Read Classic Sourdoughs Online
Authors: Jean Wood,Ed Wood
Classic Sourdoughs (15 page)
DOUGH PROOF
Pour the culture into a mixing bowl. Melt the butter, then stir into it the salt, molasses, and beer. Add the candied fruit peel and anise to the mixture, then pour it into the culture and mix well. Add the rye flour and mix well. Add the all-purpose flour a cup (140 g) at a time until the dough becomes too stiff to mix by hand. Turn out onto a floured board and knead in the remaining flour until the dough is smooth and satiny.
Proof the dough overnight (8 to 12 hours) at room temperature, about 70°F (21°C), in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap. During this time, the dough should double in size. After the proof, use a spatula to gently ease the dough out onto a floured board. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. If marked flattening occurs during this time, knead in additional flour before shaping.
LOAF PROOF
Shape the rested dough by dividing it in half and forming 2 balls, then pulling and patting the balls into 2 oblong loaves. Place the loaves, seam side down, on a baking sheet and proof for 2 to 4 hours, until the loaves double in bulk. Proof, the first hour at room temperature and then at 85° to 90°F (29° to 32°C) in a proofing box.
BAKING
Place the baking sheet with its shaped, proofed loaves in a cool oven, then turn the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 65 to 70 minutes. When the loaf is baked, remove it from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
No-Knead Sourdoughs
After Jim Lahey’s recipe and directions for producing no-knead bread appeared in the
New York Times
, we received a jillion inquiries asking if it is possible to make no-knead sourdoughs. When we looked at Lahey’s recipe and focused on his twelve-hour “rest,” we immediately felt that lactobacilli fermenting in a sourdough culture for twelve hours would produce a far better flavor than instant yeast or any other commercial yeast, all of which contain very little or no lactobacilli.
Like everyone, we were simply amazed at the results. The crumb was excellent and the aroma and flavor unbelievable. We have repeated the basic recipe (opposite) so many times with identical results that we now use it as the control when we experiment with new recipes containing a great variety of ingredients. We recommend you do the same as you become familiar with the no-knead recipes that follow.
The very nature of the no-knead sourdough process involves some issues of which you should be aware. First, the culture proof is essential. While a fully active culture may look completely adequate to the task, it requires the subsequent six- to ten-hour proof to yield the desired leavening, flavor, and crumb.
Second, the initial mixing of the culture, flour, and other ingredients creates a dry mixture that is difficult to mix adequately. This can be partially resolved by separately combining the dry ingredients and the liquid ingredients including the culture, then combining the dry with the wet. While the final mixing is still somewhat difficult, the consistency is improved; but if it is still too dry—that is, it doesn’t hold together—up to ½ cup (120 ml) of water may be added.
Almost any sourdough recipe can be converted to no-knead sourdough. This is how we did it the first time
.
MAKES ONE 1½-POUND (680 G) LOAF
1 cup (240 ml) culture from the Culture Proof (
this page
)
1 cup (240 ml) water
3½ cups (490 g) unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour
1½ teaspoons salt
DOUGH PROOF
In a large mixing bowl, combine the culture and water. Separately, mix together the flour and salt, then add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients and mix just until a dry, firm, shaggy dough comes together, adding up to ½ cup (120 ml) more water as needed.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and proof for 8 to 12 hours at about 70°F (21°C). (Above 75°F/24°C, the lactobacilli are more active and the dough may become too acidic, inhibiting the wild yeast so it does not leaven as well.) After the 8- to 12-hour fermentation, the dough becomes quite sticky. With a plastic spatula, ease it away from the sides of the bowl onto a lightly floured board. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with additional flour and let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
LOAF PROOF
With minimal handling and some additional flour (not more than ¼ cup/30 g), form a loaf and place it in a baking container. The baking container can be almost any small baking dish, such as a bread pan or a covered casserole. Avoid willow baskets, since the sticky dough can be difficult to remove. Proof the dough at room temperature (70°F/21°C) for 3 to 4 hours, until doubled in bulk.
BAKING
Place the pan with its shaped, proofed loaf in a cool oven, then turn the temperature to 75°F (190°C) and bake for 70 minutes. When the loaf is baked, remove it from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
This is a simple conventional bread and a good way to get familiar with the no-knead process
.
MAKES ONE 1½-POUND (680 G) LOAF
1 cup (240 ml) active culture from the Culture Proof (
this page
)
1 egg, beaten
½ cup (120 ml) milk
2 tablespoons (30 g) melted butter
3½ cups (490 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
GLAZE
¼ cup (60 ml) milk Poppy seed
DOUGH PROOF
In a large mixing bowl, combine the culture, egg, milk, and butter. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients and mix just until a dry, firm, shaggy dough comes together, adding up to ½ cup (120 ml) more water as needed.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and proof for 8 to 12 hours at about 70°F (21°C). (Above 75°F/24°C, the lactobacilli are more active and the dough may become too acidic, inhibiting the wild yeast so it does not leaven as well.) After the 8- to 12-hour fermentation, the dough becomes quite sticky. With a plastic spatula, ease it away from the sides of the bowl onto a lightly floured board. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with additional flour and let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes to relax the gluten. The dough will be a very thick sticky mass; if it flattens significantly while it’s resting, knead in a bit more all-purpose flour before proceeding.
LOAF PROOF
With minimal handling and some additional flour (not more than ¼ cup/30 g), form a loaf and place it in a baking pan. Alternatively, form a French loaf and proof it on a baking sheet. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and proof at room temperature (70°F/21°C) for 3 to 4 hours, until doubled in bulk.
BAKING
Just before baking, brush the loaf with the milk and sprinkle with poppy seed. Place the loaf in a cool oven, then turn the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 70 minutes. To increase the oven’s humidity and help the loaf form a firm, chewy crust, place a pan of boiling water in the oven 10 minutes after it is turned on and spritz the oven with water several times after the first 10 minutes. When the loaf is baked, remove it from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
This is a popular bread in southern Ireland, and is perfect for sourdough
.
MAKES ONE 1½-POUND (680 G) LOAF
1 cup (240 ml) culture from the Culture Proof (
this page
)
½ cup (120 g) melted butter
1 cup (240 ml) milk
2 eggs, beaten
3½ cups (490 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons salt
½ cup (120 g) brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon caraway seed
DOUGH PROOF
In a large mixing bowl, combine the culture, butter, milk, and eggs. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, sugar, nutmeg, and caraway seed. Add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients and mix just until a dry, firm, shaggy dough comes together, adding up to ½ cup (120 ml) more water as needed.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and proof for 8 to 12 hours at about 70°F (21°C). (Above 75°F/24°C, the lactobacilli are more active and the dough may become too acidic, inhibiting the wild yeast so it does not leaven as well.) After the 8- to 12-hour fermentation, the dough becomes quite sticky. With a plastic spatula, ease it away from the sides of the bowl onto a lightly floured board. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with additional flour and let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes to relax the gluten. The dough will be a very thick sticky mass; if it flattens significantly while it’s resting, knead in a bit more all-purpose flour before proceeding.
LOAF PROOF
With minimal handling and some additional flour (not more than ¼ cup/30 g), form a loaf and place it in a baking pan. Alternatively, form a French loaf and proof it on a baking sheet. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and proof at room temperature (70°F/21°C) for 3 to 4 hours, until doubled in bulk.
BAKING
Place the loaf in a cool oven, then turn the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 70 minutes. To increase the oven’s humidity and help the loaf form a firm, chewy crust, place a pan of boiling water in the oven 10 minutes after it is turned on and spritz the oven with water several times after the first 10 minutes. When the loaf is baked, remove it from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
Tanya Bevan is the Russian tour guide who brought us two Russian cultures more than twenty years ago. This is an adaptation of one of her Russian recipes. As we put this recipe together, we knew it would be a very heavy loaf and probably an insurmountable challenge to the no-knead process. But the end result was mind-bogglingly good
.
MAKES ONE 1½-POUND (680 G) LOAF
