Bread Machine (101 page)

Strain the contents of the bucket through a wire mesh over a bowl, reserving the juice. Discard the solids. You will end up with about half as much juice as solids. Pour the juice into a measuring cup and note the measure, then pour the juice into a clean plastic bucket. Add flour equal to the amount of grape juice and whisk to create a thick slurry. Cover with a double layer of cheesecloth and let stand at room temperature to naturally ferment for 3 days. The starter, known as a
chef
at this point, will bubble and foam.

On the third day, add the mineral water and 1
¹
/
₂
cups of flour to the starter, adding a bit more flour if you desire a thicker starter. Whisk until smooth. Re-cover the starter, now a classic
levain
, and let rest at room temperature for 24 hours to 3 days, depending on how sour you want it. (Some bakers pre-ferment sour starter for up to one month at room temperature with occasional feedings.)

At this point, this starter can be stirred down and used immediately. Or cover the starter loosely and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. For information about maintaining your starter, see
Technique: Building and Maintaining a Sourdough Starter
.

Bread Machine Baker’s Hint: Tips for Sourdough Starters

• The grayish liquid that forms on the top is the “hootch”; stir it back in.
  
• A glass spring top jar without its rubber seal is a good container for a starter.
  
• Do not keep a starter in a container with a tight lid because the gases in the container expand as the starter ferments.
  
• Do not store a starter in a stainless steel or aluminum container; these would retard the enzymatic activity.
  
• Sourdough starters will ferment quickly at a warm room temperature, about 80°F. If your room is cooler, it will take longer to achieve the desired sourness.
  
• Once a sourdough starter is bubbly and there is a liquid forming on the top, it needs to be fed or refrigerated until use.
  
• If a starter has been refrigerated, bring it to room temperature before adding it to a dough. You can remove it from the refrigerator the day before you will be baking and let it sit out overnight.
  
• If a starter turns pink, orange, or black, has an unpleasant aroma, gets wrinkled looking, or grows any type of mold, it should be discarded immediately. Do not take a chance by using a questionable starter.
  
• Never add salt to a starter; it retards the natural enzymatic activity.
  
• If you don’t have time to use or maintain a starter, you can freeze it. For optimum potency, freeze for no longer than 2 months.
  

WHITE SOURDOUGH BREAD

T
his is a light-textured, yet chewy sandwich loaf. Your bacteria-laden starter will give a unique flavor to this old-fashioned American pan bread that will depend on where you live and what wild yeasts your starter has picked up. I make this loaf with the
Next-Day White
or
French Buttermilk
starter. The dough also makes very nice rolls; see the Variation.

1
¹
/
₂
- POUND LOAF

³
/
₄
cup sourdough starter
Next-Day White Sourdough Starter

¹
/
₂
cup fat-free milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1
¹
/
₂
tablespoons honey

3 cups bread flour

1
¹
/
₂
teaspoons salt

1
¹
/
₂
teaspoons SAF yeast or 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

2-POUND LOAF

1 cup sourdough starter
Next-Day White Sourdough Starter

³
/
₄
cup fat-free milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons honey

4 cups bread flour

2 teaspoons salt

1
³
/
₄
teaspoons SAF yeast or 2
¹
/
₄
teaspoons bread machine yeast

Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on dark and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.)

When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

VARIATION

Sourdough Poppy Seed Rolls

Makes 10 rolls from the 1
¹
/
₂
-pound dough, 15 rolls from the 2-pound dough

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for glaze

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Make the dough on the Dough cycle. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and divide the 1
¹
/
₂
-pound dough into 10 or the 2-pound dough into 15 equal pieces. Flatten and form each piece into an oval. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush each roll with the egg glaze. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes. About midway through this rise, preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are golden brown. Transfer the rolls from the pan to cool on a rack.

CLASSIC SOURDOUGH RYE

T
his is a nice, easy-to-make sandwich loaf that features the classic combination of sourdough, caraway, and rye flour baked all the way through in the machine. For the best flavor and texture use light rye flour, which is ground from just the endosperm like white wheat flour. This bread is best made with Next-Day Rye Sourdough Starter.

1
¹
/
₂
-POUND LOAF

For the sponge:

³
/
₄
cup
Next-Day Rye Sourdough Starter

1
¹
/
₈
cups water

1
¹
/
₈
cups light or medium rye flour

¹
/
₂
teaspoon SAF or bread machine yeast

For the dough:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

2
¹
/
₄
cups bread flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

1
¹
/
₂
teaspoons salt