Yeast Breads: Sourdough Bread

I love sourdough. It's so light and airy and sour and delicious. It also takes a week to make, so be prepared to devote a little time to this magnificent bread. The starter will take 5 days to mature, but once you've prepared the starter, you can feed it and replenish it, so you'll be able to make this bread in as little as a day. This takes a little planning, and it's easy to forget about your starter, so set a reminder on your phone if you have to.


Directions for maintaining your starter will be found at the end of the recipe.


Ingredients


For the Starter
1¼ tsp active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
3½ cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp honey


For the Bread
½ cup starter
3 cups all purpose flour
⅛ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
2 tbsp butter


Preparation


You have to make the starter first, so gather up those ingredients. You won't need the bread ingredients for at least 5 days. Get yourself a container with a loose fitting lid. The container must not be made of metal, and the lid must allow for air to escape or the container will explode. I use a ceramic crock, but you can use whatever you like. If you'll be feeding your starter, you'll want something dedicated to sourdough starter. It should hold at least 6 cups, mostly to allow room for expansion. The starter does rise, after all.


Place the warm water in the container. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it sit for 5 minutes, until the yeast is dissolved and foamy. Add the flour and the honey and stir well. Cover loosely. Remember not to seal the starter inside anything or you've wasted your efforts. A loose fitting lid is essential.


Let the starter stand in a warm location for 5 days. Stir it down at least once a day. This is where setting an alarm on your phone might come in handy. Don't forget about your starter. It needs attention in order to thrive. It is ready for use when it is bubbly and has a liquid layer of yellow on top. Make sure you stir it well before you use it.


Now that you have a starter that has aged for the better part of a week, you are ready to make your sourdough bread. Your yeast is already dissolved and active, so you don't have to dissolve the yeast to start. Using a nonmetal bowl, blend all bread ingredients until you have a loose dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 to 10 minutes.


Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely. Let rise in a warm place for at least 8 hours. Longer is better, so try letting it rise overnight. If you're using a bread maker, you can start the dough in the evening and go to bed when the rise cycle starts. Just let it sit in the bread maker until you get up in the morning.


Punch down the dough and shape it as you see fit. I like a loaf, but you might want a baguette or rolls. The shape isn't as important as the rise time. Place your loaf or rolls on a prepared baking sheet and cover with a cloth. Set aside to rise for 2 or 3 hours, or until doubled in size. This may take as long as 5 hours, so be patient will your bread. It will rise.


Heat the oven to 400°F. If you want to score the top of your bread, now is the time. It is not strictly necessary, but it looks nice. Either way, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove immediately from baking sheet and cool completely before slicing.


You will have some leftover starter. You can either discard it (which is a shame) or preserve it. Whenever you remove 1 cup of starter (the equal to 2 recipes worth of bread), you can replenish it. Add 1 cup of flour, ⅔ cup of warm water, and 1 tsp of honey to the starter. Blend well and cover, then let sit until mixture is bubbly, about 12 hours. After that, store in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before using. As long as you make at least 2 loaves a week, you can replenish your starter indefinitely.


If you don't use your starter for a week, you'll have to feed it instead of replenish it. Remove it from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Add 1 tsp of honey, stir well, and cover. Allow to sit at room temperature for 12 hours, then return to the fridge.


If you're going to keep your starter, try to make a routine out of it. If it's a routine, it will be easier to remember. If you can't do this, set a reminder on your phone. That way you won't forget about your starter. If it's replenished or fed regularly, it can be used for years on end, always getting a little better with age.


After 6 weeks, you truly have a delicious bread on your hands.