Homemade Bread Thread

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I recently made the switch from active dry yeast, to instant yeast. The price made me experiment. At Sam's Club two pounds of instant yeast was less than $5. At local store 8 ounces of active dry went up to almost $6.

Experimented with single rise first. Texture was often inconsistent. Double rise often had large air pockets.

Getting consistent good tasting loaves now with double rise and using cool tap water. Instructions for using instant yeast had been to mix all the dry ingredients into 120° to 130°F water.

Recipe is Julia Child's basic white bread, with added dry milk powder for improved texture.
 
beer-leftover bread :tank:

Wholegrain bread recipy, but replaced water with the (sieved)last quart of the fermenter of the beer i bottled in the weekend.

Gives good extra flavour :mug:

bread.jpg
 
Another bread baked, after we sieved the last bit from the wheatbeer fermenter :p

dry ingredients
500 grams whole wheat flour
250 grams all-purpose flour
1 tbsp salt
1 packet bakers yeast.

wet ingredients:
500 ml "bottom of the fermenter beer"
1 tbsp dark syrup, mixed in the beer.

Mix the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients, and knead well.
Let rise for 2 hours.
knead and shape in desired breadshape or put in the baking tin.
let rise for another hour or so.

Heat oven to 240 Celcius and bake for 30 minutes.

WP_20150423_21_29_40_Pro.jpg
 
Alrighty then - I have decided to give homemade sourdough another go - last time, I made my own starter, which did not go so well - so, dear fellow experienced sourdough breadmakers - what is the best way to procure a good starter? I don't want to start from scratch this time, would rather start with a proven one!

The pictures on this thread of the lovely sourdough loaves you all are making cause me much droolage. I need to try my hand at it again!
 
I could dry some of mine and send you some. I'm sure others would be willing to do the same too. PM me if you're interested tho.

You can also buy a starter from various sources, but seems silly, especially since local bugs will take over your starter over time anyway.
 
What kind of flour are your using for your starter? Some (rye, yum) work better than others (wheat).
 
I use a mix of whole wheat and all purpose flours. I think at some points I have thrown in some buckwheat flour as well, just because I had it around.

I haven't heard that wheat flours are not good for starters.
 
Temptd2 said:
Alrighty then - I have decided to give homemade sourdough another go - last time, I made my own starter, which did not go so well - so, dear fellow experienced sourdough breadmakers - what is the best way to procure a good starter? I don't want to start from scratch this time, would rather start with a proven one!

The pictures on this thread of the lovely sourdough loaves you all are making cause me much droolage. I need to try my hand at it again!
Click to expand...


I'd be happy to send you some if you would like, I've used the same starter for 15-20 years, all you got to do is ask.
 
Temptd2 said:
Alrighty then - I have decided to give homemade sourdough another go - last time, I made my own starter, which did not go so well - so, dear fellow experienced sourdough breadmakers - what is the best way to procure a good starter? I don't want to start from scratch this time, would rather start with a proven one!
Click to expand...

Here are the books that I read when I was into making my own sourdough. There are TONS of books on this stuff - these are the few that I enjoyed and learned lots from each from best to worst.

Title: Classic Sourdoughs, Revised: A Home Baker's Handbook
Author: Ed Wood, Jean Wood

Title: Crust and Crumb: Master Formulas for Serious Bread Bakers
Author: Peter Reinhart

Title: Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza
Author: Ken Forkish

Title: Beard On Bread
Author: James Beard

I have to admit that I am a sourdough bread fanatic (snob really - sorry) and really enjoyed making it - but with young kids and a new job = they just don't mix. I turned to beer about three years ago and now my sourdough starters just sit in my beer fridge. Every so once in a while I take them out and feed them - but it is just not enough.

I am thinking about starting over if I ever get back into it. When I first started off I just wanted to make bread that I could eat and serve at parties - by the end of the first year I wanted to make bread like I can buy from Raymond's Sourdough, a local SF company that is the best in the world - that's right folks I just said it. Tough chewy crust with a crumb heart of tasty silky smooth moist gold. I got really close but just lack the pro tools that they use. Now I just wait for the trucks to drop it off daily and I just buy a long batard for $3.50 which I go through in about three days.

If you are serious about making sourdough: First read the first book section on sourdough and understand exactly step by step what is involved. Then I would get the starter from ChefRex (this guy knows his $#!t) or you can order a yeast culture from these guys: http://www.sourdo.com/all-products/ and then have fun with it and use that as a base to add-on separate strains into another colony (read: starter) to see what you can come up with. By using local organic grapes or raisins (I live in the Bay Area so this is easy to do) or other fruits that sit outside in the air for a while each summer, you can have some fun with what you can get. Do these adds at the end of the summer near harvest time and then just let them sit in a little carbon filtered water fro about 3-5days and add King Arthur's bread flour and perhaps the yeast you bought and you are good to go. Yes I am making it more basic than it really it but you get the point don't you?

You just can't do without these - they make the first rise SO much easier it is not funny: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002PMV77G/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0053NRBO2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I also cheated and bought these which really help with the bake too:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003SZBSUK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

And you can buy the cast iron skillets and water misters anywhere...

You will do well by getting a good pizza stone and having a convection oven - helps with the steam - but you don't really have to have them.

Edit: added a pic to show you what the difference in finishing texture can be if you add a little bit of powdered corn starch to a little heavy milk (not 1 or 2% - real milk) then paint it on heavy right before you put it in the oven. The better batch is on the right. (yes ChefRex my cuts suxd on that one lol)

Hope this helps!
Let us know how you do... :mug:

2013-02-11_18-04-44_470.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Wow, maierhof, thank you very much for taking the time to put all that wonderful info together for me! I will most certainly have fun perusing those links. And an excuse to buy something on Amazon - YEAH baby!

ChefRex has kindly sent me some of his dried starter, as has BGBC - I look forward to receiving and working with both of those - so many great folks on these boards! :rockin:

Your bread pics are making my mouth water.
 
maierhof said:
Here are the books that I read when I was into making my own sourdough. There are TONS of books on this stuff - these are the few that I enjoyed and learned lots from each from best to worst.

Title: Classic Sourdoughs, Revised: A Home Baker's Handbook
Author: Ed Wood, Jean Wood

Title: Crust and Crumb: Master Formulas for Serious Bread Bakers
Author: Peter Reinhart

Title: Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza
Author: Ken Forkish

Title: Beard On Bread
Author: James Beard

I have to admit that I am a sourdough bread fanatic (snob really - sorry) and really enjoyed making it - but with young kids and a new job = they just don't mix. I turned to beer about three years ago and now my sourdough starters just sit in my beer fridge. Every so once in a while I take them out and feed them - but it is just not enough.

I am thinking about starting over if I ever get back into it. When I first started off I just wanted to make bread that I could eat and serve at parties - by the end of the first year I wanted to make bread like I can buy from Raymond's Sourdough, a local SF company that is the best in the world - that's right folks I just said it. Tough chewy crust with a crumb heart of tasty silky smooth moist gold. I got really close but just lack the pro tools that they use. Now I just wait for the trucks to drop it off daily and I just buy a long batard for $3.50 which I go through in about three days.

If you are serious about making sourdough: First read the first book section on sourdough and understand exactly step by step what is involved. Then I would get the starter from ChefRex (this guy knows his $#!t) or you can order a yeast culture from these guys: http://www.sourdo.com/all-products/ and then have fun with it and use that as a base to add-on separate strains into another colony (read: starter) to see what you can come up with. By using local organic grapes or raisins (I live in the Bay Area so this is easy to do) or other fruits that sit outside in the air for a while each summer, you can have some fun with what you can get. Do these adds at the end of the summer near harvest time and then just let them sit in a little carbon filtered water fro about 3-5days and add King Arthur's bread flour and perhaps the yeast you bought and you are good to go. Yes I am making it more basic than it really it but you get the point don't you?

You just can't do without these - they make the first rise SO much easier it is not funny: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002PMV77G/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0053NRBO2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I also cheated and bought these which really help with the bake too:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003SZBSUK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

And you can buy the cast iron skillets and water misters anywhere...

You will do well by getting a good pizza stone and having a convection oven - helps with the steam - but you don't really have to have them.

Edit: added a pic to show you what the difference in finishing texture can be if you add a little bit of powdered corn starch to a little heavy milk (not 1 or 2% - real milk) then paint it on heavy right before you put it in the oven. The better batch is on the right. (yes ChefRex my cuts suxd on that one lol)

Hope this helps!
Let us know how you do... :mug:
Click to expand...
I'm just plain old Bob, self taught and never read a book on the subject but if you hold me in such high esteem I will take it as a complement:mug:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Finnish Rye bread:

Step 1:
-2 cups lukewarm water
-sour bread root
-1 cup rye flour

Step 2:
-6 dl lukewarm water
-½ to 1 tablespoon salt
-1.5 l of rye flour

Step 1:

Mix the water, root and rye flour to a smooth dough.
Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm place, such as close to the top of the stove or refrigerator. Let it rest overnight or until bubbling properly. When the sour dough starts to bubble and it spreads mild, sour aroma, it is ready.

Step 2:

Add the water and salt to the dough.
Stir the flour into the mixture little by little. Knead the dough vigorously for at least 10 minutes until you have smooth and quite stiff dough.
Let rise in a warm place covered with a cloth. Raise for 3-6 hours, depending on how warm the place is. It is important that you raise your dough untill it is about doubled.
Place the dough on a well floured surface and leave some of the dough, the root, on the bottom of the container for the next baking.
Knead vigorously a few times and divide the dough into two parts. Roll the pieces into balls and place the loaves on a baking sheet and cover with a cloth. Let rise for 2-3 hours, depending on how warm the place is. When you press the bread gently with your finger, the dough should rise to normal quickly. puncture the loaves a few times with a fork.
Bake the breads 220-degree celcius oven until breads are cooked, about an hour.

How to make the root of bread: (only do this the very first time, otherwise you use the root you have leftover from last time)

first day
3 tablespoons rye flour
3 tablespoons of lukewarm water

The ingredients are mixed in a small glass jar and the jar is placed in a warm place for two days, for example on the refrigerator so that the lid is loosely closed and the air can circulate.

3rd day
2 tablespoons of rye flour
2 tablespoons of lukewarm water

add more flour and water and leave the jar for another day in the same place.

4th day
Root can now be used to make sourdough bread.



The root making process is a one off, after that you can save some of the dough as a new root for the next baking day. root will stay good in the fridge for several weeks or in the freezer for several months.
 
Wow. Surprised I never found this thread. I started making sourdough last fall with a starter I cultured right here in Maine. Most weeks I make one or two loafs. As long as you have a stand mixer and some patience, making bread is quite easy. Certainly if you can make beer you can make sourdough bread. I learned everything I know from existing cookbooks and the Internet.
 
ChefRex said:
I'm just plain old Bob, self taught and never read a book on the subject but if you hold me in such high esteem I will take it as a complement:mug:
Click to expand...

I just give accolades where I see em - nice work on your starters. When they froth on top like that - they are well loved and ready to be used!

Self taught - never read anything? really? =;>

Happy baking! :mug:
 
Temptd2 said:
Wow, maierhof, thank you very much for taking the time to put all that wonderful info together for me! I will most certainly have fun perusing those links. And an excuse to buy something on Amazon - YEAH baby!

ChefRex has kindly sent me some of his dried starter, as has BGBC - I look forward to receiving and working with both of those - so many great folks on these boards! :rockin:

Your bread pics are making my mouth water.
Click to expand...

Excellent - it is nice to hear that you like it!
Happy to help!

The one thing I forgot to post was that you need to pick up a really large bowl to knead that thing by hand - a mixer is nice and makes it easy but you need to go really slow otherwise you risk making the batch of bread tougher than you want it. To get that silky smooth texture in the crumb (heart) you need to really use whole milk, sea salt and give it the love that it deserves - yours! If you use a large bowl like 3 ft diameter it is hard to make a mess of the kitchen and it really helps when you can just put that thing in the dishwasher too!

Bake on!:mug:
 
maierhof said:
Excellent - it is nice to hear that you like it!
Happy to help!

The one thing I forgot to post was that you need to pick up a really large bowl to knead that thing by hand - a mixer is nice and makes it easy but you need to go really slow otherwise you risk making the batch of bread tougher than you want it. To get that silky smooth texture in the crumb (heart) you need to really use whole milk, sea salt and give it the love that it deserves - yours! If you use a large bowl like 3 ft diameter it is hard to make a mess of the kitchen and it really helps when you can just put that thing in the dishwasher too!

Bake on!:mug:
Click to expand...

You've obviously never seen my butt-bumper kitchen - LOL! I have no earthly place to store a 3' diameter bowl. My big ol' Oxo will have to do the trick! :rockin:
 
maierhof said:
I just give accolades where I see em - nice work on your starters. When they froth on top like that - they are well loved and ready to be used!

Self taught - never read anything? really? =;>

Happy baking! :mug:
Click to expand...

Never said I never read anything, the internet has improved my game but wasn't around when I started.
I use a KitchenAid and quite often beat my dough like a red headed stepchild;)
Perhaps I will have to show a loaf a little tenderness.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXmLjbTBcdU[/ame]
 
ChefRex said:
Never said I never read anything, the internet has improved my game but wasn't around when I started.
Click to expand...

ahh - got it. No books...

ChefRex said:
I use a KitchenAid and quite often beat my dough like a red headed stepchild;)
Perhaps I will have to show a loaf a little tenderness.
Click to expand...

If you show the knead some lovin I have always found that it will give back to you in spades - well - at least to your tastebuds.

Hey - I am a readhead - lol =;> :mug:

EDIT: All this talk of making sourdough is going to get to me - I might have to dust off my starters and start to feed those boys again on a regular basis to see if I can revive them...
 
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maierhof said:
I store mine and the rise bowls (first link) on top of my fridge.

Are you in an apt?
Click to expand...

Not an apartment - it's a 2200 square foot house - but the original owner didn't think highly of cooking so she had it designed with this itty bitty kitchen! Everyone in my family KNOWS not to try to get in there while I'm in there working any kind of culinary magic, or they suffer THE LOOK.

Top of fridge already populated with Kitchenaid bowls and Cuisinart food processor. I have annexed the hall closet and the closet behind the second bedroom as auxiliary gadget storage, and I have a large armoire in the bedroom which lovingly protects our home-canned goodnesses. The spare bedroom is the brew storage room.
 
maierhof said:
ahh - got it. No books...



If you show the knead some lovin I have always found that it will give back to you in spades - well - at least to your tastebuds.

Hey - I am a readhead - lol =;> :mug:

EDIT: All this talk of making sourdough is going to get to me - I might have to dust off my starters and start to feed those boys again on a regular basis to see if I can revive them...
Click to expand...

But no step child I take it,LOL
I have a loaf going in tomorrow, i fed my starter to send to Tempted2 so I might as well make a loaf, picture upcoming, unless I mess it up:p
 
Temptd2 said:
Not an apartment - it's a 2200 square foot house - but the original owner didn't think highly of cooking so she had it designed with this itty bitty kitchen! Everyone in my family KNOWS not to try to get in there while I'm in there working any kind of culinary magic, or they suffer THE LOOK.

Top of fridge already populated with Kitchenaid bowls and Cuisinart food processor. I have annexed the hall closet and the closet behind the second bedroom as auxiliary gadget storage, and I have a large armoire in the bedroom which lovingly protects our home-canned goodnesses. The spare bedroom is the brew storage room.
Click to expand...

LOL - ok - I hate to admit it but you have 800 more sq ft than we do. Yes - that's right folks not everyone in the Bay Area is rolling in the dough (badumptdumpt). It sounds to me as if you need to build a storage bin above your fridge if you can. I found it very tough to knead the dough when it was in an OXO bowl as it just spills out everywhere. I finally found that when we ordered a whole bunch of bagels for one of my kids bday parties - they just gave me a bowl like that - yes it was cheap plastic but it worked wonders. I was then able to pour in the King Arthur bread flour, make a divot in the middle then put in my sea salt, add my milk, add a little light malt even, then add my starter in four pieces. Then I would just fold the rest of the dough into the center and then begin to work it from there... and the best part was it didn't make the SWMBO unhappy when I did it. If you have ever tried to take dried up flour off your counter that had been wet at one point you understand what I am saying - only a knife or a finger nail will really work with that schtuff...

Didn't you mean to say "designed with this itty BUTTY kitchen" - j/k :mug:

ChefRex said:
But no step child I take it,LOL
I have a loaf going in tomorrow, i fed my starter to send to Tempted2 so I might as well make a loaf, picture upcoming, unless I mess it up:p
Click to expand...

Nope not a step child. =;> I was just poking you man - lol
Looking forward to the pics though - send one of the starter again as it frothes at the top = that is the sign that it is really ready to be used in my opinion. Timing is everything in baking sourdough.
 
maierhof said:
Looking forward to the pics though - send one of the starter again as it frothes at the top = that is the sign that it is really ready to be used in my opinion. Timing is everything in baking sourdough.
Click to expand...

Starter pics will have to wait as dough was made Wednesday, I think this is the longest I've aged a dough, we'll see what happens:D
 
LOL maierhof - well, since I AM the SWMBO, and I do the cleanup, if I waft flour from one end to the other - no biggie. I used a wide scraper to get anything off that stuck. I have Formica (perish the thought!) and it doesn't stick too badly to that.

Certainly not rich here. Bought this place 20 years ago. Have learned to live with its little idiosyncracies! For a house of its size, it's not very well designed, but we love it anyway. Yup, itty butty - that's it! :D

Bob, can you point me to your sourdough recipe, if it's on this thread? I'd love to try what you're doing!
 
Temptd2 said:
LOL maierhof - well, since I AM the SWMBO, and I do the cleanup, if I waft flour from one end to the other - no biggie. I used a wide scraper to get anything off that stuck. I have Formica (perish the thought!) and it doesn't stick too badly to that.

Certainly not rich here. Bought this place 20 years ago. Have learned to live with its little idiosyncracies! For a house of its size, it's not very well designed, but we love it anyway. Yup, itty butty - that's it! :D

Bob, can you point me to your sourdough recipe, if it's on this thread? I'd love to try what you're doing!
Click to expand...

DOH! LOL Sorry about that! Hard to tell up here in a blog. :~

Ah the pleasures of formica - we have a wood surface from IKEA (yeaup that's right IKEA) so when that dough dries it is as tough as nails.

I am looking forward to seeing what Bob uses too. Here is mine.
The San Francisco Sourdough recipe from Classic Sourdoughs

Page 1.jpg


Page 2.jpg
 
Last edited:
Temptd2 said:
LOL maierhof - well, since I AM the SWMBO, and I do the cleanup, if I waft flour from one end to the other - no biggie. I used a wide scraper to get anything off that stuck. I have Formica (perish the thought!) and it doesn't stick too badly to that.



Certainly not rich here. Bought this place 20 years ago. Have learned to live with its little idiosyncracies! For a house of its size, it's not very well designed, but we love it anyway. Yup, itty butty - that's it! :D



Bob, can you point me to your sourdough recipe, if it's on this thread? I'd love to try what you're doing!
Click to expand...



I uses a very easy recipe I found at the Fresh loaf.com, by weight, one part starter, fed and active, two parts water, I quite often use wort or beer, three parts flour, mix, let rest for twenty minutes or so then add 1 to 2 % of the flours weight worth of salt.

I preheat the oven as high as it goes with a pizza stone, add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of hot water to a small cast iron skillet as I put the loaf in and turn oven down to 400F,bake to an internal temp of 200F.



Today's loaf with some rye in it, delicious!View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1430684380.061976.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1430684398.577005.jpg
 

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