The Family Baker
Basic Sour Dough Starter
NOTE: Sour dough is a live organism. Avoid using metals (such as metal mixing bowl, spoons, hard water, etc)
Ingredients
4 cups of Kamut grain, milled (yields approx 6+ cups of flour)
8 cups of warm, distilled or filtered water
1 1/2 cups of starter mother
In a one gallon crock pot gently mix all the flour, water, and starter. Lightly cover and put into proofing box for 8 to 12 hours (No more than 24 hours) at a constant temperature between 80 and 82 degrees.
When it’s time to take the starter out of the crock, gently stir and divide starter into about (5) 2-cup mason jars or equivalent. Cover and vent. For mason jars, put the starter in the jar, place plastic wrap on top and put metal ring onto jar. Then use a knife to slice a breathing hole into the plastic wrap. Keep the starters in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
When you go to use the starter, the starter will have sifted to the bottom. Pour the water off. Also the gases from the live organism will make the water turn dark. This is normal.
Directions for Making a Proofing Box
Styrofoam box
10 watt CG bulb or 25 watt incandescent
Cord with socket at end (available from Ace Hardware, etc)
Thermometer
Make a hole in the lid of the Styrofoam box for the light bulb to fit through. Use the thermometer to measure temperature. You can ‘adjust’ the temp by opening the lid slightly.
Sour Dough Italian Bread
Makes a 2 pound loaf of bread
4 cups of a hard grain like Kamut, mill it into flour
The sourdough starter (2 cups but you poured off the excess water which will bring it down to 1 1/2 cups of starter)
About 2 cups of distilled water
2 tsp RealSalt
Combine the ingredients and knead. The dough will feel elastic but sticky.
After kneading well by hand for about 4—5 minutes, you can put it in your bread machine set on dough setting or in your mixer if you have a plastic paddle and knead for about 6—7 minutes. If you will do all the kneading by hand, knead for about 10—15 minutes total. Take the kneaded dough out of mixer and place in an oiled baker. (The dough will not rise much on the counter but it will spring in the oven). It will be elastic but not as ‘thick’ as yeast dough. Lightly cover. Let rest for 50 minutes.
*
Covered bakers trap the moisture of the dough into the cavity of the baker. This trapped steam is what makes that crispy crust. Preheat baker lid and oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread for 45 minutes with the hot lid on the baker. Take the lid off and bake about 10 minutes longer. Cool bread on it’s side on a cooling rack. Don’t wrap in plastic wrap after cooled if you want to keep the crisp crust. After you sliced off what you want to use, set the bread in it’s cut side on your cutting board.
*If you don’t have a covered baker, put the dough in your bread pan to bake. When you put the bread into the oven, put a broiler pan on the bottom rack with a cup of water. Bake for a total of 55 minutes at 350. This will create a steam oven that encourages that crispy crust.
Sour Dough Rye Bread
Makes a 2 pound loaf of bread
3 cups of a hard grain like Kamut, mill it into flour
1 cup of rye grain milled into flour
2 tsp RealSalt
2 Tablespoons of Vital Wheat Gluten (optional but it makes up for the lack of gluten in the rye)
1 Tablespoon Dough Enhancer (optional)
1 Tablespoon of Caraway Seed (optional)
1 Tablespoon of honey or Sucanat
The sourdough starter (2 cups but you poured off the excess water which will bring it down to 1 1/2 cups of starter)
2 Tablespoons of oil
About 2 cups of distilled water
Combine the ingredients and knead. The dough will feel elastic but sticky.
After kneading well by hand for about 4—5 minutes, you can put it in your bread machine set on dough setting or in your Bosch mixer if you have a plastic paddle and knead for about 6—7 minutes. If you will do all the kneading by hand, knead for about 10—15 minutes total. Take the kneaded dough out of mixer and place in an oiled baker. (The dough will not rise much on the counter but it will spring in the oven). It will be elastic but not as ‘thick’ as yeast dough. Lightly cover. Let rest for 50 minutes. Preheat baker lid and oven to 350 degrees. Slash the dough several times. Bake bread for 45 minutes with the hot lid on the baker. Take the lid off and bake about 10 minutes longer. Cool bread on it’s side on a cooling rack.
