The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

How to make bread like San Luis Obispo Sourdough

catlick's picture
catlick

How to make bread like San Luis Obispo Sourdough

Hi! I am looking for the technique of how to make a soft chewy crust like San Luis Obispo sourdough. Thin crust. Lower tempurature, than I do my regular sourdoughs? (450 degrees). There is no dairy in their ingedients, so I know thats not they key. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Wendy

doughooker's picture
doughooker

The San Luis Bakery adds soy flour and soy lecithin to its sourdough. That may be a clue.

I'm sure steam in the oven has something to do with the soft crust.

catlick's picture
catlick

I have the sourdough bag in front of me and there is NO mention of soy lecithin. It says:

Enriched wheat flour(flour, malted barley flour, reduced iron, niacin, thiamin mononitrate, vitamin b1) riboflavin(vitamin B2), folic acid, water cracked wheat, sourdough starter, salt. 

I always use some steam in my oven, and it makes beautiful hard crusts.

Thanks, though! 

doughooker's picture
doughooker

Here is the ingredient list I found on line for San Luis sourdough:

Ingredients: Enriched bleached flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, ascorbic acid, niacin, iron, thiamin, folic acid), water, sourdough starter (a natural yeast), salt, soy lecithin, soy flour. Contains: wheat and soy.

Here are the ingredients for their cracked wheat sourdough:

Enriched Flour (WheatFlour, Malted Barley Flour, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Water, Cracked Whole Wheat, Contains 2% or Less of Each of the Following: Salt, Soy Lecithin, Soy Flour.

Both list soy flour and soy lecithin.

catlick's picture
catlick

Wow, well it's not an ingredient on the bag of bread I bought.  I have it in front of me.  Hmmmmmmm.....

catlick's picture
catlick

Hi Mixinator!  I called "Bimbo" the company that owns San Luis Sourdough and spoke with a customer service person.  He said ALL their sourdoughs have soy and soy lecithin and was stunned it was not listed as an ingredient on the bag my bread came in.  He took down the barcode number and my zipcode and is supposed to call me back with an answer!  I will let you know what they say!

Wendy

doughooker's picture
doughooker

Thanks for making the call, Wendy!

The soy lecithin may be a preservative. I'm curious what the soy flour is for.

catlick's picture
catlick

He called me back and said there is NO soy or soy lecithin in their San Luis Sourdoughs!  He said that the online information must be old!   Wow, really?  FIX it!

doughooker's picture
doughooker

I'm not sure I'm buying his claim. First he says "yes" and then he says "no".

cranbo's picture
cranbo

Lecithin makes soft crumb texture and extended shelf life, as KAF describes: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/granular-lecithin-8-oz

Was the bread stored in a plastic bag? If so, without a doubt that attributed to the softening of the crust. 

For thinner crust, lower baking temps (375-425F) with some steam should help you achieve that. 

catlick's picture
catlick

Thank you Cranbo, I will try baking at lower temp next time.  I don't want to add lecithin.  I did write a post on San Luis Sourdough facebook page about the missing lecithin  and soy ingredients on their bag I bought.  They answered me and gave me the same message....to call their customer relations dept. I was hoping I would get a different response.

You would think that would be more of a big deal to them....

doughooker's picture
doughooker

It would be a big deal to them if they heard from the FDA :)

catlick's picture
catlick

I like how you think.....:~)