MAKING SOURDOUGH BREAD

I did not grow up with Sourdough bread in my parents home although sourdough was much more commonly used in the community and especially in rural households. Upon entering my house a few weeks ago a fellow South African  and friend now living in Cambridge remarked, "Jou huis ruik soos die broodhuis van my kinder dae!" A literal translation would be, "Your house smells like the bread house of my childhood days!" 

This to me effectively proved how making bread using sourdough was a common practice in certain communities in South Africa.  I had baked several loaves of bread using sourdough for his visit but also for him to take home. According to my friend this was the authentic aromas and flavours of bread he once knew in his  parental home. My own Sourdough bread making has come a long way.  The starter itself has over the months become a very healthy rising agent. On this occasion I wanted to explore the effects of adding mashed potatoes to the culture. This starter (or culture as referred to in the video) was initially made with Organic Maltstar Flour from  a mill in Dorset.

STARTER

The dough has a high proportion of water that makes it difficult to work with.  (I still need to work on my loaf forming skills!) I've learnt how to improvise using my oven as a prover for the dough.  I switch on the oven and at the bottom I place an oven pan that I fill with boiling water.  When the oven has heated up enough I switch it off and add more boiling water to the pan just as I put the dough in the oven.  I then let it proof for at least one and a half hours regularly adjusting the temperature by either switching the oven on for a minute of adding more boiling water to the pan.  This works perfectly!

The bread is then baked for thirty five minutes.  Research online has given me guidelines as to the exact temperature for baking.  Baking should take place at 500F/260C for fifteen minutes and then reduced to 430F/220C for a further twenty minutes.  This is rather tricky in domestic ovens and one has to work out what is ideal for the oven used which I had to do. Every aspect of baking needs to be carefully considered and this especially is where some people fail in the final stages of their bread making.

I do like the flavour and texture that the potatoes have added to the sourdough although I found the crust to be slightly harder than I prefer.  There are so many possibilities with sourdough bread, the best results I've had so far were Sourdough Maltstar loaves that I baked earlier this year.  I endeavour to also create a Sourdough Bloomer with plain flour.  I hope to make these two my signature Sourdough breads!

MALTSTAR LOAF

MALTSTAR BREAD MADE A PERFECT SANDWICH!