Sourdough and Random Thoughts

   I came here to look for a recipe I used to use all of the time, only to find that it's been four years since I've posted anything. I was looking for my bread recipe to try to convert it from a commercial yeast dough into a sourdough recipe. I've been maintaining a sourdough starter now for couple of years now and only baking with it occasionally. I mostly us the discard in recipes but haven't really perfected making a straight sourdough loaf.
   

May 06, 2021

One of the first things I made with sourdough was Bagels. They turned out okay but not as soft as we would have liked. I think with more practice they will get better.

May 11, 2021

The best bread I made so far was from Kate's Soft Sourdough Recipe. Here are pictures of the first time I made this recipe. 

February 15, 2022

February 15, 2022

After making sourdough consistently for a few months, I drifted back to buying bread as my family isn't really found of the taste and texture of my sourdough. I'm starting to experiment with recipes again to find a milder tasting loaf that will be kinder to my family's taste buds.

Zucchini Bread

How to turn this (well not all of this, just 2 cups)

into this!

Zucchini Bread

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 cups sugar

3 eggs, beaten

3 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups grated, unpeeled zucchini

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup apple sauce

1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and sugar.

3. Add the eggs, vanilla, zucchini, nuts, and oil. (I did not put nuts in mine this time.)

4. Mix well using a wooden spoon.



5. Pour into 2 generously buttered and floured loaf pans.

6. Bake for 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.

* If you would rather have muffins, this recipe will make 24 muffins, or 12 muffins and a loaf of bread.

The Perfect Wheat Bread

The Perfect Wheat Bread

(printable recipe)

3 cups all purpose flour (sifted)

3 cups whole wheat flour (sifted)

2 cups warm water (110°F, 45°C)

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1-1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

1. In large glass two cup measuring cup, measure out 2 cups warm water. Keep in mind the sugar will drop the temperature a couple degrees so you might want to make it a bit warmer.
2. Add 1/4 cup sugar directly into the water and recheck the temperature. Wait for it to cool, or microwave for a few seconds at a time until 110 degrees is reached.
3. Add 1-1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast to the sugar water mixture and stir a little. You will notice the yeast will settle to bottom of the measuring cup and then all rise to the top in a few minutes. The yeast will form a creamy froth. At this point your yeast has proofed and is ready to use.
4. In a mixer bowl, add your salt and oil. Stir in two cups of flour. Pour in your proofed yeast water and mix well using the dough hook.
5. One cup at a time mix in the remaining flour. By the time the rest of the flour is in the bowl, the dough is beginning to form.
6. Once the dough is formed and has pulled all the flour up from the bottom of the bowl set the mixer to the second speed and mix for 5 minutes. During this time watch to see if yo need to add a bit more flour.  (this step takes the place of kneading the dough for 8-10 minutes by hand)
7. Place dough into a well oiled bowl. Pick up the dough and turn it over to coat it completely with the oil.
8. Cover bowl with a damp towel and place in a warm place until it has doubled (mine took about 45 minutes). An easy test to see if the dough has risen enough is to poke two fingers about a half of a inch into the dough. If the impressions remain without going immediately back into place… it is ready.
9. When doubled, punch down dough and knead for a few minutes to get all the air out. Divide in half and form two loaves. Place in well oiled 9×5 bread pans. Let loaves rise in warm place for another 30 minutes, or until most of the dough has risen about a inch above the top of the pans.
10. Bake at 350°F, 175°C for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are a rich brown and tapping on the tops sounds hollow. Brush tops with a light coating of vegetable oil and let cool for about five minutes before taking out of pans and cooling on wire racks.

Wheat Bread ready to go into the oven

Note:

Yields 2 - 9×5 loafs of bread perfect for sandwiches or most anything else.

For The Perfect White Bread, use 6 cups of all purpose flour instead of 3 wheat and 3 all purpose.

Wheat Bread done and ready to be eaten - Yum!

4 Years Ago Today

Sunny and warm...

Overnight Low: 31.1°F.
Today's High: 50.5°F.
Current Temp: 48.2°F. and sunny

Not a lot going on today, just relaxing with family and enjoying this beautiful day. Clear sky and sunshine, what more could one ask for?

I really want to start making homemade bread on a regular basis so I decided to start today. I'm attempting to make Perfect and Easy Homemade White Bread today. It is on the stove raising as I type. I cut out the kneading by hand process and let my kitchen aid to do all the work, by mixing on second speed for 5 minutes once all the flour was added.

picture from Ever Parent

*** Update***

Gotta love a loaf of bread that rises this high above the pan!

I can only dream that this recipe will be as easy and turn out as wonderful, every time, as this first time! Look at that beauty... in all my previous attempts to make bread from scratch I have rarely gotten it to rise like this.

Sorry... for some reason the taste function is not working on my computer today.

I so wish I could share just a slice (or two) with all of you. You'd be hooked too. I can see several loaves of this in our future. I'd like to send a special thanks to Ever Parent for sharing this wonderful recipe.