Look at all that bread making crap! This is the being of my first attempt at sourdough sandwich buns. I also made a spelt sourdough for good measure.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Sourdough Through the Ages
As some of you know, I love to cook bread. So I thought I'd post some cool pictures of the sourdough I've cooked over the past year... hopefully there's been some improvement!
...and here's a gratuitous shot of the sandwich made from that first loaf:
You'll also notice that I've got a nice looking crust on the top, where the dough split. Instead of having it split all around unpredictably, I started slashing the dough before putting it in the oven, which allows it to split along predictable lines, and can give you some really professional looking bread.
Once I started working with higher hydration bread, I could get better looking crumb (insides), too.
Now, if you know me, you know that none of that would stop me from baking. I had another problem, however, and that was in my rush to try to perfect my sourdough bread making, I basically put everything I had into these loaves... and when one didn't come out the way I wanted, I would take it personally. When I started to think that my wife was sabotaging my bread in the night while I slept, I knew I had a problem.
After one massive failure in particular, I basically had a mini-meltdown, and contemplated quitting bread making altogether. This was that failure.
So, that's pretty much it... the evolution of my sourdough life. Look for future bread-related posts on this very blog.
Bake on!
May 2013 - Starting Things Off
To start things off, here's a glamour shot of my baby before Gaia, my homegrown sourdough starter:![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOoTY-WLkGak6WiZm17leWyu0__66dN3lqpz3tAwFvg-R89OpfX9145zJ93dP_7duBLO4B1B9bJMd72-_SoTsODacU8WulsgYV1suCGLUO_uCUNw_yhsLMwzDh7GDLk6Pan4RiD0LCphw/s1600/20130810_100617.jpg)
June 2013 - Baby's First Loaf
Here's my first loaf of sourdough, made with my brand-new starter. The first few loaves came out looking a little strange, as I hadn't really learned how to handle the dough. Also note the fairly plain crust... I was cooking these in a ~400 degree oven with no modifications. Hydration of the dough here was probably close to 60%.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXJF2LmGJwKlOfghSMu_jhm_UIJCOhRp6nxWAKtc6-m0NNDzNYMjc9CV3IUM-P3G-RQ5TaqLH_jyPz8jHxIr3ZyIsaLKuT2uSLMllLWACb__7uHJPQAXtr4WVY9RocfPECmGQm52HenE/s1600/20130617_203401.jpg)
...and here's a gratuitous shot of the sandwich made from that first loaf:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWh4DMUUtcyvdW67cnXxA1cWnLQ8KLPWtRVSwrMXqBEskboeAEX6peA5zwQOyX-J0wc2lZBFQfc7yXJZEHiJddSIMMrABosq7HzIO7dsYd82bGsyr8vVLgOjY_x1ozqEXpTU6IP8kA6ns/s1600/20130625_121200.jpg)
July 2013 - Things Are Heating Up
Another month, another sourdough. This one looks a bit better, I've got the shape somewhat round, and I'm cooking it at a higher temperature, as indicated by the busted up crust from all that steam escaping. As you can see, I'm also baking it on a pizza stone... which for some reason I removed from the oven with the loaf. So weird.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzCwPW4CsjpBzB7ilXBx-Tl1vWH3AyOflxmT6iHLPSadQ7baPNuaMV52Wr186pm9MWPqSok6k-WGDMuH2m0pRPTn-VHTEd83C15-aZtHThL8I4ZmjUrLhpKvM7EjaASKBs4b5JoXA3rBM/s1600/20130715_083631.jpg)
August 2013 - Flour Power
Now I've got a pretty decent looking loaf... aside from the shit-ton of flour caked all over the top. Not my fault, really... I just didn't have the proper tools. I was starting to work with wetter dough, and it wasn't possible to shape without a bowl or basket... which I didn't have. So I improvised using a glass bowl lined with a cloth liberally coated in flour to prevent sticking. The hydration of this dough was probably somewhere in the 70% range.You'll also notice that I've got a nice looking crust on the top, where the dough split. Instead of having it split all around unpredictably, I started slashing the dough before putting it in the oven, which allows it to split along predictable lines, and can give you some really professional looking bread.
Once I started working with higher hydration bread, I could get better looking crumb (insides), too.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0J2ZapzL2GpKV9QofTzrzPnmpHUPPF6Gb595xsm2EbZ8aDChCFMfcumIoj1FdniaVYyTSp98U6EIl9_haqlUZKqK7UCv_lVrPxtY3TfrJtyi0JTYrdbo8yFWZeOju-xSoIPxAAd4XXc/s1600/20130803_174844-a.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCc9q9pC8Kwe9Da82qeBEgHpNfa10J8mWDpU4_LZcJQ26EwAs27DbSQU2j99vLI4hLe-h745mHCZqPvSyMbho4ueAw0nTxeFDUIshPjEDt8cUFSgwBZfI-H9mJC69NsEUgnSKeNHIHLI/s1600/20130803_185710-a.jpg)
September 2013 - The Meltdown
So, maybe I got into this whole bread baking thing a little too deep... I was making 3-4 loaves a weekend, I bought a $100 cast-iron dutch oven, and I was even starting to have dreams where I was being baked by a giant loaf of sourdough. I basically had no life outside of my bread.Now, if you know me, you know that none of that would stop me from baking. I had another problem, however, and that was in my rush to try to perfect my sourdough bread making, I basically put everything I had into these loaves... and when one didn't come out the way I wanted, I would take it personally. When I started to think that my wife was sabotaging my bread in the night while I slept, I knew I had a problem.
After one massive failure in particular, I basically had a mini-meltdown, and contemplated quitting bread making altogether. This was that failure.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPzabixb00t88ZfgH6TekVRRqe0d14Hx3TKy-wjgxXBCTF_jfryYd-CwSjKjObqdbvFnwGh3waYGl6ySyEoLgAlqoksUomOmZ2GD3y5lqlyva9CXlmzyeaX7yanCWMXo8c0H36X1YI28/s1600/20130831_231705.jpg)
October 2013 - I'm Back, Baby!
After over a month of not baking sourdough bread, I came back to it with a tempered attitude, more patience, and a resolve to be more detached. Also, I guess I was taking pictures with the lights off or something.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgqEKXLnyC_8WvVr4B2WBxl8bRvaYdDERxeNMX8bhcDs-7pG6BSv8v_MLL7-kN1E_nZvYkpFPsjw4OWVVbxg1Nebzx8OiUBM532u9EQC61yGpcJU886kmLQXvOgQTqb48u-rbmYMnLTs/s1600/20131027_163745.jpg)
November 2013 - Bread Bonanza (Breadnanza)
After getting back into the swing of things, I started to branch out in shapes and sizes. Things are starting to look a little more professional here, too.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjIOwzUp089iK42vXV-sSYFdPBcKdHE48uwRgErb8fdEk60PGJBghxlQYsaVXvciY-Nf32OSaxlAcZxffKZXOcsVNRiwhVAznBjL-uwURBfRQu-Qmk8ZkmEcUtOX9H_Ii9pQYqo8lc8Q/s1600/20131129_190121.jpg)
December 2013 & January 2014 - Trying New Things
So, after baking my balls off with sourdough, I decided that it would be nice to have a little break, and baked up some other tasty stuff instead. The sourdough baking had taught me a surprising amount of patience, and given me the skills necessary to make these other bakes a success.Wheat Sandwich Loaf
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQhrmSXRk_lpscZEtqtswzlcQIbOLsRiA3NdVvspgAo69mDVG74P4OheG7PginRySYpVLh-9U5H9MfizO849bHCD_fU0WXx2cKHMJ3yFwak9hebJV_FFTV0dHbzdzSy1CXVX3wSDlIIyw/s1600/20130723_092544.jpg)
Chicken Bake
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7D4dewpV3NhTgGyu06q2Mo5MKIR_oAQoZlInWFrDMb_RPtuQ18B8eBRvMkS-hOBXSeI60fKklckS-hO0_cM5Sq263sEuo55BdzHCN7V0neKsZDyVF749PpWKXqlBsyvf5IrzZdBty_4k/s1600/20140111_194701.jpg)
Focaccia Bread
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgr2DW3oz4DwsSt2DFer5FBUo0McXX1coj1IpcEFY9l5Dtr4ZWl2I5r8CKfYkWoDicE5krzYd10jXRRdrieo6KbUgOaamFFE8Nq5f1YstK5t2joM0DdWcuBe1zfkyc_XdkW6FwAp7rh14/s1600/20140209_200828.jpg)
Sweet Hawaiian Rolls
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoo0bcEHxkCYc-a-2VG4EPs-zrXZnLhG_JzDlCVO7aLTPwUwmZf2zwCoMn3h8akjQDLO6Tt8qPSMiRImoxXfKMKUfRo-sHJEZmbfudOMbgh8S3cwe59h7pU2jdcQv1RDkCBVD6kEizHK8/s1600/20140219_153234.jpg)
March 2014 - You Can't Handle the Proof
So, now I finally got myself a proofing basket. I didn't realize how difficult I was making things on myself without one. Now my bread comes out nice and round, with a neat swirl pattern! I'm also experimenting with other types of wheat, such as this one, which was a 100% spelt flour sourdough.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDYvMEUaEg0Uk0EndxyZJT1QVIN8RWstBuio0KIZFKfRB6JZ_0mV1Midgl0M_Abnr4coS2aCdJmHUuv3Vwqq7t1EWYiM92iUm0jQ8gSSZCu5-p4oXX9SX1ThLS8jVIpr-KJJUvtA4Dv4/s1600/20140518_130554.jpg)
So, that's pretty much it... the evolution of my sourdough life. Look for future bread-related posts on this very blog.
Bake on!
Location:
Mira Mesa, San Diego
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)