San Joaquin Sourdough and Apple Yeast Bread
This weekend was devoted to experimenting with fruit yeast, and a second go at an old favorite. While I was waiting for my apples to ferment, I was also nurturing a levain for David's famous San Joaquin Sourdough. My first trial at the San Joaquin had been okay, but fell short of David (dmsnyder)'s example, leaving room for improvement.
The Apple Yeast Bread was something entirely new, I had never heard of such a possibility before I read RonRay's Blog. Curiosity won over scepticism, and I watched my apples slowly disintegrating in their warm water bath, while producing little bubbles. I also had never tried baking in a Dutch oven, a method for single, "private", breads whereas most of my (professional) baking requires full oven capacity in order to accomodate several loaves at once.
With the results of both endeavours I was quite satisfied. Ron's Apple Yeast Bread proved the possibility of home grown, "sweet" non sourdough yeast, and developed a nice oven spring in its oven within the oven. David's San Joaquin Sourdough had a more open crumb than last time, and both had thin but crackling crust.
I would have loved to keep some - but no bread lasts longer than a couple of days in this undisciplined family. One of the sourdoughs served as the "flowers" at a dinner invitation, much to the delight of our friends. The other two breads, toasted and untoasted, we had for lunch.
Another starter and a soaker are waiting in the fridge for being joined together to "Feinbrot", and my stepdaughter's birthday requires some serious torte baking tomorrow..
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Apple Yeast Bread
Apple Yeast Bread Crumb
San Joaquin Sourdough (with 60% hydration starter)
San Joaquin Sourdough Crumb