Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

This whole wheat bread is made with a sourdough starter. Working with starters is fun! First, you make a sponge of whole wheat flour, water and a cup of sourdough starter. The sponge bubbles and foams for 24 hours, then you mix it with the dough to form a loaf of whole wheat bread.

The bread takes a couple of days to make because you need to feed your starter and let it sit several hours. Then you create the sponge with the starter and let the sponge sit overnight before making the bread. It's not complicated, all it takes is a little bit of planning.

 

Sourdough Whole Wheat Bread

Makes: 2 loaves
Recipe from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads

Preparing the starter for use in the recipe:

The starter I used in this recipe was created in 1847 on the Oregon Trail. A few years ago, you could visit http://www.carlsfriends.org for more information and request a dried sourdough start from Carl Griffith's 1847 Oregon Trail Sourdough Starter; however, I think the site has since been taken down.

I received my dry start this past summer and started reviving it in August. It's been developing in my refrigerator ever since. This is actually the first time I've used this starter. I usually have at least three starters going at any one time in my refrigerator. I just have to remember to feed them.

To prepare the starter for use in this recipe, a couple of days ago, I discarded 1 cup of starter and fed the remaining starter with 1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup of water. I covered the mixture and let it sit overnight.

I used the amount called for in the recipe and then fed the starter again with 1 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of water and put it back in the refrigerator for use next time (or the next feeding whichever comes first).


Ingredients:

Sponge:

• 1 cup starter of choice
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (105° - 115°)
• 2 cups whole wheat flour

Dough:

• 1 package dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 to 4 cups whole wheat flour (I'm using freshly milled whole wheat flour from hard red spring wheat, but you can use any whole wheat flour.)
• 1 cup bread or all-purpose flour, approximately
• extra water for hydrating

Directions:

Preparation: 8-10 hours or overnight

To make the sponge, the night before mix the starter, water, and flour in a mixer or mixing bowl. Cover with a length of plastic wrap and put in a warm place (80° - 85°) for 8 to 10 hours, or overnight. The sponge will bubble and foam and rise to double it's original volume.




Mixing: 20 minutes

To make the dough, stir down the sponge, and sprinkle yeast over the surface of the mixture. Add the salt. Using a mixer, attach the flat beater, and measure in the whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup at a time. Mix for 2 minutes at medium speed.
When all of the whole wheat flour has been mixed in, let the dough rest for 8 to 10 minutes while the flour completely absorbs the moisture.




Attach the mixer dough hook and mix in the white flour, 1/4 cup at a time, to make a soft dough that forms a rough mass.

The ball will be somewhat sticky because of the large volume of whole wheat flour.
I added more water at this point before continuing because the dough mass was not sticky it was too dry and needed to be hydrated.





Kneading: 10 minutes

Add white flour, a tablespoon at a time so that a soft ball forms around the revolving arm. Knead by hand or with the dough hook until the dough is soft and elastic. 10 minutes. If it persists sticking, sprinkle on additional small portions of white flour.




Resting: 15 minutes

Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel and let rest on the work surface for 15 minutes.




Shaping: 10 minutes

Push the dough down and knead for 30 seconds to press out the bubbles.




With a sharp knife or bench knife, divide the dough into two pieces. Shape into balls, and let rest for 3 to 4 minutes.




Form each loaf by pressing a ball of dough into a flat oval, roughly the length of the baking pan.





Fold the oval in half, pinch the seam tightly to seal, tuck under the ends, and place in the pan, seam down.





Rising: 2 hours

Place the pans in a warm place, cover with wax paper, and leave until the center of the dough has risen to the level or slightly above the edge of the pan, 2 hours.

My loaves did not rise to the top because I used bigger pans than the recipe called for. I used the 9 x 5 pans rather than the 8 1/2 x 4 pans. The bread bakes more evenly in these pans, that's why I'm using them.






Baking:  Preheat the oven to 425° 20 minutes before baking.

Slit the top of each loaf lengthwise with a stroke of a razor blade or sharp knife.




Brush with water, and bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes. Brush the loaves again with water, reduce the heat to 350°, and continue baking for an additional 35 minutes, or until the loaves are browned and test done when tapped on the bottom with the forefinger.

I spritzed my loaves (and the inside of the oven) with water several times during the first 15 minutes of baking to get the hearth-baked effect.

Midway during the baking period and again near the end of it, shift the pans in the oven so they are exposed equally to its temperature variations.






Place bread on a metal rack to cool.



 
Here is the baked and cooled loaf of bread. Enjoy!






I'm not a big fan of really sour, sourdough bread. I tried a piece and this may be a little too sour for me.  However, it does taste good warm with butter. My son said it was too sour for him, but he did like when I warmed it and spread it with butter.


1/20/09 update: This bread seems to mellow with age. It's been sitting on my kitchen counter for a couple of days and I just tried a warm slice with butter. It tastes really good. Not too sour... just right. I guess all it needed was a little time.


Happy Baking!
Cathy

 

Sourdough Bread using a Grape Starter

I’ve been developing a natural grape starter using grapes from a local vineyard. I took a tour of the winery recently and it was very educational.

Did you know that red wine is better for you than white wine because they use the whole grape and not just the juice? 

When I heard that, it reminded me of the difference between whole wheat flour and white flour. Whole wheat flour utilizes the whole grain whereas white flour separates the bran and the germ.

Another similarity between making wine and bread is the fermentation process. When the wine maker started talking about the fermentation process for wine, I just smiled. Anyone that bakes bread on a regular basis is familiar with the fermentation process, particularly when you make bread using a starter. I think the process is fascinating - whether it's winemaking or bread making.

Speaking of starters, it's time to get started making the grape starter.

Here are the grapes I used. Don't they look yummy!

You can get organic grapes at a natural foods store or go pick you own.

Natural Grape Starter recipe from Rustic European Breads from your Bread Machine by Linda West Eckhardt and Diana Collingwood Butts. They got the recipe from an old Oklahoma Dust Bowl cookbook.

• 1 1/2 cups/7.5 oz./210 grams organic unbleached bread flour
• 2 cups/16 oz./450 grams  room temperature spring water
• 1/2 pound/8 oz./225 grams organic grapes on the stem, unwashed

Day 1: In a medium-sized glass or plastic bowl, whisk together the bread flour and spring water until its lump free.

This is what the starter looks like before we add the grapes.

Submerge the grapes in the mixture

Starter after the grapes have been added.

Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm room from 4 to 7 days. Feed the mixture every day with a few spoons of additional flour and water, keeping the ratio 3 parts flour to 4 parts water. Within a few hours the mixture will begin to bubble and expand.

Grape starter after a few hours on the counter.
It's already starting to bubble!

The starter is ready to use once the aroma is tangy and the taste is sweet and sour all at once, usually on about the third day.


Day 2: Starter after being fed on Day 2. It still needs to sit for another day or so.

 

Note: If the starter just lies there after a couple of days, heavy and lifeless, throw away most of it and feed it again with 1/2 cup flour and 2/3 cup water. Let is sit for about 12 hours, and look to see if it's started bubbling again. If it's still dead, throw it out and start over.


Day 3: Here is the starter at the beginning of Day 3.
It doesn't look to bubbly right now so we'll let it rest a little while longer.

 

After we fed it on Day 3, the starter came alive.
See how bubbly it is now!

Once you have a lively homemade grape starter, strain out and discard the grapes. Then, transfer the starter to a clean glass jar, cover, and refrigerate.

Here is the starter after the grapes have been strained out.
It's very bubbly although it’s hard to see in this photo.

We'll put the starter in the refrigerator for a day or so until we're ready to make bread.

To use the refrigerated starter, bring it to room temperature and give it a little feeding of 2 tablespoons flour and 3 tablespoons water. Let it stand in your warm kitchen overnight, then use it in your recipe.

Here is the grape starter after sitting overnight.
It's really bubbly and ready to go!

Day 4: Now, we're ready to make some yummy sourdough bread with the grape starter. Since we put all that effort into making the starter, let's use an easy recipe and make the sourdough bread in the bread machine. I'm also going to experiment a little this time since the bread machine will do most of the work from here.

Classic Bread Machine Sourdough Bread

We'll be making a Classic Bread Machine Sourdough Bread. The recipe is also from Rustic European Breads from your Bread Machine by Linda West Eckhardt and Diana Collingwood Butts.

Since we used their starter recipe, it's only fitting we should use one of their bread recipes. For my experiment, I'm going to do one loaf without adding extra yeast like the recipe calls for and the other loaf with the extra yeast. We'll see how it goes.

Ingredients:

1-Pound Loaf

• 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup starter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

1 1/2-Pound Loaf

• 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup sourdough starter, at room temperature
• 1 cup water

Directions:

Combine the ingredients in the bread machine pan and process on basic bread setting.

For the first loaf, I decided to make the 1-pound loaf. I didn't add the extra yeast to see if the starter would be enough to make the bread rise. Watch the machine for the first 10 minutes. If the dough seems dry, or if the machine lugs, add water, a tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too wet, add flour by the tablespoon until you have a soft dough ball.  Remove the bread promptly from the bread machine at the end of the baking cycle and cool it on a rack. Store in a paper bag.


Here are the photos of the 1st loaf of bread. As you can see, it didn't rise very well. The texture looked good, but I tasted it and let my son taste it and it was rather flat. Oh well! I guess that experiment didn't work very well. But that's the fun part of baking bread...you just try again next time.

Day 5: Ok, now for the 2nd part of the experiment. This time, we're making the bread according to the exact instructions on the recipe.

For this loaf, I decided to make the 1 1/2-pound loaf. I put all the ingredients, including the extra yeast, into the bread machine and set it on the basic bread setting. In a few hours, we'll have some bread.

It's been a few hours and the bread machine just beeped. I've been checking on it every once and a while to make sure it was rising properly. It looks good.

2nd loaf of bread right out of the bread machine.

Now here are the comparison photos. The 2nd loaf rose much better. However, keep in mind that I made a 1-pound loaf for the first loaf and a 1 1/2-pound loaf for the second loaf.

Comparison photos of 1oaf #1 and loaf #2

The 2nd loaf looks better and it tastes better too!

My oldest son doesn't really like sourdough but he liked this bread. It's actually very mild for a sourdough. The starter probably needs a little more time to develop it's flavor. We'll keep the starter going for a little while to see if it develops a more sour flavor. Even though the starter isn't very sour, it did live up to it's reputation of creating a bread that is chewy and crusty. Yummy!

Guess what? Although my family didn't like the 1st loaf, the squirrels and birds did. I always let them try my bread creations. They haven't complained yet.

Thanks for indulging me in this bread-baking experiment! I had fun. I hope you did as well.

Happy Baking!
Cathy

Sourdough Bread Machine Bread

This post focuses on making sourdough bread in a bread machine. 

I used the starter I created from a recipe from Boudin Bakery in San Francisco. It took me awhile to get the flavor of the starter right. I had to throw it away a couple of weeks after I started it because it turned pink. I started it again in September and it's been just fine ever since.

Sourdough Starter Recipe 

From Boudin Bakery http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/bread/recipe-sourdough.html

Ingredients

• 1 small handful (1/4 to 1/3 cup) white (all-purpose) flour
• 1 or 2 tablespoons of water
  

Tools & equipment

• a small bowl
• a towel, napkin, or other piece of cloth (not terry)
• a large spoon

Directions:

1. In a mound of flour, make a small well and add the water.
2. Slowly mix the flour and the water, bringing more flour into the center of the well. The mixture will gradually transform from a paste into a small piece of dough.
3. Knead this small piece of dough with your fingers for about 5-8 minutes, until it becomes springy.
4. Place the dough in a small bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and let it sit in a warm spot for 2 or 3 days.
5. When it's ready, the dough will be moist, wrinkled, and crusty. If you pull off a piece of the crust, you'll find tiny bubbles and smell a sweet aroma.
6. Throw away any hardened crust. "Refresh" the remaining piece by mixing it with twice the original amount of flour and enough water to make a firm dough. Set aside as before.
7. After 1 or 2 days the starter will have a new, fresh look. Remove any dried dough and mix with about 1 cup of flour.
8. Once again, cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave it in a warm place for another 18-12 hours.
9. When the starter is ready, it will appear fully risen, and a small indentation made with a finger won't spring back.

Now the starter is ready to be used in virtually any sourdough recipe.

Remember to save a small piece of the starter: You can put it in the refrigerator for several days, then refresh it again as above and use it to make another loaf. A good starter will serve you for years to come!


Now, let's get started making the sourdough bread...

Step 1: Up to 12 hours before beginning the recipe, stir the starter and discard 1 cup. Feed the remaining starter with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup flour. Let it sit for 4 to 12 hours before using in a recipe.

I completed the first step last night so the starter would be ready this morning. The starter has been resting on my counter all night. You get better flavor if you let it sit for a long time.

Step 2: Use however much "fed starter" the recipe calls for, and feed the remainder with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup flour. Let this remaining starter sit at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, until bubbly, then cover and refrigerate.

• Tip: If you're not planning to use your starter for over a week, take it out and feed it once a week with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup flour. Start by discarding (or using) 1 cup of the starter. After mixing in more flour and water, you can return the starter to the refrigerator without waiting for it to get bubbly first. (I usually let it sit on the counter for a couple of hours even if I plan on returning it to the refrigerator because it gives it better flavor for the next batch of bread).

Look for more tips on maintaining a sourdough starter.


Now we're ready to make some basic sourdough bread in our bread machine.

I'm using a basic sourdough bread recipe courtesy of Fleischmann Yeast. It is listed below. This is the first time I've made this particular recipe so we'll see how it goes. They also have a sourdough starter recipe you can use if you like, but I'm using the "wild starter" I created without the use of commercial yeast.

Basic Sourdough Bread (with homemade starter)*

Ingredients:

1-Pound Loaf

• 3/4 cup Sourdough Starter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

1-1/2 Pound Loaf

• 1-1/4 cups Sourdough Starter
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

*Note: This version makes a mild sourdough bread. I like the bread machine sourdough that way because I use it for sandwich bread. If you prefer a more sour flavor, do the following before you mix the ingredients in the machine:

For the sourest Sourdough:

In a medium bowl, combine the water, starter, and half the flour. Cover and let the mixture stand for 24 hours until very sour and bubbly. Then combine the mixture with the remaining ingredients in the bread pan, use the recommended cycle (listed below) and press start.

Directions:
Use the 1-pound recipe if your machine pan holds 10 cups or less of water. Add ingredients to bread machine pan in the order suggested by manufacturer. (If dough is too dry or stiff or too soft or slack, adjust dough consistency - see tips below.)

I used the recipe for the 1-1/2 pound loaf since my bread machine can handle that capacity. Here are the ingredients in the pan in the appropriate order for my bread machine.


I made well in the center for the yeast so it doesn't make contact with the liquid ingredients.



Recommended cycle:
Basic/white bread cycle; medium/normal color setting. Timed-bake feature can be used.

Adjusting Dough Consistency: After mixing for a few minutes, the ingredients should turn into a smooth ball around the kneading blade. If the dough appears too stiff or too soft, add more liquid or flour in 1 teaspoon increments, until the proper consistency is reached. Do not add more than 3 to 4 teaspoons liquid or flour. The machine can not compensate for wide variations and may not bake the larger amount of dough thoroughly.
 

The bread rising period is a little longer in this bread machine than other models I've used. So the bread starts cooking before the machine is finished processing the dough. That's why the crust looks a little funny.

I've been looking for a good sandwich bread to make in the bread machine. This one is easy and doesn't take much prep time.  It also tastes really good with tuna salad.

This bread actually tastes more sour the next day so unless you're in a big hurry to eat it, let it rest in a bread bag on the counter overnight. If you want a more sour flavor, then follow the directions above for the sourest of sourdoughs.

Happy Baking!
Cathy

Making Sourdough Breads

Making Sourdough Breads revisited on 3/7/2012

I revisited this bread again last night.  I used the same recipe and two different starters, but this time, I used a slightly different process. I’ve edited this post with the revised process and updated photos.

And so I began the process of making sourdough bread. It takes anywhere from 10 to 22 hours from start to finish depending on how long you let the sponge and the dough work, but it is definitely worth the time and effort involved. You just have to plan ahead to fit it in your schedule.

I keep my starters in the refrigerator and feed them periodically - about every two weeks unless I plan to make bread more often. I’ve had several starters over the past few years.  My first starter was a descendant of one that began its life over 250 years ago.  I’ve since let that one go preferring instead to use my own creations.

I’ve created several starters from scratch. I created my first starter using the formula from Boudin Bakery.  I still have that one and used it to make two of the loaves in this updated post.  More recently, I created an Apple Starter which I used to make the other two loaves featured in this post.

I can't really taste the difference in the two starters, however, the texture of the starters is different. The first one is more of a stiff levain and the 2nd one would be considered a liquid levain.  I like to keep them both alive and use them in my sourdough bread. They're like little pets in my refrigerator.

Begin the process by feeding your sourdough starter

Don’t have a sourdough starter? Try one of these starter recipes.

Feeding a stiff levain, (starter from Boudin Bakery) to use in this sourdough bread.

• Up to 12 hours before beginning the recipe, stir the starter and discard* 1 cup.
• Feed the remaining starter with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup flour.
• Let it sit for 4 to 12 hours before using in bread.

Feeding a liquid levain (Apple Starter) to use in this sourdough bread.

• Up to 12 hours before beginning the recipe, stir the starter and discard* 125g. 
• Feed the remaining starter with 125g flour and 125g water or a 50/50 mix. (I use all-purpose flour and it works out well.)
• Let it sit for 4 to 12 hours before using in bread.

*You can use the cup of starter instead of discarding it if you like, you'll just need to feed it and follow the instructions for baking additional loaves. I tried this before and ended up with starters all over the place, and I was exhausted by the time I finished baking the bread. I think I made six or eight loaves one weekend. I wouldn't recommend this because even though you're not wasting the starter, you end up using more flour not to mention energy. I had sourdough bread in my freezer for months. My family didn't mind though.

I started the process last night so the starter would be ready this morning. The starter has been resting on my counter all night. You get better flavor if you let it sit for a long time.

Here's what the starter looks like at this point. See how bubbly it is!

 

Use the amount of "fed starter" the recipe calls for (below), and feed the remaining starter per the instructions above, depending on which starter you are using. Let the remaining starter sit at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, until bubbly, then cover and refrigerate.

• Tip: If you're not planning to use your starter for over a week, take it out and feed it once a week. Start by discarding (or using) 1 cup of the starter. After mixing in more flour and water, you can return the starter to the refrigerator without waiting for it to get bubbly first. (I usually let it sit on the counter for a couple of hours even if I plan on returning it to the refrigerator because it gives it better flavor for the next batch of bread).

 

For more tips on maintaining a sourdough starter, check out Creating a Sourdough Starter.

Classic Sourdough Bread

Makes: 2 Loaves

Source: Courtesy of King Arthur Flour.

I've used other recipes to make sourdough bread, but I like this one.  It’s really easy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (9 ounces) "fed" sourdough starter
• 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) lukewarm water
• 5 to 6 cups (21 1/4 to 25 1/2 ounces) All-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
• cornmeal to sprinkle on pans

 

Directions:

Step 1: Making the Sponge

Pour the cup of starter into a large mixing bowl. Add the warm water and about 3 cups flour. Beat vigorously. Cover this sponge with plastic wrap and put it aside to work. This period can be very flexible, but allow at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. A longer period (at a lower temperature) will result in a more sour flavor. 

 

Here is what the sponge looks like after it's been working for 8 hours.

Step 2: Mixing and Kneading the Dough

After the dough has bubbled and expanded, remove the plastic wrap. Blend in the salt, sugar, and remaining 2 cups of flour. Mix until the dough comes together.

I like to use a Danish whisk for this part. It makes mixing the dough a lot easier.

Add only enough extra flour to keep the dough from sticking.

• Tip: Once you've mixed the ingredients and the dough comes together, it's best to let the dough rest for about 15 minutes (this is called autolyse). When you let the dough rest during the kneading process, you use less flour overall.
  

Knead, using your hands, an electric mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

 

Step 3: Bulk Fermentation

Place the dough in the bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.

Step 4: Shaping the Loaves

Divide the dough in half. Shape each piece into a round and let rest seam-side up on the counter for 10 minutes.

Shape each round into an oval loaf, and place on a lightly greased, cornmeal-sprinkled baking sheet. Cover, and let rise until doubled (this can take up to 2 hours).

 

 

Step 5: Prepare the Oven for Hearth Baking:

Prepare the oven for hearth baking by placing a baking stone on the middle rack of the oven and a steam pan underneath. Then preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

 

Step 6: Scoring the Loaves

Remove the plastic wrap, slash the tops, I scored the first two loaves with 3 diagonal (well sort of) slashes.

I scored the other two loaves with one long slash down the middle.

 

 

Step 7: Baking the Loaves:

Once the oven is preheated, slide the breads (on the parchment paper) directly onto the preheated baking stone and pour 1 cup of water in the steam pan. After 30 seconds, open the door, spray the walls with water, and close the door. Repeat twice more at 30-second intervals.

Bake the bread for 20 to 25 minutes.  Check the breads during the bake and rotate them 180 degrees for even baking if necessary. Continue baking until the breads are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

 

Step 8: Cooling and Slicing the Loaves:

Remove the loaves to a wire rack to cool completely (30 minutes to 1 hour) before slicing and serving.

These two loaves were made using the apple starter.

 

These two loaves were made with my original sourdough starter. 

 

I liked both of the loaves.  Here is a shot of the crumb.  This bread is really tasty. It’s chewy and sour, but not too sour. 

 

Happy Baking!

Cathy