the harvest is plenty but the laborers are few

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Sourdough bread in 5 minutes a day

I love bread.  It really doesn't matter what kind.  Farmhouse, honey oat, Artisan, Whole Wheat, White... I have even learned in my life as a mostly grown up to enjoy rye and pumpernickle. 

And Sourdough?  Oh sourdough, how do I love you?  Let me count the ways...

I am also learning the art of food fermentation.  Yogurt, Water Kefir, soaked grains... the many uses  of sourdough starter!  Oh I've made muffins and pancakes and more pancakes and waffles and pancakes.  Did I mention the pancakes?  (Today IS National Pancake Day, people!) 
Except... I have NOT had much success with sourdough bread.  It just didn't come out... right.  It didn't rise, it was WAY too crusty.  Don't get me wrong, I love crust... just not enough to chip a tooth on it.  So sourdough has elluded me... until today! 

Another thing I love?  Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day.  This is the ONLY way I can have fresh bread in the summer.  It is just too busy a time of year to be on a bungy cord attached to the kneading and rising and punching and rising and shaping and rising and baking... gesh.  I have bett-ah things to do! Like swim in a pool, feed chickens, tend look at pigs (Five-Oh raises those), milk goats, make chevre and weed gardens!  Oh and raise children.  Ha, almost forgot about those hungry growing buggers blessings from heaven.

Wait, wait, what?  You've never heard of Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day!?  Oh ma gosh.  It's SOOOO easy.  You mix up, like, 4 ingredients, put it in a non metal bowl, let it rise, stick it in the fridge and pull out a softball size ball of dough everytime you want artisan bread.  Or you can make it into pizza, or cinnamon rolls or well, anything that's made with dough.  You get the idea here?  You see the broad scope of possibilities?!

You're welcome.

Next comes the inspiration that just shot down out of the heavens and into my head this morning.  (Thank you Jesus!)  What if... stay with me here people... what if I combined the sourdough starter with the ideas of Artisan bread in 5 minutes a day!?  And so that is exactly what I did with mah bad self.



Sourdough Bread in 5 Minutes a day
1 1/2 c Sourdough Starter (my starter is fed 1/2 flour, 1/2 water quantities at a time)
2 1/4 c warm water
1 tsp active dry yeast (you need a little of this yeast in order to get a good rise from the 'fridge)
1 Tbsp kosher salt
6 c flour (I used organic white)

Mix it all up.  I used my kitchenaid mixer, but absolutely do NOT leave your dough to rise in a stainless steel bowl.  It messes with the wee yeasties.  Transfer over to a ceramic or plastic container.  Your dough should be a slightly sticky mass.  Allow to rise for 6-8 hours or so. (You can't really go wrong here.)  Stick it in your fridge.  When you are ready to bake follow the baking instructions found here.  Or get creative.  Today I made calzones and cinnamon buns! 

UPDATE: I followed the directions in the link for making an artisan loaf. I handled it minimally, just gently shaped.  And I let it sit out for about 1 - 1 1/2 hrs before baking. And baked it at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.  It was the BEST loaf of artisan bread I ever made in. my. life.  And that says a lot.  The picture above is that very loaf.  Delicious-o!

(free sourdough starter)

Enjoy! 

11 comments:

Pamela said...

sourdough starter.
how does that get started?

Hanna said...

You ask your dear friend for some that's already started. :)

Little Mountain Haven said...

I am sooo excited to try this!!

echinacea said...

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup water
and a pinch of yeast to get started

Put in a glass container with a lid (i used tupperware) stir until its all mixed

Put on a shelf in a temperature consistent place

Next day, add 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup water....do this every day for a week

After 5 to 7 days it should be ready to use. After use, replace equal amounts of what you used. keep in fridge.....treat it like a plant you water. If you dont use any for a week....take out 1/2 cup and replace with fresh flour and water.

If you dont start with a pinch of yeast its ok....it can work with wild yeast in the air

Unknown said...

This blog is great!!! Totally got me in the mood to bake up a delicious loaf of bread! Has anybody heard anything good about the starters from Sourdough's International? A friend suggested one of their starters, I haven't got the chance to try them out.

Randall and Rachel Beita said...

Oh, I am so excited to find this recipe! It looks so easy. I have not had good success with my sourdough yet. I am new and my loves turn out hard as rock on the outside and very dense. Is there something else I can bake it on? I don't have a stone or cast iron. Will it work on a cookie sheet or a regular loaf pan? Can't wait to try it! Thanks!!

Ed Escobar said...

Thanks for the recipe.

Am I correct to assume that the 1.5 cups of starter should be deflated? I'm new at this and I had just begun the sourdough starter I had bought from Breadtopia. It looked like I had 3 or 4 cups but when I stirred it deflated to just a over the amount I needed for your recipe. I fed it again and will wait for tomorrow but I wanted to make sure that I was doing this right.

Thanks so much again,

Ed

Unknown said...

Hi Hanna,

It's like someone read my mind and then posted Sourdough Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. I've been making AB5MD for a couple of years now with wonderful results. Lately, my bread thoughts have turned to sourdough whole grain breads. I'm making a starter now (Day 2). I'll report back on my results. I have a lot to share keeping whole grain bread moist and not too heavy. A lot to learn as well.

Randall and Rachel Beita said...

I hope you see this comment as I know this post is old. Is it possible to use this to make a loaf of bread? We mostly use bread for sandwiches but I too am busy and need a quick recipe or I end up buying store bread 8( How much would I pull off for a loaf? Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for working out how to do a sourdough version of the artisan bread in 5 recipe! I followed your instructions, but used half white whole wheat (didn't have enough all-purpose). I also added a splash of extra water and a few Ts of vital wheat gluten to compensate for the ww flour. Absolutely delicious, and each loaf was better (and more sour) than the last! I'm going to try a 100% all-purpose batch next.

To the commenter above me, there's info here:
http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/2011/09/12/the-best-school-lunches-start-with-homemade-bread

Anonymous said...

Can you tell me what you add back into the dough after you have removed some for baking? Thanks!