July 10, 2009 - 8:27pm
090710 Susan's Latest Sourdough - by Yippee
A big thank you to Susan for this simple and delicious formula. My kids loved these loaves tremendously. They had it for breakfast with a spread of butter; at dinner clam chowder in a bread bowl. For me, it's another great lesson in sourdough. A few new things I tried in this project:
- Baking with high gluten flour (Giusto's organic high gluten whole wheat)
- Using a firm starter (refreshed at 1:2:3)
- Experimenting EXTENDED retardation at bulk fermentation (12 days) and at final proof (2 days). There was no basis of practicing these extended retardations, I simply just did not have a chance tending the dough after I mixed it up. It gave me an opportunity to find out how well the method of preserving a premixed dough in the fridge for later use, as suggested in AB in 5, would work. As you will see, there's no negative impact on the final product and the flavor was greatly enhanced.
This project turned out wonderfully. Susan, I'm looking forward to trying your bread again.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33569048@N05/sets/72157621242247616/
This will be submitted to Nick's imafoodblog.
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Comments
Beautiful boules! Though you can find so many things that go with a good sourdough, it's painfully hard to compete with a clam chowder! Comfort food at its best!
- Keith
very much, Keith.
Yippee
amazing! it must have been hard to wait that long!
I was occupied by other obligations and priorities. Besides, this long wait provided an answer for a qustion that has been hovering in my mind since I read the AB in 5.
Yippee
Thanks, Yippee, for news we can all use!
Susan from San Diego
Susan, for what you have taught me.
Yippee
wow! i hope that one day I'll be able to make loaves like that... :)
since Im a bit of a newbie, I was wondering if you might be able to explain to me what "Experimenting EXTENDED retardation at bulk fermentation (12 days)" means?
thanks!
Leah
Leah:
This 'one day' will come sooner than you think if you give it a try and be inquisitive. I probably was more of a newbie than you are now when I first started baking bread a few months ago. I'm fortune enough to have been under the guidance of many experience bakers here. In this project, it was Susan from San Diego.
A very similar sourdough formula of hers turned into my very first artisanal sourdough bread about two months ago. I wasn't sure if I could do it but Susan encouraged me and I kept trying. On my second try, I was successful. I've considered that experience my precious first lesson in artisan baking. The techniques I learned from that project have helped me with the many artisanal loaves down the road. I'd suggest you pay close attention to the details being discussed in her posts. You CAN do it, too!
Now, back to your question:
Simply put, retardation is leaving your premixed dough in the refrigerator for, normally, 18-24 hours to allow the flavors in the dough to develop. My retardation was EXTENDED because I was too busy to shape the dough after it'd been mixed. I left it in the fridge for almost two weeks but it turned out just fine.
Yippee