Have you tried anything new lately? I have been attempting to bake the perfect loaf of whole grain sourdough. Sourdough is a healthier bread option due to the fermentation which reduces gluten content & makes it more digestible! It’s a challenge, but fun and delicious! The people you are living with will appreciate your efforts too.
You can either create your own sourdough starter or purchase some. I was gifted my starter, which was super helpful, as doing it from scratch is intensive. You can find directions online though if you decide to go that route.
A good place to start is with a basic recipe for whole grain sourdough bread: 150 g. bubbly starter, 500 g. whole grain wheat or rye flour, 10 g. sea salt and 350 g. purified or distilled water (the amount needed will vary).
You will need a kitchen scale! I got mine at Canadian Tire for less than $10.
I keep my starter in the fridge in between baking once or twice a week and then feed before using. Whole wheat ferments a lot quicker than white flour. It varies, but sometimes it is ready to use only 4 hours after feeding! 100% whole grain rye flour is a great choice to feed your starter.
You need to feed your starter at least the same weight in water and flour. I usually use a 1:1:1 ratio. Do yourself a favour and keep a journal. Record the weight of your most used jars as this will help you keep track of quantities.
DIRECTIONS:
- Stir all of the ingredients together with a wooden spoon. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Then, either knead the dough on the counter, lightly flouring to prevent sticking or stretch and fold the dough in the bowl for approximately a minute. Cover & place in fridge overnight. In the morning, remove the dough from the fridge
- Pre-heat the oven to 475°F. Place the lidded pot in the centre of the oven to heat up. I use a cast iron dutch oven or a pyrex casserole dish.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds on your counter. Handle the dough with care so as to preserve as many bubbles as possible. Shape the dough into a ball, pinching into the centre at the bottom.
- Pull the outside thirds into the middle and shape as you wish. Try to pull the outside of the dough as tightly as possible so it will hold its shape well. I shaped mine into a ball also known as a boule.
- Place the dough, right side up, on a square of parchment paper & cover with plastic wrap rubbed with olive oil. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Remove the plastic wrap, slash the top of your bread in a hashtag shape with a sharp knife.
- Carefully place the dough into the heated pot by lifting the four corners of the parchment. Then, put the lid back on the pot and reduce the heat to 425°F. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid & continue to bake for an another 20 to 25 minutes.
- Immediately remove from the pot & place on a cooling rack. Do not slice until completely cool.
For pizza, form the dough from half a loaf into a circle and flatten onto a non-stick pizza pan. Coat with sauce and toppings of your choice and bake in a hot oven for only 10 minutes. Slide the pizza off onto a cooling rack for a few minutes before cutting and devouring!
Comments 2
Very good tips! I notice that your dough is not too sticky to handle. We have a similar ratio water, flour and starter but it is always sticky. have you had that problem?
Author
Hi Marijke! Thanks for your comment. You know, sourdough is so tricky. Every time I bake, the proportions are a little different. Whenever I run out of flour & try something new or use starter that has been fed differently things are never the same twice. Unfortunately, in my experience, any recipe for sourdough is just a suggested starting point. I do try and keep the dough quite wet as the resulting bread seems to turn out to be less dense.