Sourdough Bread

These are my recipes for sourdough bread.  I use a Bosch to knead my dough.  If you don't have a mixer that handles that task, it works by hand, too.  :-)  Just knead until the ball is smooth and elastic and not too dry.  A little harder to accomplish a damp dough by hand, but it still works.

To obtain a starter, ask around, ask online, and if you're local, ask me!

Whole Wheat Sourdough

2 cups active starter

5 cups lukewarm water

2 T sea salt

5 cups unbleached flour

8 or so cups whole wheat flour

Mix starter, water, salt, unbleached flour and 6 cups whole wheat flour together. Start your timer for 10 minutes. Add enough remaining whole wheat flour to make a soft dough while kneading in the Bosch. The dough needs to be not dry. Soft and pliable works best. Not so sticky that you can't handle it, but just on the edge of that. Continue to knead for the full 10 minutes.

Set to rise overnight in a covered bowl. In the morning, divide into 4 loaves, place in greased pans, spray with water and let rise until light.  Time depends on condition of the dough, the warmth of your kitchen, etc.  I usually figure a few hours.

Preheat oven to 450. Put loaves in, turn oven down to 400, spray with water again and do this as fast as you can so the oven doesn't cool down. :-)

Bake for about 25 minutes.

French Baguettes

2 cups active starter

3 cups water

2 T sea salt

3 cups whole wheat flour

6 +/- cups white flour

Same mixing instructions as above.

For rising, put into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise overnight. Divide into baguette loaves (4), spray with water and let rise for about 3 hours or until light.

Bake same as above.