Farmstead Sourdough Bread

I think I've found the perfect bread. Melt-in-your-mouth, buttery flavor so delicate and yet complex... have I sold you on trying this recipe yet?


Requirements: Sourdough starter (or a cheater sourdough's starter)

Ingredients:


1.5 cups warm water (105º-115ºF)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup Sourdough Starter
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon salt
5.5-6 cups all purpose or bread flour
1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal


1. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm water in a bowl and sprinkle the yeast and a pinch over sugar or the top. Stir to combine. Allow to soak until foamy, about 10 minutes.


2. In your Kitchen Aid Mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the sourdough starter, rest of the water, sugar, melted butter, salt and 3 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Add the yeast mixture and beat for another minute until mixed. Switch to the dough hook. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time until you have a soft, shaggy dough that just clears the sides of the bowl.


3. Continue to knead with the dough hook for 3-4 minutes or until the dough is soft and elastic. It should spring back when jabbed with a fingertip or knuckle.


4. Place dough in an oiled container at least double its size. Spray or grease the top of the loaf, or spray the plastic wrap before covering the dough. Allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1-1 1/2 hours.


5. Gently deflate the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into two. Grease two 9 by 5-inch pans with cooking spray or Crisco and sprinkle the yellow cornmeal all over the inside of the pans. Shape the two halves into two loaves by jelly-rolling the dough together. Place in greased pans and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for approximately 1 hour, or until the dough is cresting 1 inch over the top of the pans.


6. Preheat the oven to 350ºF twenty minutes before baking, with the rack in the center position. Bake loaves for 35-40 minutes or until the top of the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped with a fingertip. Transfer to a wire rack immediately and allow to cool completely before slicing.

The Process:

Water, Yeast and dash of Sugar

Water, Yeast & Sugar mixture after about 10 minutes.

Sourdough Starter

Dough after being kneaded in the KitchenAid mixture

Dough turned out onto a lightly floured counter.

After being kneaded a few times and shaped into a round.

Dough in a greased container, ready to rise (after being covered with plastic wrap).

Dough after first rise.

Pans greased and prepared by coating with cornmeal.

Dough after first rise, being shaped. Flatten into a rectangle and roll tightly.

Dough shaped and seam pinched together.

Dough ready for second rise.

Dough after second rise, should crest over the pan by about an inch on top.

Top view of the dough ready to go into the oven.

When the loaf is done, it should pull slightly away from the sides of the pan.

Results:

This is one of my favorite sandwich breads now. It's creamy, buttery, light and yet rich. Perfect for almost any use, this bread is a great way to use all that sourdough starter you keep in the fridge.