I have a recipe in need of testing... Anybody want to help? :) *** -----IN TESTING----- *** *** SOURDOUGH BREADBOWLS *** *** -------------------- *** 1 c starter 3 c flour 1/2 c water 1/3 tsp honey 1. The water should be dechlorinated. Let it stand in a clean bottle overnight. Warm a mug full for 45 seconds, aiming for 100F. No hotter than 110F. . 2. Shake the starter up. Pour off 1 Cup to use, and replenish by adding 1 c flour and 1/2 c dechlorinated water. . 3. Put the flour in a bowl. Stir it well with a fork. *** Fluffing the flour this way is vital because yeast love oxygen and this gets them off to a significantly stronger start. . 4. Make a little depression in the middle. Pour 1/4 c water here, then add the starter. Stir with a tool such as a bread-mixing paddle. . 5. Add the remaining 1/4 c water. Stir until it forms a dough. Give the bowl a quarter turn, lift the mix at the far side and pull it towards you over the rest. Use the paddle to press it down at the center. . 6. Grease your main hand with butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil. Add a few spoonfuls of dry flour to the side of the bowl. Knead the dough until it becomes a shiny ball that mostly pulls away from your hand instead of sticking. Use the paddle to clean dough off your fingers, then wash your hands. . 7. Lightly oil another bowl. Transfer the dough into this. Cover with a clean dish towel and place it in a warm spot to rise. This takes about 2 hours (longer if its cold). . 8. Grease BOTH hands. Push your fist into the middle to punch out the biggest bubbles. Knead the dough with the fold/squish/quarter-turn method 3-4 times. *** Youre spreading the yeast population more evenly, breaking up its clusters. . 9. Use the edge of the paddle to cut the dough in half. Then cut each half into three pieces, so you have six in all. . 10. Preheat the oven to 425. . 11. Lift each dough chunk out of the bowl. Fold one third under on one side. Fold half the dough under on the other side. (So, its in thirds, and the edges now overlap underneath.) Rotate it 1/4 turn. Do the tucking-under again. *** You are organizing the protein chains into concentric spheres. This adds to the final bowls integrity. . 12. Put each dough ball on a baking sheet as far from the others as they can go. (No grease, but a sprinkle of cornmeal on the sheet is okay.) Let rise until doubled in size (up to 2 hours, probably less). . 13. Bake 425 for 15 minutes. . 14. Lower the oven heat to 375 for 30 minutes. . 15. Take the bread out of the oven and let it cool. . 16. Use a small serrated knife to cut off the tops. Pull the bread out of the inside. (Future salad croutons...?) . 17. Serve full of soup or stew. If the guests nibble down the edge of the bowl (or even eat the whole thing!) consider it a high compliment. . 18. Give uneaten crusts to the beggars waiting outside the kitchen door and/or the castle hounds.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 05:24:28 +0000