The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

SFSD in Cambridge...

Salilah's picture
Salilah

SFSD in Cambridge...

I decided this week to have a go at the most recent (?) SF Sourdough posted by DMSnyder (http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/27892/my-san-francisco-sourdough-quest-take-4)

Must admit that the timing on this was the most difficult - I couldn't work out how to get all these 16 and 20 hour chunks in!

Ended up with the following timings:
* Starter refresh - should be 16h then overnight fridge, I did around 11 hours then overnight 11h in fridge, then 2 hours out
* stiff levain - should be 16h room temperature - I mixed this around 10am and put in the fridge at 9pm (didn't fancy getting up in the middle of the night); out again Sat around lunchtime
* mixed dough and autolyse for 2 hours
* added salt, levain, ferment should be 3.5-4h, mine was around 4 hours
* should prove for 1-2h, then cold retard overnight - I ran out of time again, so shaped and into the fridge straight away for overnight 15 hours (we were trying to get a repeater router to work ,so the bread had to wait!)
* should be 3h final proof warm & humid - mine was in the airing cupboard so very warm, only 2h and it was seriously well over the top of the banneton!

30mins on 240C in La Cloche, then 20m at 220C...  Lots of singing when it came out, cracked crust, darker than I usually do...

Pictures (sorry for delay, my phone ran out of charge!!)

Views inside the kitchen - poor lighting but gives an idea

Did I mention it sung?  Really chunky cracks:

And a view of the crumb (really must stop using phone for these!)

I decided to try some natural light this morning - but no table outside as yet, it's too early!  So - I put the bread on the car <grin>

Gives a better idea of the colour - as I said, darker than I usually do

The crumb - shows quite a deep crust

And a crumb closeup:

(sorry re shadows and a bit gritty)

Final pic - on the sundial, as a change from the car:

Taste - very nice, I agree with a previous comment on David's blog about a "cool mouth feel".  My only slight disappointment was that it was not sour at all - despite all the long rests in the fridge - I think probably I need to leave the levain / stiff levain out longer?  But a good looking, tasty loaf, and enjoyable to try this with these stages.  I'll try again, but need to think about timing...

S

Comments

lumos's picture
lumos

::waits for the pictures patiently::  :p

Salilah's picture
Salilah

and ... they're up!

lumos's picture
lumos

WOW...... truly great looking loaf, both inside and out!    What flour did you use?  (I can ask this to UK member since I can actually use same flour! )

I think probably I need to leave the levain / stiff levain out longer?

I often find I need longer fermentation time for both levain and main dough, too,  when I adapt recipes by US bakers.  I think we live in a colder country.....:p

Salilah's picture
Salilah

I'm pleased - it does look lovely, very proud (and thanks to David for the recipe!)

Main flour is Waitrose Extra Strong Canadian flour (the red bag); the WW I think was spelt, not sure from where (can't find bag!), the rye was a basic Doves Farm - so nothing special! (though I do like the Waitrose flour)

and yes, definitely colder here!  Frost last night - my poor little lettuce plants looked very cold this morning!  At least the greenhouse didn't go so low - 5C last night - but I think they are forecasting snow at Easter? :-(

Now off to plan for Easter baking - I want to do your cocoa / walnut / cranberry bread, plus some SD hot cross buns, plus probably a basic Pugliese for eating with food, plus I fancy trying the Colomba Pasquale - so I really need to think about timing! <grin>

lumos's picture
lumos

Looks lovely?  Must be joking. it looks stunning!!  Especially the dark crust and the way it's scored.  I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a loaf like that in a very upmarket artisan bakery and if I see it, I'd buy without a second of hesitation! 

Good! that's easy enough. I always have a bag of  Waitrose Very Strong Canadian flour in my flour box for I use it for bagels.  (my regular flour is Waitrose Leckford Estate strong)

So did you use wholemeal spelt in place for wholewheat flour in David's formula? 

 

 

but I think they are forecasting snow at Easter? :-(

PLEASE tell me you're only joking.  We're going to the Thames to watch The Boat Race on Saturday!

varda's picture
varda

Salilah,   That looks fantastic.   Amazing crust and crumb.   Wonderful baking!  -Varda

Salilah's picture
Salilah

much appreciated

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

I am becoming increasingly convinced that a full fermentation of the starters is key to a more sour flavor. 

If you bake again with longer fermentation times, let us know how it turns out.

I like your crust. It must be very crunchy.

David

Salilah's picture
Salilah

Yes, I reckon most of the time I cut your times short - so I will try again

Thanks re crust - yes, crunchy definitely!  You almost need to use sawing techniques to slice it (you know, making a line with a few pull strokes to get a mark before the proper sawing? <grin>)

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Isn't David's SFSD a fine recipe?  Sour is a tough one I think.  I even started to retard my nearly finished starter after 12 hours (still too liquid) overnight and feeding it again early in the morning to get it stiff as I want and letting it sit 4 hours again.    Have also put 33% whole rye and 33% WW in the starter too with 33% AP.  Sour is much better now. 

Very nice bake Salilah. 

Salilah's picture
Salilah

I might try upping the rye and ww in teh starter - though I think also Davids view on longer times

It still tastes good - just not quite what I'd hoped - definitely I'll try again

thanks for the comments

S

bertie26's picture
bertie26

Hello Sally

What lovely bread. I like the crust and the crumb lookls delicoius and moist. Thanks for sharing I keep saying I must try the Canadian flour , however I never do. A trip to Waitrose in now inevitable. 

Happy baking till next time 

Albert

Salilah's picture
Salilah

I do like the Waitrose flour - you can also get it through Ocado I think, if that is any help!

cheers
S