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My sourdough bread baked this morning.

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Bob –

Thank you for the info Yeah – I can use the dehydrator! Also, great tip on removing the knobs – will have to keep that one in mind!

I just visited your website – many recipes there that I will have to try!

Like I mentioned earlier, I am new to sourdough “baking”. Received kefir grains from a lady and as a bonus she sent me some of her whole wheat sourdough starter (yeah!). I have been researching on how to use both of these via the web and old cookbooks I have.

So far have made about a dozen batches of kefir – all successful and tasty! However the sourdough was a little confusing at first till I found a couple videos that helped me walk through the process. For the first few days I just fed the starter as was not sure how to use it. However this weeked I finally baked with it with success. Baked 5 loaves of bread – one loaf was a whole wheat sourdough/kefir soaked loaf (too sour for my taste, however hubby loved it). Two loaves were whole wheat sourdough (still a little too tart for me, again hubby liked). And the last two were whole wheat/bread flour loaves with more honey for sweetness (still a little tart, but I could “maybe” get use to the taste – again hubby liked).

My taste has not come accustomed to the “sour” taste yet, or maybe I am not adding enough sweetener – guess that is just a taste you like or don’t. Hubby likes “sour” so he likes it all. But then he also likes the kefir and the kombucha which I have a hard time with – oh well.

Anyway, thank you for the info!! I will keep trying other recipes and experiment with them!

Deb (debfroggie)

Hi -

Just started working with sourdough starter, etc . . .

Since it is just my husband and myself I find I have too much starter many times. I have watched your video on drying starter for future use, sharing with friends and so forth.

My question is this – can I dry my starter in my dehydrator with no heat but rather just air circulating? The reason for using my dehydrator is that it has 6 trays so that I could dry more starter at the same time rather than 2 sheets in my oven.

Any info would be so greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your videos!!! They have really been very helpful!!

Deb (debfroggie)

Great website. Thanks so much. I’m learning a lot and hoping to turn that knowledge into delicious practical experience during 2010.

I JUST REMOVED MY FIRST ATTEMPT FROM THE OVEN AND IT WAS FAB!

HOLY COW IT IS SIMPLY THE BEST!

ALL THE BEST FROM CAMBRIA, CA

Just watched your no-knead video, and enjoyed how easy and concise you made it seem!!! I went to your site to find out the cause of my “Pain Poilane” clone (a la Patricia Welles) not coming out with a nice brown crust, and I think I’ll give your no-knead a whirl!!! Can I just add water to my saved started to make it less doughy??? Maybe that’s my problem, the dough isn’t wet enough….(Am off to one of many Indian stores in Vancouver to find chapatti flour, I already make use of kamut and spelt. Thanks….

After you make the first batch how to store the remaining starter?

Got your sourdough starter last week and after being away for the weekend I got it going this week. Just finished making the San Francisco sourdough bread from Peter Reinhardt’s Crust and Crumb book. Can I be in love with a loaf of bread? I cannot believe just how good this bread came out. I don’t have a camera but the bread looks just like a great photo of this bread should look and the flavor is just fantastic.

I was baking my own bread before with yeast and it was a lot better than what I could find in the supermarket. This takes me to a whole higher level. I followed the instructions and they worked just like you said they would. I had some King Arthur Flour Whole Wheat around so I started with that. Then I added the King Arthur Bread Flour the next day. The sourdough worked like a champ.

I just received a Romertopf 111. I am new to clay baking. Do I soak the baker in water, put it in the oven and heat it to 500 degrees before adding the dough?

I have been baking your bread for a short while, and keep improving on the quality… I think I almost got it. To my shock, during a visit yesterday, my adult son told me that he was learning to bake bread. He especially asked about sourdough making. Boy, did I turn him on to your site!

Thanks for your help. The site is wonderful and the camaraderie, a lot of fun. Keep it going forever.

Thanks for your great recipes and videos that are very helpful. I appreciate that you’re doing this from Iowa (my home state), that your information is simple and clear with enough details for those of us with little experience, and that the two of you seem down-to-earth and make bread creating an enticing adventure possible for anyone and not something scary or daunting. Even my aunt, who has loads of cooking/baking experience, especially in the pizza realm, has now adopted your pizza recipe and is using a peel and is very happy about both. Again, thanks.

eric
I’ve made a new sourdough starter using wholewheat and white flour didn’t get much of an oven spring with cold oven start but a great thin crust any comments. I also couldn”t resist kneading about 4 times befor the second rise comments please

Great idea and great layout! I’m hoping that we’ll be able to work together soon! Drop me a line and we can try to set up a time for a visit to IHCC. Our students would like to hear from you!

I’ve added a link over at the Hill’s!

I have a question. I love making bread and have tried many methods over the years and enjoyed them all. But I have one problem that occationally drives me crazy! The dough will rise beautifally and when I put it in the hot oven, it flops. I’ve tried rizing it in the oven and just turning the oven on, or
rizing it outside the oven and then gently putting it in the oven. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. What am I doing wrong?

Eric! (AKA the “Hot Bread Man”)

Pun intended of course ha! I had referred to you as thus when I first began my journey 6 weeks ago baking no knead SD. Even though I have a great “Hot Hubby” at home he can NOT inspire the artisan baker in me the way you can!

Kudos to your creative and well laid out website, and to the great recipe’s I have tried out so far. I have baked SD bread often the old fashioned way and with my arthritis had to resort to purchasing it a few years back. Now I can make it with little to no elbow grease.

I mostly bake the SD as my family loves it and usually include 4-5 sliced cloves of fresh garlic and a tsp. garlic powder right in with the initial mix. I have even thrown in some fresh rosemary soaked in olive oil. Oh and I make it a point to add a tbsp. of olive oil to the starter/water mix as well. My bread rises perfectly, has a golden, thinner/chewy crust and a soft holy crumb. The bread has a nice medium sour tang too. If I keep the bread in a paper back loosely rolled up the crust stay’s crisp and chewy for 2-3 days. The bread toasts perfectly as well.

I am using a crock pot liner w/ lid and the parchment lowering method as well. We can’t afford to buy a la cloche, or dutch oven but honestly there is no need. That crock pot bakes the bread perfectly. You can hear the crust “singing” and see the tiny bubbles all over the crust too :0)

I had meant to take pictures of this last night but it was mauled and so I had to regrettably take pictures of the remains. The loaf “was” very pretty, but as you can see it’s been manhandled slightly by hungry hoards of bread trolls! Originally it was about 1/2 an inch higher. I put some of my own starter (made last year by me) in a Pyrex cup just before taking the pictures. I feed my starter every other day a 1/4 cup of flour and 2 tbps. filtered water. It’s thick and is always bubbly. I keep it on my counter lightly covered and and in the summer months I feed it daily due to a warmer kitchen. Great California climate! Also, I give it a once weekly dose of sweets (1 tsp sugar). It feeds the starter very well and IMHO keeps it vigorous. I keep my starter at about 4 cups so 1 tsp of sugar per week does not sweeten the starter a bit taste wise. Otherwise I’d recommend just a pinch or two of sugar for smaller batches if you are thinking about giving it some extra oomph.

Thanks again Eric for the great recipe’s!

Jennifer K.

Many Many thanks! Jennifer K.

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Eric,

After going on to this site, I am totally confused. Seems to me that moderation in all things is the key factor.

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/health/2008/10/high-fructose-c.html

Bob

Melissa,

Let me take a shot at your questions:

Now that I have gotten my starter going I have a few baking questions:

- How can I better control the density of the bread? Add more water?
The ratio of water to flour will affect the density. More flour, denser. Also, the use of whole wheat and/or rye flours will give you denser breads. Most of my “mixed” breads have no more than 50 percent whole wheat or rye. 3 cups white/3 cups WW or rye. You might try that as a starting point and adjust upward with the heavier flours. I personally like the heavier breads, but my significant other prefers the lighter bread (brought up on Wonder Bread). But I am educating her!

- How can I better control the thickness of the crust?
Baking in a covered container or baking in an uncovered pan can affect the crust. Baking with steam will also affect the crust. You might try buttering the top before you put the bread in the oven. To soften the crust, I rub a stick of butter on the crust as soon as it comes out of the oven. Even better is to use clarified butter which does not make the dull sheen on the crust. I also cover my loaves with a cloth as soon as they come out of the oven.

- Always seems the bread is quite done baking before it’s attained a rich color and I’m afraid of over-baking it.
Are you using an instant read thermometer to check the interior temp? I bake most of my breads to about 207 – 210F internal. Some do the initial bake at a higher temp and then turn down the oven about 25-50 degrees to get what I think you are striving for. If the bread starts to turn too dark, just put a tent of aluminium foil over it. I personally do not bake my breads as dark as I see on some of the bread sites.

- Any benefit to adding the salt a little later in the dough-making process?
Salt affects the action of the yeast/starter. Adding it later (just ensure it gets fully incorporated) IS beneficial.

- Can I use semolina flour in lieu of bread flour?
Can’t speak to this as I do not use semolina. Big question would be the protein content of the semolina. As you know, rye and whole wheat need white flour OR long ferments to help them rise because of the lower protein content.

Bob

Now that I have gotten my starter going I have a few baking questions:
- How can I better control the density of the bread? Add more water?
- How can I better control the thickness of the crust?
- Always seems the bread is quite done baking before it’s attained a rich color and I’m afraid of over-baking it.
- Any benefit to adding the salt a little later in the dough-making process?
- Can I use semolina flour in lieu of bread flour?

Thanks!