This recipe caught my eye because of it's name. I had never tasted a sour bread and I really wanted to try my hand at it. The recipe too seemed a bit long, which was even more intriguing, and I really wanted to figure out how to make the dough sour without adding any additives to it.
The final product turned out absolutely fabulous! If you like very sour food, then the starter for this bread should be fermented for the mentioned time, but if you want it a little less sour, keep it for a shorter time (3 days or so).
Its one of the best breads I have ever had. A must - try!
The final product turned out absolutely fabulous! If you like very sour food, then the starter for this bread should be fermented for the mentioned time, but if you want it a little less sour, keep it for a shorter time (3 days or so).
Its one of the best breads I have ever had. A must - try!
RECIPE To make the starterSprinkle the yeast into the water in a large jar. Leave for 5 minutes, stir to dissolve. Stir the flour into the jar of yeasted water using a wooden spoon. Cover with a tea towel and leave to ferment at room temperature for atleast 3 days and at the most 5 days, before refrigeration. Stir the mixture twice a day; it will become bubbly and pleasantly sour-smelling. | TO BEGIN Sourdough starter (point 1) Time 3 - 5 days RISING 2 hours (point 4) PROVING 1 1/2 hours (point 5) OVEN TEMPERATURES 220 deg C / 425 deg F BAKING 1 hour YIELD 1 Loaf YEAST ALTERNATIVE For the starter 25 g (1oz) fresh yeast |
To make the dough Mix the flours and the salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and spoon 500 ml of the starter.
Mix in the flour to for a firm but moist dough. Add more water as needed, 1 tbsp at a time, if the dough is too dry or crumbly.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Use the heel of your hand to gently push the dough away from you.
Make sure you don't push the dough so much that it tears. Do not over-knead, as this could tear the gluten formed in the dough.)
Put the dough in a clean bowl, and cover with a tea towel. Leave to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Knock back (press it in the centre with your knuckles to deflate the dough) and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Shape the remaining dough into a round loaf.
Place on a lightly floured baking sheet, cover with a tea towel and prove until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
Cut 3-4 parallel slashes vertically and horizontally (like tic-tac-toe criss-cross) pattern, about 5mm deep.
Mix in the flour to for a firm but moist dough. Add more water as needed, 1 tbsp at a time, if the dough is too dry or crumbly.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Use the heel of your hand to gently push the dough away from you.
Make sure you don't push the dough so much that it tears. Do not over-knead, as this could tear the gluten formed in the dough.)
Put the dough in a clean bowl, and cover with a tea towel. Leave to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Knock back (press it in the centre with your knuckles to deflate the dough) and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Shape the remaining dough into a round loaf.
Place on a lightly floured baking sheet, cover with a tea towel and prove until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
Cut 3-4 parallel slashes vertically and horizontally (like tic-tac-toe criss-cross) pattern, about 5mm deep.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath.
Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Leave to cool on a wire rack.