This place seems good as any to discuss one of my new passions, levain or sourdough bread baking. I started a mother batch about 4 weeks ago, placing flour and water in a bowl, with a towel over the top for three days. I did this for a couple weeks, feeding it with flour & water every day until it started rising and falling on a predictable schedule. So where is the yeast? As many of you probably know, there is natural yeast everywhere. In flour, on your hands, in the air. I'm certainly no genius on the subject, but I love the flexibility of natural yeast and the fact they have their own finicky character. While many know all about sour dough and it's acetic taste, many don't know you can use the same starter to create a much more mild and rounded flavor. Since I started I've made quite a few errors, but the results have still been good. BTW, I've been bread baking for 10 years and love to use monoculture aka commercial yeast. It's predictable and easy to use. But hey, who doesn't like to have a love affair with a finicky and wild mistress! :spiteful: Anyways, this thread is not meant to be a how-to, but a picture thread on my progress.
While I didn't get the initial pics from the starter, here is the end result. I keep it in my refer during the week and pull it on Friday morning for weekend baking.
After mixing, proofing, shaping, I put it in a coiled cane basket for the final shaping and rise overnight. This is a 50/50 blend of whole wheat & white.
After about 8-12 hours in the refer, I have a risen bread ready to put in the oven. This is a 25/75 blend of whole wheat/white. These were taken at different times.
Using the book Tartine by Chad Robertson, he recommends using a combo cooker like this one by Lodge. It helps keep the steam in during the initial baking. About halfway through I remove the top for browning.
After about 40 minutes at 450F (in my oven, yours may vary), here is the product:
I'm still working on the ears part, and am still not getting a great oven spring. Still, the final product tastes good and looks decent too.
I'll post more pics as I have a few loaves baking now.
Jason
While I didn't get the initial pics from the starter, here is the end result. I keep it in my refer during the week and pull it on Friday morning for weekend baking.
After mixing, proofing, shaping, I put it in a coiled cane basket for the final shaping and rise overnight. This is a 50/50 blend of whole wheat & white.
After about 8-12 hours in the refer, I have a risen bread ready to put in the oven. This is a 25/75 blend of whole wheat/white. These were taken at different times.
Using the book Tartine by Chad Robertson, he recommends using a combo cooker like this one by Lodge. It helps keep the steam in during the initial baking. About halfway through I remove the top for browning.
After about 40 minutes at 450F (in my oven, yours may vary), here is the product:
I'm still working on the ears part, and am still not getting a great oven spring. Still, the final product tastes good and looks decent too.
I'll post more pics as I have a few loaves baking now.
Jason