Monday, January 21, 2013

Rustic Sourdough Bread


I bought a sourdough starter from King Arthur Flour (www.kingarthurflour.com) and have been using it ever since. The recipe makes two good loaves of bread that are dense, but not too heavy with a good crispy crust. I usually end up freezing one loaf by wrapping in foil then placing in a freezer bag. Once thawed and heated it tastes like it was freshly baked. The whole process is actually fun and makes me appreciate baking more.

Rustic Sourdough Bread

1 cup "fed" sourdough starter
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp instant yeast
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Combine all ingredients, kneading to form a smooth, soft dough, adding a bit of additional flour if needed. Place dough in greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 90 minutes.
Divide dough in half and shape into two oval loaves (mine were round). Place on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise till puffy, about 60 minutes. Slash the tops and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. remove from oven and cool on a rack.







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