The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

My first Sourdough Boule

AGGut's picture
AGGut

My first Sourdough Boule

Behold the Sourdough Boule!  Continuing on with the theme of Carbs, Go Big or Go Home here is my very first sourdough bread made with home-brewed sourdough starter.

 

After a couple of false starts, 10 days wasted and lots of flour tossed, I finally got the formula right.  I followed  Debra Wink’s advice and viola!   On the morning of day 3 I had beautiful bubbles and on Day 4 made my first bread. I Look forward starter will continue to ripen (and sour) as it goes through additional feeding cycles.  (FYI I used clementine juice in my starter).

Like a new parent, I have been up in the night checking on my “critters” happily fermenting in my improvised fermentation chamber (turned off oven with light on).  Cannot wait for the taste test.

What recipe did I use?  Jack’s Beginner’s Sourdough Loaf!   Video tutorial is here https://youtu.be/vmb0wWKITBQ, recipe is here  https://www.bakewithjack.co.uk/blog-1/2018/7/5/sourdough-loaf-for-beginners?rq=Sourdough 

AGGut's picture
AGGut

I hate working around superheated heavy enamel dutch ovens for fear of a burn.  This improvised combination is easier to handle and gave my loaf an ovenspring from 3” to 5”.

 

DanAyo's picture
DanAyo

That is an incredible loaf!

Like your dutch oven.

AGGut's picture
AGGut

Thanks, I really like Bake With Jack’s no nonsense approach.  Currently testing his formula and technique with Teresa Greenwoods warm fermentation recommendations. Stay tuned.

DanAyo's picture
DanAyo

AGG, I am very familiar with Teresa’s SFSD. A word of caution using Jack’s formula with Teresa’s method. Jack uses 10% prefermented flour and Teresa uses 2%. The fermentation will take place much faster, and the sour wouldn’t be the same.

Danny

AGGut's picture
AGGut

I am aware of that.  For this half-batch I used 100 grams starter. Jack does recommend cutting back to as low as 10 grams of starter if one wishes to do a longer fermentation.  Will see if 100 g starter BF’d at higher temps produces a more tangy, deep flavored  result.

 

DanAyo's picture
DanAyo

Let us know, how it comes out.

AGGut's picture
AGGut

Just posted pix on separate post of 2 side by side trials.

Will be freezing,  reheating on  Saturday for a potluck, will be able to check flavor then.
AGGut's picture
AGGut

My second batch of Jack’s Beginner’s Sourdough Bread turned out great.  I did Bulk Fermentation in an 85° chamber (oven with light on), dough temp was 74°.

 I made 4 baby boules on Wednesday and froze them in advance of a Saturday potluck.  Went from freezer to a 300° oven, 20 minutes later they were still frozen inside, turned it up to 325°, 10 minutes later outsides were hot, insides still very cold.  By this time I was late, with trepidation threw a Hail Mary pass and put all 4 425 g boules in the microwave on defrost.  In less than 5 minutes they were perfect and the crust was still crusty, the inside warm.

Thanks to Teresa’s advice on fermenting at higher temps and my starter getting past the newborn stage the loaves were tangy and chewy on the inside, crusty on the outside.  I got many compliments!

I will be sticking with Jack’s recipe BFd at higher temps for it’s simplicity and great results.

GrinChaser's picture
GrinChaser

Wow! I am speechless. Your loaves are beautiful!

AGGut's picture
AGGut

I’m sticking with Jack’s technique.  Simple and delicious!  https://youtu.be/vmb0wWKITBQ