The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

No yeast added bread.

PaddyL's picture
PaddyL

No yeast added bread.

I just made two round loaves of bread with my buttermilk starter, but with no yeast added, sort of following directions from a Martha Rose Shulman book, but really only for salt measurements and oven temp.  Used water instead of milk for the dough, no sugar or honey just a tsp. of malt extract, and let the dough rise for about 5 hours.  Then I shaped it, pretty wet, divided it in two and put one in a greased bowl, the other in a floured, cheesecloth-lined basket, and let them rise another couple of hours.  When I turned them out onto the baking sheet, the one from the bowl spread like mad, the other less so, but I just shoved them into the oven to bake with barely a slash or two on the tops.  They're delicious!  Lots of good holes and that lovely chewy texture and slightly sour taste, with a nice colour from the organic ww flour.  I don't have pictures because I don't have a camera, but when I finally get around to making the bread from my totally commercial-yeast-free starters, I'll ask my nephew if he can take a couple of pictures and post them.  I'm thrilled!  Didn't think it would work out at all, since the recipe called for a tsp. of yeast which I decided to leave out, but they rose and they taste really good!  If anyone's thinking of giving up, DON'T!  It's worth all the sweating and worrying.

leemid's picture
leemid

by adding a little flour if it was too wet. Just a little flour can make loaves hold shape better without sacrificing flavour.

Congrats on your success. You're right, when you get there it's all worthwhile.

Lee

GrapevineTXoldaccount's picture
GrapevineTXolda...

I have been following your buttermilk adventure, bits and pieces along the way, and I'm so happy that you have had success.  It's a wonderful feeling to succeed at something we pour our hearts and souls into, and now the proof is, as they say, 'in the pudding'.

Kudos to you!