What is sourdough made out of?

Answer 1

Sourdough bread is bread made without added commercially grown yeast. By using a starter dough in which wild yeast can grow, the sourdough baker can raise bread naturally, as mankind did for thousands and thousands of years before a packet of yeast or baking soda was an available convenience at the local market.

Answer 2

Making sourdough bread at home requires knowledge, patience, and the desire to experiment because you may not get the results that you want the first time. If you want quick bread, forget about sourdough. The recipe for sourdough bread is not that different from ordinary bread, but the rise time for the dough is longer, the first stage of the baking cycle requires the generation of steam to create a crispy crust, and the initial culture of the leavening or sourdough starter may require at least one week of preparation. If this does not intimidate you, this page will teach you how to make sourdough bread from scratch.

A reliable method for creating a sourdough starter was developed by Debra Wink[1] by systematically testing the acidity and temperature conditions needed to promote the growth of the desirable microorganisms. There are three important requirements: 1) use whole grain flour, 2) acidify the flour medium, and 3) maintain the temperature at approximately 75°F (24°C). Whole rye or wheat flour is recommended because the desired yeasts normally inhabit the cereal hulls which are discarded to make refined flour. The required degree of acidification of the starter is provided by using apple cider or unsweetened Pineapple Juice instead of water to get the culture started. The warm room temperature speeds up the process. Day 1: Mix 2 Tbsp whole grain flour and 2 Tbsp unsweetened pineapple juice. Day 2: Add 2 Tbsp whole grain flour and 2 Tbsp unsweetened pineapple juice. Day 3: Add 2 Tbsp whole grain flour and 2 Tbsp unsweetened pineapple juice. Day 4: 1/4 cup (2 oz.) of starter after stirring down. Discard the rest 1 oz. bread flour (about 1/4 cup) 2 Tbsp (1 oz.) spring water By day 4 the mixture should bubble, expand, and smell yeasty. Starting from Day 4, it is necessary to discard some starter to keep the proportion of fresh flour high enough to support the growth of the yeast while keeping the total volume of starter manageable. At each feeding, the weight of starter must be less than or equal to the combined weight of the new flour and water. If the starter is kept underfed when the yeast is growing, the starter will become overly acidic and will not raise dough well. Once you have a good starter, you can keep it loosely covered in the refrigerator and feed it once per week using the procedure for Day 4. Do not use tight-fitting lids for the container with the starter mixture because the gas pressure can build up and break the container. Refeed the starter for two days at room temperature prior to making bread.

Recipe Ingredients: * 1 cup (5 oz.) whole wheat flour * 2 1/2 cups (11 oz.) white bread flour * 1 1/2 tsp. salt * 1 1/2 cups spring water * 1/4 cup starter Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Dissolve the starter in the water. It is important to use non-chlorinated water because chlorine will kill the gas-generating yeast and bacteria in the starter. Pour the water on the flour mixture while stirring. Shape the dough into a ball and cover the bowl with plastic. If your starter is very fluid, you may need to add 1/4 cup additional flour to obtain a dough that has a moist and firm consistency. The porosity of the bread depends on the amount of water in the dough. Wet doughs produce breads with big holes.

Fermentation

Leave the covered bowl at room temperature (75°F, 24°C) for approximately 18 hours. During this time the dough will approximately double in size.

Folding and resting

Sprinkle some flour on a large cutting board. Empty the dough from the bowl unto the board and spread the dough gently so that it can be folded in thirds and then folded once more to form a ball. Cover with plastic and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

Proofing

Use a towel to line the large bowl. Sprinkle wheat bran or oat bran on the towel to keep the dough from adhering to the towel, and transfer the dough to the lined bowl. You may also use a wicker proofing basket or banneton, if available. Cover the bowl or proofing basket with another towel. Proofing is the final rise before baking. During this stage, the dough is allowed to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The towel allows some moisture to evaporate from the surface of the dough and will create a thin skin that eventually produces a crunchy crust. The best results are obtained when the dough is proofed in a warm place.

Baking

The crispy crust of sourdough bread is obtained by baking the loaf in a hot oven with plenty of moisture during the initial baking period. This can be accomplished by baking the moist dough in an enclosed space, such as a clay baking cloche, a cast iron Dutch oven, or by spraying some water on the dough when it is placed in the the hot oven and by keeping a shallow pan with water in the lower shelf of the oven to generate steam while the bread is baking. Controling the moisture of the whole oven is more difficult than using a covered brick oven or cast iron Dutch oven. Since the dough is very moist, the shape of the Dutch oven determines the shape of the loaf. If the Dutch oven is too large and the dough does not fill it halfway, the loaf will bake flat. Thirty minutes before you plan to bake the bread, place the covered empty cast iron Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 475°F (246°C). When ready to bake the bread, work quickly. Open the Dutch oven, sprinkle some bran in the bottom of the heated Dutch oven to keep the bread from burning and sticking. Transfer the dough to the Dutch oven. Make some decorative 1/2 inch (1 cm) deep slashes with a razor blade, if desired. Put the lid on the Dutch oven. Bake the covered dough for 30 minutes at 450°F. Remove the lid from the Dutch oven, and bake for another 15 minutes at to 400°F (204°C) until the crust is golden brown. Be careful not to get burned by the steam as you open the Dutch oven. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool for at least one hour.

Answer 3

Bakers long ago in the 19th century would make their own yeast.

Using a bowl of flour and water as bait, the baker makes a starter by capturing yeasts and bacteria (including lactobacillus sanfrancisco) from the air, the mixing bowl itself, even the baker's hands. Feeding on the flour, these microorganisms begin to multiply. The yeasts give off carbon dioxide, which makes the dough rise, while the bacteria produce lactic acid and acetic acid (vinegar), which contribute the sour flavor.

Answer 4

Sourdough uses wild yeasts you catch at home and make bread when you have no yeast at home. You can keep the yeast going by adding some of the previous batch and feed the mix with flour and water.

What is good about it is that it's pungent flavor and aroma enhances most of the things that you put on a piece of bread. There are a lot of 'wanna bees' out there so don't buy it if it doesn't smell great.

Answer 5

Sourdough Bread Made from Wheat and Nontoxic Flours and Started with Selected Lactobacilli Is Tolerated in Celiac Sprue Patients

Answer 6

Sourdough bread is made using a non-commercial yeast that gives the resulting bread bigger air bubbles, a somewhat firm texture, and a slightly tart flavor.