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Post by 58limited on Mar 5, 2016 14:32:12 GMT -5
This is a good alternative to store-bought white bread. I love my artisan bread but it is rather time consuming. I decided to try making a regular loaf using my sour dough culture but with less effort and time. A King Arthur Flour pamphlet had the recipe I was seeking, with some minor modifications: I increased the volume a little to get a bigger loaf, about the size of store-bought white bread but so much tastier (it actually has flavor, not sour but good): 1 1/2 cup active sourdough starter 2 cups lukewarm water 2 1/2 t. instant bread yeast 1 T (well rounded) sugar 3 t. salt 5-7 C Flour - add to right consistency Combine first four ingredients and mix well, sift the salt into a couple of cups of flour. Start adding flour until you get a dough ball of the desired consistency - wet but doesn't stick too bad to your fingers or the counter top. Using flour sparingly on your work surface, knead for about 10 minutes. Put in large bowl with wet cloth on top and let rise until almost doubled, about one hour. Turn out of bowl onto work surface, divide into two equal pieces, and form into rounds - work the dough to get good surface tension. As you finish working the dough, try to elongate the rounds. Place into two bread pans and let rise until 1" or so above top of bread pan. Bake at 375* until golden brown. I cooked these at 425* as directed by the pamphlet but they were a little too moist inside so I decided to drop the heat so the outside won't brown as fast.
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Post by chipperhiker on Mar 5, 2016 15:56:15 GMT -5
They look gorgeous, 58limited! Too bad the internet can't carry smells... nothing's better than fresh baked bread.
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Post by mach12 on Mar 5, 2016 16:33:37 GMT -5
I really like the dark crust so those look perfect to me! I do a lot of sourdough too. I started my culture back in the late 70's from a culture for a Friendship Cake and it traveled all over the U.S. with me in my RV when my job had me traveling constantly. I then took it with me to Germany for 5 years and to Egypt for two of the 5 years that I lived there. Goodness knows what kind of natural yeasts it has in it.
I was in the Goodwill outlet the other day and there was a pan out of a small bread machine that looked like it would fit in the t-well so grabbed it (you pay by the pound and it was about 50 cents) and it fits okay and the lid fits fine on the well with the pan inside so I'm going to try that as soon as I get the stove hooked back up. Seems it should work okay but we'll see. With just the wife and I we have trouble using up a large loaf and it seems it would be more efficient to cook it in the well for a small loaf.
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Post by 58limited on Mar 5, 2016 17:15:16 GMT -5
The crust is great but the crumb is a little too moist (but still good) hence the idea of dropping the temp so the crumb cooks more before the crust browns.
I have found that if I wrap tightly in foil and freeze the bread as soon as it cools that it tastes fresh-baked even after a few months, so when I bake two loaves one goes into the deep freeze.
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Post by vaporvac on Mar 5, 2016 17:27:11 GMT -5
When you finally get your Chambers going you'll be able to finish the CWTGTO!!!
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Post by vaporvac on Mar 5, 2016 17:31:06 GMT -5
I really like the dark crust so those look perfect to me! I do a lot of sourdough too. I started my culture back in the late 70's from a culture for a Friendship Cake and it traveled all over the U.S. with me in my RV when my job had me traveling constantly. I then took it with me to Germany for 5 years and to Egypt for two of the 5 years that I lived there. Goodness knows what kind of natural yeasts it has in it. I was in the Goodwill outlet the other day and there was a pan out of a small bread machine that looked like it would fit in the t-well so grabbed it (you pay by the pound and it was about 50 cents) and it fits okay and the lid fits fine on the well with the pan inside so I'm going to try that as soon as I get the stove hooked back up. Seems it should work okay but we'll see. With just the wife and I we have trouble using up a large loaf and it seems it would be more efficient to cook it in the well for a small loaf. I still have some friendship bread starter in my freezer. That stuff is great. I posted on cooking bread in the Twell a little while ago. It works great for both regular and no-knead. thanks for the idea on the bread machine pan. I have some small loaf pans, but that would be great for a larger, single loaf. I'll have to scrounge around; I think I have one from one my neighbors were throwing out.
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Post by kellyjo40 on Mar 8, 2016 2:09:28 GMT -5
I REALLY want to know how this works. What a great idea!!
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