I love good bread. I enjoy it not only as food but I also savour the richness of bread’s story throughout our human history. In an age where all our needs are supplied by production’s chain, being able to bake a fresh loaf of bread holds a thread of sovereignty and a connection to our roots.
Background
I was looking for a way to bake bread that was healthy, tasty and relatively easy to make. Although the process I’ve adopted is spaced out over a couple of days, each step in itself is quick and painless.
Summary
Steps and timing can be adjusted to suit your needs and preferences – adjustment options are described later.
Steps (detailed below):
Timing:
- Sourdough starter: start preparing two days before you want to bake
- Bread dough: prepare the dough the day before you bake, allowing about 24 hours for the dough to develop and rise (using the no-knead method)
Detailed steps and timing
Prepare the sourdough starter
Objective: You want to end up with enough activated starter to bake with, plus a little more to store for next time.
- Remove your starter from the fridge (see storing your starter below) the day before you prepare the dough.
- Feed your starter (see feeding your starter below) three times at regular intervals during the day prior to preparing your dough. Your starter should remain out of the fridge during this time.
Prepare the bread dough
A) First, mix the following ingredients in a bowl:
- 3 cups of flour
- 1 1/2 cups of water
- 1/2 cup of starter
- 1 teaspoon of salt
This follows the no-knead method, making bread using a slightly moister dough and longer fermentation time. The additional benefit of a longer fermentation time is that the flour has more time to ferment and break down, creating a healthier, more nutritious and more flavoursome bread.
It should be well mixed but does not require kneading due to the length of time the dough is being allowed to slowly develop. It will be slightly sticky to the touch.
What flour you use is up to you. My recommendation is to use the best you can get and to experiment with different combinations.
B) Then, cover your prepared dough and place in the fridge.
This helps to slow down the fermentation and extend the time required to develop.
Now is a good time to feed your starter again and store in the fridge for when you next need it.
C) Now, remove your dough from the fridge with sufficient time for it to warm up and rise.
Give it a good stir at this point to firm up the dough a little.
Since it’s coming from the fridge and will be cold it will take longer to warm and rise than one would normally expect – be prepared for that.
The time required for this depends on room temperature. On cold nights you could leave it out overnight for baking in the morning.
Bake the bread
- Prepare your oven as hot as you can get it – up to 240 degrees Celsius if possible.
- Prepare a baking tray or dutch oven by sprinkling cornmeal or flour to prevent sticking.
- Once the oven is at the correct temperature, carefully transfer the dough to the baking tray, disturbing it as little as is possible – using a wet spectacular helps in scraping it off the sides of the bowl.
- Place the baking tray with dough into the oven.
- After 5-10 minutes reduce the heat to 210 degrees.
- After 20-30 minutes check if the bread is properly baked.
- Once ready, remove and place on a cooling rack allowing it to cool for 10-15 minutes.
Additional information
Feeding your starter
- If you have 120 ml of starter, mix in 60 ml of flour and 60 ml of water i.e. you are doubling it.
- The next time you feed it, or after taking it from the fridge after it’s been stored, first pour half in a separate container ‘for other use’ (see below) and then mix in additional flour and water as before.
The separate container can be put in the fridge and added to with each new feed.
There should be sufficient time between feeds for the starter to rise and get bubbly – the length of time will depend on the room temperature.
Storing your starter
- If you are not using your starter on a daily basis, feed it and refrigerate until needed. While in the fridge you may need to feed it once or twice a week.
- Use a glass jar or food-grade plastic storage container.
- The sourdough starter yeasts require oxygen so your container should not be fully sealed – covering with a piece of cloth should be sufficient.
‘For other use’
The ‘discarded’ starter can be used for a variety of other things. See the additional recipes at the end.
Don’t stress variations
Make this work for you, your schedule, your preferences and your equipment.
Here are some things to consider:
- Feeding your starter once in the morning and once in the evening on the day prior to preparing the dough is fine. Just make sure you create enough starter to use with enough extra for future use.
- If you don’t want to discard half the starter with each feed then simply add to it using the same quantities. It may not be as active but it will still work.
- Leaving the dough in the fridge longer is fine if you have to. If you don’t have much time for the dough to rise, skip the fridge part and, if necessary, get your hands dirty and give it a good knead.
- You don’t have to use a baking tray – experiment with baking in a tin (you may have to lightly grease the sides first) or in a cast iron pot. Using a pot and putting the lid on part of the way through baking creates a softer, more chewy crust.
Additional recipes
Sourdough pancakes
Gently mix the following:
- 1 cup starter
- 1 cup flour
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or alternative or your choice)
Cover and allow to develop for 1-3 hours before using. Mix in additional water as necessary to get the desired consistency.
Mixture could be stored in fridge for up to three days.
Sourdough pizza
Mix and gently knead the following:
- 1 cup starter
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Cover and allow to develop for 2-4 hours. To create the base, gently allow the dough to stretch out into a disk shape.
Dough can be stored in the fridge for up to three days or frozen.
Notes, Resources and Inspiration
- [added 23 Dec 2018] Inside the fascinating (and delicious!) science of sourdough bread: “The action of making bread is a kind of restoration of certain kinds of biodiversity into our food, onto our bodies and throughout our houses in a way that connects all of these processes.”
- [added 24 Dec 2018] The Art and Craft of Bread by Peter Reinhart on TED: “…it’s what comes out of the oven that is what we call the staff of life. This is the product that everyone in the world eats, that is so difficult to give up. It’s so deeply embedded in our psyches that bread is used as a symbol for life. It’s used as a symbol for transformation.”