The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

A nice Oklahoma sourdough boule photo

anitasanger's picture
anitasanger

A nice Oklahoma sourdough boule photo

I created my own starter 3 years back by harvesting natural Oklahoma yeast. Lately I've been on a protein diet and haven't had the chance to make bread in several months. I pulled the ol' starter out this week and got a sponge going. I made a loaf last night and oh my how good it tasted! It's hard to beat homemade bread isn't it? Nothing's better than a warm house filled with the smell of bread on a cold winter's day! I'm a sourdough student for life!

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Beautiful!

patnx2's picture
patnx2

That would be nice with my barley soup. Your hooked now.

anitasanger's picture
anitasanger

Thanks! I appreciate it. Makes mean toast! And a keen grilled cheese to boot!

polo's picture
polo

That's got to be one of the most blistered crusts I've seen. (or is it the blisteredest crust?) :)

Beautiful!

cp3o's picture
cp3o

Fab-looking crust! At  what temp. was the bread cooked ?

Wild-Yeast's picture
Wild-Yeast

Diet? What diet? Kidding aside it's beautiful and I agree that toast and melted cheese sandwiches are phenomenal. Have you tried cinnamon toast yet?

The magic of naturally leavened wheat bread. Once there, never back...,

Wild-Yeast

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

loaf of bread.  When it looks that good it just tastes better too.  So what to you think put the blisters on your bread?

Nice baking!

anitasanger's picture
anitasanger

Thanks! Yeah it is quite blistered. In love those shatterey little wonders! This was cooked in my oven at 480 for 1/2 and 450 for the rest. I haven't tried cinnamon yet!

anitasanger's picture
anitasanger

I don't know! I. Wish I understood the hard science aspect a little better, but I don't. I don't know if it was the long bulk fermentation or the cold retardation afterward?

davidg618's picture
davidg618

...the blisters form on cold-retarded, shaped loaves when internal water vapor condenses on the underside of the loaves' surface. The condensed water flashes to expanding steam when exposed to the oven's heat: walla! blisters.

Beautiful loaf!

David G

Wild-Yeast's picture
Wild-Yeast

The blistered crust is the sign of a "cold retard"...,

Wild-Yeast

PS Toast a slice of bread, spread with butter while it is still hot. Put a layer of raw sugar over the butter and sprinkle with cinnamon. Mix the raw sugar and cinnamon together with the tines of a fork. One slice will not be enough...,

I'mTheMami's picture
I'mTheMami

My brother and I used to make cinn-sugar to have on hand for cinnamon toast - a spice bottle half full of cinnamon would get filled the rest of the way with sugar, yum! We saw that they actually sell cinnamon-sugar like that now at in the spice section at most grocery stores! And we thought we were original ;)

beautiful crust. Off to google the cold retardation bit, assuming that means sticking in the fridge after rising or after some step... 

davidg618's picture
davidg618

There are acres of good information re retardation and cold proofing here on TFL.

David G

Ballroom Billy's picture
Ballroom Billy

I love that blistered crust. I named my starter after an Econ. Professor friend at O.U. "It keeps inflating my dough". Have you tried Fairview Farm's flour? I haven't had any trouble with it, even though it has less gluten. Nice to have a local wheat.

Song Of The Baker's picture
Song Of The Baker

I am baking sourdough today and can only hope I get a tenth of the blisters you achieved!  Nicely done.  Almost as many blisters as an Indian Poppadom.

John