in some water and then started feeding it on Saturday.

Can you believe that by Monday night, it was bubbling and expanding and smelling great! I knew the dried starters could last for a few years, but 15 years is truly amazing! I haven't baked with it yet, but I plan on feeding it all week and then attempting some bread this weekend. This all makes me wonder just how long the dried starters can really last???

Anyway, just thought you might want to know how durable your little guys are and wanted to thank you for years of baking fun and enjoyment that I have had with your starters.

Paul

Helpful Hints

In our office we have three different kinds of sourdough bakers. We have an expert baker, we have an average baker and we have a very, very new baker. So we share tips back and forth between us all the time. Now we want to share some with you and hopefully you will share some of yours with us.

Jar Size- We use a 1 quart (1 liter) wide mouthed canning jar. The lid is just loosely placed on.

...Proofing Box- If you are in hotter climates, we suggest that you put an ice pack in your proofing box to bring the temperature down. Also, if you place your thermometer through the box mid way you do not have to lift it (which will change the temp) to check it.

Washing the Culture- Many people wash their culture when they do not need to. If the culture needs washed, you will know it. The smell is very, very rank. There will be no question in your mind that something is wrong.

Rye Bread- If you use 25% rye flour and 75% white flour the bread will be quicker rise and leaven. If you use 50% rye flour and 50% white flour this is when you get the best taste. If you use 75% rye flour and 25% white flour you will get a very intense taste. Also, when you are using rye flour there is a really different smell. You will think that you might need to wash it but it is just the unusual smell of the rye and it activates faster.

Whole Wheat Flour- Whole wheat flour can be substituted for white flour in most recipes.

Activation- When you are activating your culture, sometimes you miss when it has risen in the jar. The culture will go up and down. So pay attention to the jar and look for marks of culture higher on the jar where it may have risen to.

Big No to Salt- Never add salt to your original starter.

Bread Machine vs. Oven- What we have found is that when you do the cultures in the bread machine the crust is a lot softer. The crust on the oven baked bread is thicker and harder.

Sweeteners- When a recipe lists sugar, most bakers use white sugar. But many other sweeteners can be substituted, including brown sugar, corn syrups, and honey.

Specialty Ingredients and Substitutions- One of the major advantages of doing your own baking is your ability to adjust the recipes to your own health standards. High-fiber grains, Steel-cut oats are a few examples. Oil may be substituted for butter. Many options are available to change the recipes to what needs you have. However, a slice of most home-baked sourdough breads contains no cholesterol and less than 150 calories.

Feeding or Storing- If you are planning on using your culture quite a bit during the week, keep it out and feed it. If you are going to not be using it for an extended period of time, put it in the fridge. When you are ready to use it, get it out and reactivate it.

Converting Yeasted Recipes to Sourdough Recipes- We have two different ones for you. See which one works the best for you.
Substitute a cup of starter for each package of yeast and then subtract about 1/2 cup of water and 3/4 cup of flour from the recipe to compensate for the water and flour in the starter. You'll probably want to play with the ratio between the water and flour and adjust the amount of culture to get the results you want but this is a good starting place.
If it calls for 2 tsp yeast, replace it with 1/2 to 1 cup active sourdough starter.

Hope these hints and ideas are helpful to you. Let us know your ideas and hints!

It has been raining for the last couple of nights here in Idaho. Makes you want to kick back and relax with some comfort food. So I think that Sourdough Onion Rings would be great at a time like this. This is a recipe we found by Nancy Silverton, La Brea Bakery, Los Angeles.

Sourdough Onion Rings

The proper oil temperature is essential for producing onion rings that are crispy outside and succulent inside. If the oil does not reach 370°F, the onions will absorb fat and turn out greasy. If the oil is too hot, the food will burn. In this recipe, the onion rings are dipped in a batter that includes sourdough starter, which imparts a pleasantly tangy flavor.

Ingredients:

2 cups sourdough starter
1/2 cup cold sparkling water
1/2 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
3 large onions, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 cup all-purpose white bread flour
Peanut or canola oil for deep-frying

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Preheat an oven to 225°F

Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and place a medium bowl on top of the ice. In the medium bowl, combine the sourdough starter, sparkling water and the 1/2 tsp. salt and stir to mix. Separate the onions into rings, leaving the centers intact. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and toss the onions in the flour to coat.

In a deep fryer, pour in the oil and heat to 370°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Dip the flour-coated onion rings, one at a time, into the sourdough starter mixture, then drop them into the hot oil. Fry in a single layer, turning if necessary, until they are golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onion rings to the baking sheet and season with salt. Place the baking sheet in the oven and fry the next batch. Be sure the oil returns to 370°F before adding the onions or they will be greasy.

Enjoy!

Sourdough Starters in the Fridge

Selling sourdough means that you get to hear some pretty amazing stories.  One of my favorite ones came earlier this summer.  A younger man called saying that he was on vacation and had his sourdough starter with him.  Instantly I saw in my mind a quart jar strapped in with a seat belt in the front seat of the car.  He stated that he loved the starter and was so worried about losing it that he is traveling with it.  We get this a lot...not the sourdough starters going on vacation but that people are worried about losing their starters if they go somewhere for any length of time.  Great news!  If you are not using your starter you can put it in the refrigerator and keep it there.  When you need it just get it out and fill the culture jar with warm water while stirring vigorously.  Leave slightly more than 1 cup in the jar and discard the excess.  This works wonderfully and gives you freedom with you sourdough starters.  But, if you do take your starter on vacation with you...we would love pictures!!!

With the colder weather in our near future here is a recipe that will help out with that.

Basic Sourdough Batter

 (Makes about 5 cups batter)
 2 cups cold liquid culture
 3 plus cups white flour
 1/2 cup cold water
 1 teaspoon salt
 2 tablespoons sugar
 2 tablespoons butter, melted
 1/2 cup milk

 Mix the liquid culture with 2 cups of the flour and the water. Proof 12 hours at room temperature (68° to 72°) or 6 hours in a proofing box at 85°.

 Add the salt, sugar, and butter to the milk and mix. Add to the dough and mix well. Add the remaining 1 cup flour and mix vigorously. The yield is approximately 3 1/2 cups of basic sourdough batter.

Corn Batter Bread

This is not your standard corn bread.  The sage, celery seeds, and cornmeal give the sourdough base an earthy quality.

Basic Sourdough Batter
1 teaspoon ground sage
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

Combine the sourdough batter, sage, celery seeds, and cornmeal in a large mixing bowl and mix well.

Spoon the batter into two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2 inch pans.  Cover lightly with plastic wrap and proof 3 hours at room temperature or 1 to 2 hours in a proofing box at 85°, or until the dough rises 1/2 inch above the pan tops.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 45 minutes.  Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack.
Send us your pictures and comments once you try this.

A very happy customer!!!

Here is a great comment from one of our customers that we wanted to share with you.

I have been making sourdough bread from scratch for more than 5 years.  I grind all of my own flour at home.

Your book on Classic Sourdoughs is an astonishing achievement, since it gives thoughtfulness and science to this ancient art.  Your book will become the Bible of breadmaking as our society makes its way back to its true breadmaking roots.  Thanks for writing your book!

Furthermore, your starters are absolutely amazing!!  My breadmaking went to a whole new level from using just one of your starters (Austrian).  I had been using my own starters for many years, but after I used just one of yours, I threw my old ones out--they are not even close to the ones that you have made available--

So from one very satisfied customer, thank you very much!!

Doug

Cranberry-Huckleberry Batter Bread

Huckleberries are out. So what do we do with them? Make sourdough bread! Check out this recipe!

Basic Sourdough Batter
(Makes about 5 cups batter)

2 cups cold liquid culture
3 plus cups white flour
1/2 cup cold water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
... 2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup milk

Mix the liquid culture with 2 cups of the flour and the water. Proof 12 hours at room temperature (68° to 72°) or 6 hours in a proofing box at 85°.

Add the salt, sugar, and butter to the milk and mix. Add to the dough and mix well. Add the remaining 1 cup flour and mix vigorously. The yield is approximately 3 1/2 cups of basic sourdough batter.

Cranberry-Huckleberry Batter Bread
(Makes 2 Loaves)

Basic Sourdough Batter (from recipe above)
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup frozen or fresh huckleberries
flour

Combine sourdough batter, cranberries, and huckleberries in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Add more flour as needed for proper thickness of consistency.

Spoon the batter into two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch pans. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and proof 3 hours at room temperature or 1 to 2 hours in a proofing box at 85°, or until the dough rises 1/2 inch above the pan tops.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 45 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool on wire racks.

Hope you enjoy this recipe!

CHEAT SHEET FOR SOURDOUGHS

 

Italian Sourdough-  They are among the best we have ever used, consistently producing fabulous breads and PIZZAS that are flavorful and can be QUITE SOUR.

 

Giza Sourdough Starter-  Dough made from this culture RISES VERY WELL and is MODERATELY SOUR.

 

South African Sourdough-  This is the only sourdough culture we are aware of that LEAVENS WHOLE WHEAT BETTER THAN IT DOES WHITE FLOUR, and it is therefore ideal for those who grind their own flour.  The flavor is truly unique, and when combined with 100 percent whole wheat flour, it yields breads with UNSURPASSED TEXTURE, SOURNESS AND FLAVOR.  We have also grown it using all white flour.  The nutty flavor persists and white sourdough breads made with this culture are quite different from those prepared with our other sourdough cultures.  Its ability to leaven whole wheat doughs offers the home baker almost unlimited opportunities to experiment with different combinations of WHOLE WHEAT, SPELT, KAMUT AND WHITE FLOURS.

 

Finland Sourdough Starter-  It has a wonderful and DISTINCTIVE flavor and it RISES WELL.

 

Russia Sourdough-  It is a FAST-LEAVENING culture, handles heavy Russian WHOLE WHEAT doughs, and works very well in automatic home bread machines.

 

Bahrain Sourdough-  It rises well and is one of the MOST SOUR we’ve encountered.

 

Red Sea Sourdough-  This culture has a MILD FLAVOR and works well in home bread machines.

 

Saudi Arabia Sourdough-  It rises moderately well and has one of the most DISTINCTIVE FLAVORS of all the cultures.

 

Polish Sourdough-  This is one of the better RYE cultures.  Also great for PUMPERNICKEL bread.

 

New Zealand Rye Sourdough-  It is RYE SOUR.  Easy to produce rye bread with.

New Zealand Sourdough General-  One of the easiest and best choices for the NOVICE SOURDOUGH BAKER.  It works for everything from WHOLE WHEAT, POTATO, SWEET BREADS, ETC.

 

Austria Sourdough-  This culture is especially adapted to RYE flours, rises somewhat slowly and produces one of the MORE SOUR doughs.

 

France Sourdough Starter-  This starter RISES VERY well and the dough has one of the MILDEST SOURDOUGH flavors.

 

Yukon Sourdough Starter-  This starter has a MODERATELY SOUR flavor.  Great for sourdough FLAPJACKS AND PANCAKES.

 

Tazmanian Sourdough Starter-  This culture produces breads with a DISTINCTIVE FLAVOR AND TEXTURE.  It has the added benefit of being ideal for SPELT AND KAMUT flours.

 

Original San Francisco Sourdough-  Once you get acquainted with it, it will do ANYTHING YOU ASK OF IT.

DIFFERENT FLOURS

 

WHITE-  Italian, Giza, South African, Finland, Russia, Bahrain, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand General, Austria, France, Yukon, Tazmanian, Original San Francisco

 

Whole Wheat-  South African, Russia, New Zealand General

 

Rye-  Polish, New Zealand Rye, Austria

 

Spelt (different texture than white flour)-  South African, Tazmanian

 

Kamut (in between white flour and whole wheat)-  South African, Tazmanian

 

Pumpernickel (rye)-  Polish

 

Potato, Sweet Breads, etc-  New Zealand General

 

 

FLAVORS

 

Mild-  Red Sea, France (mildest)

 

Moderately-  Giza, Yukon

 

Very Sour-  Italian, South African, Bahrain (most sour), Austria,

Distinctive Flavor-  Finland, Saudi Arabia, Tazmaian

Sourdough Crackers

These were easy to make and had an amazing taste.

Here is the recipe for you.

Sourdough Crackers (from I'm Naturally Simple)

1 Cup Sourdough Starter
1 Cup(ish) Flour
1/4 Cup Melted Butter (I substituted coconut oil the second time I made these and it worked beautifully)
Salt and/or Spices of your choice
... Melted Butter or Olive Oil (your choice, I used olive oil)

Combine flour, starter, and butter. Add enough flour to form a stiff ball. Cover and let sit aside for at least 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes has passed roll dough out very thin. Baste with melted butter or olive oil, sprinkle with salt and/or spices to taste. Cut dough length wise then cross wise to create cracker shapes. Transfer to baking sheet. Prick the top of each cracker with a fork.

Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes has passed begin checking your crackers. Depending on how thin you rolled them will depend on how quickly they cook. My batches average 14 minutes. You want the cracker to be crisp and lightly browned. These burn quickly so pay close attention.

Remove from oven and let cool. Leave them on the cookie sheet as they continue to crisp as they cool. Cool completely before transferring to storage container.

Enjoy!

Don't forget to try these with our South African (whole wheat culture) or our Polish or New Zealand (rye culture). 

Please share with us your twist on this recipe!

One of our employees, Margie, tried out our sourdough to make cinnamon rolls.  They looked fantastic.  We are now trying to convince her that she needs to have a taste sampling of them at work.  Don't you think that is a great idea?  Here is the recipe that she used. 
Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls (printed from cooks.com)
1/2 cup starter
1 cup evaporated milk
2 cups flour
1/4 cup butter
3 tbsp. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cup flour (approx.)
1/2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped nuts
Melted butter
Combine starter, milk and flour (2 cups) in a large bowl.  Cover and leave at room temperature overnight.  Next morning, beat together the butter, sugar and egg.  Blend into sourdough.  Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, soda and baking powder and mix with other mixture.  Turn out on floured surface and knead until shiny.  Add flour as needed.
Roll out to an 8 x 16 inch rectangle.  Brush surface with melted butter, sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and nuts.  Roll up dough, cut roll at intervals, dip in butter and place in 9 inch square pan.  Let rise about 1 hour and bake at 375° for 30 to 35 minutes.
Icing: 
1/2 stick butter melted
3 tbsp. evaporated milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Her family went nuts for these cinnamon rolls.  Even the sourdough skeptic husband (who said he never eat sourdough is now converted). 
Happy baking and please send us your stories, pictures or ideas!!!

RED, WHITE, AND BLUE BREAD!!!!

RED, WHITE, AND BLUE BREAD!!!!

Cranberry-Blueberry Rye

If you are so fortunate as to have them, fresh blueberries or huckleberries are even better here than frozen. The blueberries and cranberries, along with a light touch of rye, make for a fabulous sourdough. Makes two 1 1/2 pound (680 G) Loaves

2 cups (480 ml) Culture
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup (60 g) sweetened ...dried cranberries
1/2 cup (75 g) frozen blueberries or huckleberries (fresh if you have them)
2 cups (200 g) light rye flour
2 3/4 cups (385 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Dough Proof-
Pour the culture into a mixing bowl. Add the water, salt, cranberries, and blueberries to the culture and mix well. Add the rye flour and mix well. Add the all-purpose flour a cup (140 g) at a time until the dough is too stiff to mix by hand. Turn out onto a floured board and knead in the remaining flour until the dough is smooth and satiny.
Proof the dough overnight (8 to 12 hours) at room temperature, about 70°F (21°C), in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap. During this time, the dough should double in size. After the proof, use a spatula to gently ease the dough out onto a floured board. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. If marked flattening occurs during this time, knead in additional flour before shaping.

Loaf Proof-
After the 30-minute rest, divide the dough in two. Flatten each half slightly, then lift a portion from the periphery and pull it toward the center. Continue this around the dough mass to form a rough ball, then pat and pull into the loaf shape you desire. Place the shaped loaves, seam side down, on a baking sheet or in bread pans and proof for 2 to 4 hours, until they double in bulk or reach nearly to the tops of the bread pans. For a good combination of sourness and leavening, proof the loaves for the first hour at room temperature and then at 85° to 90°F (29° to 32°C) in a proofing box.

Baking-
Place the pans or baking sheet with the shaped, proofed loaves in a cool oven, then turn the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 70 minutes. When the loaves are baked, remove them from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.

Great recipe for the 4th. Have a safe and happy holiday!

My employee Jodi made pizzas with her 13 year old daughter last night.  She used the pizza recipe from our Classic Sourdoughs Revised A Home Baker's Handbook.  She put all the ingredients in the bread machine and let it do its work.  Then when it was done, she put some olive oil on the cookie sheet, patted out the crust, put olive oil on the outer edges of the crust and piled on the goodies.  She then baked it at 400° for 20 minutes (she did not pre heat the oven).  It depends on how many goodies you add to your pizza, you might need to increase the baking time.  This is an easy way to do pizzas if you are in a hurry.  Enjoy!!!

Here is another recipe for you. Sounds like a great one for summer!!! Please try it and let me know what you think.

MALT BEER BREAD

Makes two 1 1/2 pound loaves

Experiment with different beers for making this bread. I've used dark beers from Germany and Scandinavia to complement the rye flavor, but many of the local beers now produced by American microbreweries are as good.

2 3/4 cups white... flour
2 cups rye flour
2 cups cold liquid culture
1 1/4 cups malt beer
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Combine the flours and mix well. To make the working culture, mix the liquid culture with 1 cup of the flour mixture and 1/4 cup of the beer in a large mixing bowl. Proof 12 hours at room temperature (68° to 72°) or 6 hours in a proofing box at 85°.

Mix and knead 1 cup of the flour mixture and 1/2 cup of the beer into the culture. Proof 8 hours at room temperature or 4 hours in the proofing box. After proofing, this is the fully active culture.

Punch down. Mix together the salt, sugar, butter, and the remaining 1/2 cup beer. Add to the dough and mix well. Reserve 1 cup of the flour mixture for flouring the board. Mix and spoon knead the remaining 1 3/4 cups flour mixture into the dough 1 cup at a time. When too stiff to mix by hand, transfer to the floured board and knead in the remaining flour.

Form 2 pan loaves, and proof at the same temperature used above until the dough rises about 1 inch above the pan tops (2 1/2 to 3).

Bake in a preheated oven at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool on wire racks.

Enjoy and have a great summer!!!

Summer is here!!! The flowers are blooming so what a better way to celebrate summer than with a sourdough bread. We have a great recipe for you to try!!!

Sunflower Bread

This recipe produces a light-textured yet dark and nutty bread. Use raw sunflower seeds, not roasted, for best results. Makes one 1 1/2 pound loaf.

1 cup (240 ml) Sourdough Culture
1 cup (240 ml) milk, plus more as needed
1... teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon (15 g) melted butter
1/2 cups (50 g) raw sunflower seeds
1 1/2 cups (210 g) whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups (210 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

Dough Proof~ Mix (knead) all the ingredients for a maximum of 25 minutes in the bread machine, until the dough is smooth and satiny. Watch the dough form for the first 3 or 4 minutes and adjust the consistency as needed with more milk or flour, added 1 tablespoon at a time.
Proof the dough overnight (8 to 12 hours) at room temperature, about 70° F (21° C), in the machine pan (taken out of the machine and covered with plastic wrap secured by a rubber band). It should rise to the top of the machine pan.

Loaf Proof and Baking~ To bake in the machine, mix the proofed dough for 30 seconds and allow it to rise in the machine for 2 to 4 hours, until it again comes to the top of the pan. Start the bake-only cycle and bake for the time programmed in the machine for white bread.
To bake in the oven, knead the proofed dough in the machine for 1 minute to form a ball. Gently transfer it to a floured board, let rest for 30 minutes, and shape first into a ball and then into a loaf. Place the shaped loaf, seam side down, in a bread pan or on a baking sheet and proof for 2 to 4 hours, until it reaches nearly to the top of the pan or doubles in bulk. Proof for the first hour at room temperature and then at 85° to 90° F (29° to 32° C) in a proofing box.
Put the pan in a cold oven, then turn the temperature to 375°F (190° C) and bake for 70 minutes. When the loaf is baked, remove it from the pan and let cool on a wire rack.

This is one of the many wonderful recipes from our Classic Sourdoughs Revised A Home Baker's Handbook.

Happy baking and please share your pictures, other recipes, and your sourdough stories with us!!!!

We get so many questions about the proofing boxes.  It amazes us about what people use.  We have heard of aquariums, stove lights, boxes, buckets, old coolers, storage containers.  I guess if it works...use it.  We use a Styrofoam cooler and get great results with it.  We were sent the plans for a collapsible wooden proofing box and thought that we would share it with you.  This may work for you if you have a small amount of storage space.  Please send us your ideas, thoughts, questions, favorite recipes or just a great bread story.  Have a great weekend and happy baking!!!

Proofing box

·         Top and bottom 14 x 27

·         Top and bottom centers 13 x 26

·         Short sides 11.5 h x 13 w

·         Long sides 11.5 h x 27 w

·         3 sets of 2.5 inch butt hinges

o   Outside at left for door (2)

o   Inside rear for sides (2 at each side)

·         3 inch lockable hasp (Outside, right front)

·         Slide type rheostat with sealed back (so needs no box)

·         Cord from a discarded appliance with plug intact

·         75 watt incandescent bulb

·         Williams-Sonoma Digital Thermometer SKU#6700488

 

Top and bottom are not attached; when sides are assembled they stand on top of the bottom using the center as a set of stops for the sides.  Top simply drops into the box made by the sides using its center as a guide. 

     We have been getting lots of questions and comments lately about sourdough pancakes.  Sourdough pancakes are fun and easy , if not fast.  The first, twelve-hour proof provides the flavor, but they will not rise unless the yeast is fed again and given time to respond.  Prospectors apparently never had that much time, and the genuine sourdough pancake is a thin, somewhat rubbery object that requires both an appetite and a certain amount of affection.  So be it:  there are generations of descendants from prospectors who consume rubbery pancakes and extol their virtues.  You must try them for the experience and form your own opinion.
     But if you can program an additional hour in the morning to give the batter a quick leavening, your pancakes will be objects of culinary art.  Lacking that hour, you can achieve the same effect with a teaspoon of backing soda in 1 tablespoon of warm water added just before baking.  it should be mixed in gently and the batter used immediately.  Don't use more than the specified amount of baking soda or the flavor will be neutralized.
     Add the flour to the other ingredients gradually until the consistency is what you want:  pancakes made with a thin batter, approaching crepe consistency, or hearty thicker one.

Here is the Yukon Flapjacks recipe.

When you pour this batter on the griddle, have the surface piping hot.  When a host of bubbles appears, it is time to turn over the cakes and brown the other side.  Makes 12 to 15 pancakes.

2 cups (480 ml) culture from the culture proof
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Unbleached all-purpose flour as needed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (optional)

Pour the culture into a mixing bowl.  Add the egg, oil, sugar, and salt and mix.  Add flour to attain your desired consistency; mix until lump-free.

Proof for 1 hour at 85°F (29°C0 in a proofing box.  (Or, if you don't have time for this proof, dissolve the baking soda in 1 tablespoon of water and, just before cooking, gently blend with the batter.)

Heat a griddle until hot and, with a pitcher or ladle, pour 2- to 3- inch (5 to 7 cm) rounds onto the griddle.  Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, turn, and cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Serve hot.

     This information and recipe can be found in Classic Sourdoughs revised A Home Baker's Handbook by Ed and Jean Wood.  This book has helpful information and amazing recipes.  Happy Baking!!!!

Spring is in the air...along with a few white snowflakes!  Not out of the ordinary for Cascade, Idaho.  We have been getting a lot of questions about cultures needing washing.  Let me first let you know that you only wash a culture if it smells bad.  And believe me you will know when a culture smells bad.  So below I have included the process for washing cultures.  You would be amazed at how many cultures are saved by doing this.

“Washing” a culture:  During the first step of activation contamination by organisms present in most flour sometimes occurs.  It usually appears in the first 24 hours and produces sufficient bubbles and foam to suggest that the culture is activating.  An unpleasant odor is a good indication of contamination.  It usually occurs when the initial activating temperature is not high enough, causing slow acidification by the lactobacilli.  It can usually be corrected by “washing”, which gives the lactobacilli another opportunity to acidify the culture.  To “wash” a culture, mix it thoroughly and discard all but about 1 cup.  Then fill the jar almost to the top with warm water while stirring vigorously.  Again discard all but about one cup.  Now feed ⅔ cup of flour and enough water to maintain the thick pancake batter consistency.  The first response is usually a marked reduction in activity as contamination is reduced.  Reduce the temperature to about 70^oF and continue feeding as above every 12 to 24 hours at this lower temperature.  When normal fermentation takes over, the layer of foam and bubbles will reach almost to the jar top 2-3 hours after the last feeding.  This may require 3 to 5 days.  The culture is then ready to use or refrigerate.  If the culture does not begin to revive in 2-5 days, the washing process may have to be repeated. 

I really hope this helps all of you that may be in that spot where you don't know where to go.  Don't forget that our website has a ton of information on the entire activation process of your culture.  Hope you enjoy your spring and happy baking!!!!

I want to share one of my favorite recipes out of our Classic Sourdoughs Revised A Home Baker's Handbook.  I have tried this with the Original San Francisco, the Giza and the Yukon and loved it with all three!!!

Herb Bread
This loaf is delightful, with a mixture of thyme, oregano, and basil.  Makes one 1 1/2 Pound (680 G) Loaf

1 Cup (240 ml) Culture from the Culture Proof
1 Tablespoon (15 g) Butter
1 Cup (240 ml) Milk
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Dried Basil
3 1/2 Cups (490 g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Dough Proof- 
     Pour the culture into a mixing bowl.  Melt the butter and add the milt to warm.  Stir in the salt, sugar, thyme, oregano, and basil and stir.  Add the butter mixture to the culture and mix well.  Add the flour a cup (140 g) at a time until the dough becomes too stiff to mix by hand.  Turn out onto a floured board and knead in the remaining flour until the dough is smooth and satiny.
     Or mix and knead all of the ingredients for a maximum of 25 minutes in a bread machine or other mixer.
     Proof the dough overnight (8 to 12 hours) at room temperature, about 70 degrees F (21 degrees C), in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap (or leave in the machine pan, removed from the machine, securing the plastic wrap with a rubber band).  During this time, the dough should double in size in the covered bowl, or rise to the top of the machine pan.  After the proof, use a spatula to gently ease the dough out onto a floured board.  Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.  If marked flattening occurs during this time, knead in additional flour before shaping.

Loaf Proof-
     After the 30-minute rest, shape the dough.  Flatten it slightly, then lift a portion from the periphery and pull it toward the center.  Continue this around the dough mass to form a rough ball, then pat and pull into the loaf shape you desire.  Place on a baking sheet or in a bread pan and proof for 2 to 4 hours, until it doubles in bulk or rises nearly to the top of the pan.  Proof for the first hour at room temperature and the at 85 to 90 degrees F (29 to 32 degrees C) in a proofing box.

Baking-
     Place the pan with its shaped, proofed loaf in a cool oven, then turn the temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and bake for 70 minutes.  Or transfer the loaf to a preheated baking stone in a 450 degree F (230 degree C) oven and bake for 40 minutes.  When the loaf is baked, remove it from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.


I hope that you like this recipe as much as I do.  Would love to hear your stories, favorite recipes, and or pictures of you baking with sourdough!   Have a great weekend!!!
    

I think that the thing with Sourdough is that so many people have so many misconceptions about it.  It was a little scary for me to commit to wanting to do sourdough.  I thought what about the proofing, what about feeding it all the time, what if I mess up the culture, I was full of what ifs.  I have a feeling that if I am feeling this way so are others.  Well, I have great news for all of you!  It isn't hard, it isn't scary and it isn't babysitting a culture for the rest of your life.  The proofing box is very simple to make.  We have a blog about it, there are detailed instructions on our website and in a flier that we send with the culture.  If it does scary you too much....solution...there are proofing boxes for sale on the Internet.  Problem solved.  Feeding it...another, oh my gosh, I will never be able to leave the house to go on vacation moments.  Great news!  Did you know that you can put your cultures in the fridge and leave them for months?  You can!  Just every four months get them out, feed them so that they reactivate and you can store them again if you aren't going to use them for awhile again.  What a great tidbit of information that most people don't know!  As for messing up these cultures, let me just tell you that it is pretty hard to do.  The cultures seem to be extremely forgiving!!!  And if they do get contaminated...you wash them and they should be just fine.  If I can get a sourdough starter started and usable, anyone can.  Let me know your concerns or questions with the starters and we will see if we can get them cleared up for you.  Happy baking!!!!

The sun is shining but it is too cold to go outside and work.  What a perfect day to be baking!!!  Sourdough International, Inc. has been very busy lately.  We have had a filming crew here, in the Idaho Statesman and now an article just came out about our book in the Idaho Magazine!  What a month!  So exciting that people are getting interested in what we are doing.  Not only that they are getting a chance to eat sourdough bread at its finest with no commercial yeast!  Hard to top that!  Our book has so many great recipes.  And don't forget we offer 17 different cultures from all over the world.  Join us in making some wonderful sourdough bread.  Visit our web site at www.sourdo.com.  Have a great weekend!

Here is a teaser for the TV show Taste This TV which was taped at Sourdough Internationals.  We can't wait to see the whole show!!!!  We will keep you updated with times and dates of the shows that Sourdough International will be showing.  More behind the scenes pictures and stories to come.

Happy Thursday!!!  We have bluebird skies here today and spring is right around the corner!  Exciting news for all of us here at Sourdough International...we are taping 3 episodes of Taste This TV this weekend right here at our facilities.  We are going to be taking tons and tons of pictures.  Can't wait to post them here for all of you to see!  Hopefully we will get tidbits of the show to share with you also.  When we know when it airs we will be sure to let you know.  So my exciting adventures and misfortunes of baking are on hold for a couple of weeks while we keep you updated on the happenings around our shop.  Until next week...happy cooking!!!!

This week I have been trying to "pick" Ed's brain and see what else I can learn from him about sourdough cultures.  I wanted to know the difference between our cultures and the sourdough breads that use commercial yeast.  One of the biggest things is being able to control the taste of the sourdough.  With our cultures when you proof them you can control how sour they get.  With commercial yeast there is no way to control the sourness of your bread.  The temperature and time are what makes our cultures develop more or less sourness.  Also, what Ed tells me is that the "crumb" of the breads made with our cultures is also different than commercial yeast made bread.  These two things alone make our bread cultures the Gold Standard of Bread.  Not only that but I am learning that proofing, feeding a culture and enjoying the smell of fresh baked bread is also a huge benefit!  I love the smell of sourdough bread coming out of the oven.  Also....we have 17 different kinds of culture.  17 different tasting cultures.  That alone amazes me.  So far I have been able to start three;  the Original San Francisco, the Giza, and the Yukon.  Each one is different.  The Original San Francisco is the easiest and most user friendly.  The Giza and Yukon I started at the same time and was amazed at the differences.  The Giza took off and grew like mad.  The Yukon took a little longer and had a different taste.  I can't wait to try the rest.  Share with me what your favorite sourdough flavor is.  Can't wait to hear from you!

When I first read Ed's book I thought this is great!  Don't know how I will do this, but this is great!  I would want to start to try the proofing process and then get overwhelmed by it.  Finally, with the help of a friend, I dove in.  You know...it wasn't that scary once you got started.  You have to realize that I have no experience in baking.  I don't bake...I buy.  So to someone that doesn't bake the words like leavening and proofing were more or less a foreign language to me.  As of today, I have made several loaves of bread, started 3 different cultures, and made ever mistake that you can think of.  I am now a Sourdough International junkie!!!  I am in love with this process and the results are great too.  The smell of sourdough bread is mouthwatering.  What I am learning is that there are so many people out there that are in the same situation as I am.  They want to learn how to do this but stop.  I am hoping to help out those that know little about the process and share my personal experiences (with pictures) so that it won't be so intimidating.  Hopefully, there will be others that can help out with advice also.  Until next week, happy sourdough baking. 

The first thing that I want to do is to give you a little bit of background into Sourdough International.  Ed Wood received a San Francisco culture from his grandmother while in college at Oregon State and had never forgotten the breads that culture produced!  When he married his wife Jean he introduced her to sourdough bread.  Jean became equally enthralled and the two of them decided to investigate why sourdough breads were so different from other breads available for purchase.  Eventually life led Ed and Jean to Saudi Arabia where both of them discovered that there were many small bakeries scattered abound in desert towns producing flat breads tasting very much like sourdough.  They started collecting sough samples from tiny ancient bakeries that had never even heard of commercial yeast and brought them along when they returned to the U.S.  They soon decided to send samples to home bakers everywhere and Sourdough International was born!  They have written several books and have been in National Geographic.  Unfortunately, Ed lost Jean to an aneurism in October 2010 just before their last book was finished.  To date Sourdough International have received orders from home bakers in over 75 countries, from Australia to Russia testifying to the new widespread interest in real sourdough.  And just this past October the Documentary Department of the Korean Broadcasting System came to see the Sourdough International facilities in person.  They spent three days filming Ed's methods.  This is such a huge accomplishment!  So stay tuned to see what is next for Sourdough International.  Next week I am going to fill you in on my first sourdough proofing ever.  So bake, bake bake!!!

So here I am thinking about how to start this blog.  I just started this job and I am a beginner with Sourdough cultures.  I am so excited to learn about them, how to make them, and the big one...eating them!!!  Ed's breads are the Gold Standard of Bread!  I have loved sourdough bread my whole life, so this is a dream job!  What I want to do with this blog is to take you with me on my journey of learning all about sourdough breads and cultures.  I want to include you in my experiments, discoveries and of course mistakes.  I am hoping, in return that you will share some of your favorite sourdough memories with me on this blog.  I will give you insight into the founder of this amazing company and his passion for the sourdough bread.  There are so many things that I can't wait to share with you....oh where to start?  Hang on and I hope that you enjoy this experience with me!!!