December 3, 2005
Better White
[12/2/05]
I cloned the sourdough starter a month ago before I took the original starter on the road trip to Wa, St, The original survived quite well. Time to deal with the clone. There was a thin hootch layer so It definitely needs a feed or I could toss it, I’ve got plenty and I can make more. So I removed half of the clone (to the disposal) and added 1/2 C of whole wheat flour and half in water.. I’m not sure what this experiment is supposed to tell me.
For real bread, tonight’s mix was 1C water, 1/2C+ of active starter. Mix. 1 Tsp salt, 1 Tbl sugar Mix. 1 Tbl Dry skim milk. Mix. 1 Tbl olive oil, Mix in . 2.5C of flour. Stir. Rest. Stir. Rest. Stir until it might come out of the bowl after resting
I used a 1/2C of flour for bench work, so 3 total. It’s wet (very soft) but the extra mixing and rests has made it less sticky or maybe it was the oil or the milk powder. I worked the dough hard for about twenty minutes and I felt it go through two changes. There was a point where I knew I didn’t have to use any more bench flour to keep from stickling (and that 1/2C was nearly gone). It was still soft but it didn’t stick to the bench. It still stuck to me and the scraper a little but the gluten of the big mass would pull it off the scaper. I was doing the scape and slam it on the bench until it got to that point. A little flour on my hands and I could knead it in the “standard’ way. Then it changed again, it went sticky and seconds later become “soft’ again and I just know it was ready. That’s the best I can do at describing the changes. I know from experience I could have worked another cup of flour in and that would be wrong.
It’s been a few hours on the first rise and it’s doubled but not really ready for shaping. Time for a snooze in the fridge.
{Next Day]
I let it warm up for an hour and shaped the dough into two batards, I was trying for baquettes but I didn’t roll them thin enough. About a 3 hour rise and into a 450F oven for 17 minutes (each they are just mini loaves)
They turned out well as sandwith rolls a little softer in crust and crumb and milder in flavor which was exactly what I was expecting. Holes but not huge holes. Not very sour but it isn’t yeast bread by a long shot. I froze what couldn’t be eaten.
[Days Later]
I prefer the other style, but I’ve been eating this after defrosting for hot dog buns and it’s really good.