Food Therapy: Easiest everyday sourdough bread

 

Is it a seasonal thing?

Any season is the right season for making bread, but if you're not in the habit of it, autumn is a great time to start!

Homemade bread is sooo much better for you! 

There are loads of varieties you can make, that will save you money and improve your health right in your own kitchen, or even when camping.

In light of my recent transition to Blogger, I'm reviving some older posts from my previous site, to ensure new readers here have access to all the good stuff! I first published this wonderful recipe way back in 2013 and hope it'll inspire the new folks to give it a try!

Knowledge is power
The first thing you have to do is get rid of the idea that making bread is a fiddly, difficult thing to do. Not this kind! No kneading, and it fits into anyone's life.

I'm not going into the How's, Why's and Wherefore's of these ingredients, but this is what you need to make some delicious, basic sourdough bread. 

That aside, here we go!

Directions and ingredientsIn a stand mixer, or with a hefty wooden spoon and a bowl, mix the following ingredients together:

☙ 3 cups of water, slightly warm. ( yes, tap water is just fine. That's what I use.)

☙ 1 1/2 Tablespoons granulated yeast ( rising time varies according to the kind you choose. Use less if you prefer. It will just take longer.)

☙1 1/2  Tablespoons coarse Kosher salt. (use about half this if you only have table salt. It's finer. It controls the rising of the bread, and helps with the flavor.)

☙ 6 1/2 cups UNBLEACHED bread flour. (All-purpose works too, the bread will have a slightly softer texture.) Use a dry measuring cup.

Image via VickiW

Method

Mix well together, until there are no dry patches. The mixture should be smooth, and quite slack. That is how you get wonderful results and those lovely spongy little holes!

Image via VickiW

Leave in the large mixing bowl until the dough doubles in size.

Use right away if you want, or leave it in a refrigerator for up to 10 days, just taking off pieces of it for buns and bread. The longer you leave it, the more those little sourdough bacteria get to do their work of maturing and flavouring the dough!

Shape it

Take your pieces of dough, and gently pull the gluten cover down to the bottom of each, making a ball. You’ll see what I mean! Today we are making loaves you can use for sandwiches, so gently make an oblong shape for each. You will need a couple of nonstick bread pans. You also need enough dough in each ball that will come about halfway up the pans.

Cover with greased plastic wrap. Let rise to double. If you are working, you can just plunk the pans into the fridge to rise, and be ready for when you get home. 

Bake the bread

Oven temp should be around 475F° for 15 minutes, then lower to 400F° to finish. I use an instant-read thermometer, which should read 200F°, and then you know it is perfect.

Image via VickiW

To keep

Never keep it in the fridge! It keeps well with sliced side down on the counter for a day or two. To always have bread on hand, slice it, wrap in 6 slice portions with plastic wrap, then put them into a Ziplock bag and freeze.

Remove however many slices you need at a time. It’s always wonderfully fresh. 

I use my kitchen slicer for this. Look at that beautiful, spongy texture, otherwise known by bakers as "the crumb".

   

Images via VickiW

Thank you!

Hope you've enjoyed this little blast from the past in bread-making and found the content useful, and thank you so much for visiting today!

Are you a bread baker? If so, I'd love to hear from you and hope you'll share your favourite breads to make in a comment below.

VickiW