When you next check on the starter, it

Sourdough made sweet

There’s nothing better than the smell and warmth of homemade bread, but many people are too intimidated by the time and attention bread takes to try it themselves. All the proofing, kneading and time needed, on top of stores being out of yeast, are intimidating for beginner and veteran bakers alike. The solution? Sourdough bread. Although using sourdough as the leavening agent takes more time than using store-bought yeast, it creates a crusty bread with a complex flavor that is worth all the effort. Before jumping into sourdough head first, here are some bread basics to simplify the science behind this carbohydrate:

Leavening agent: The leavening agent is what makes the dough rise and bread porous. In bread, doughnuts, rolls, etc, yeast is encouraged to ferment and release carbon dioxide. Store-bought yeast needs to be added to warm water, sugar and oil and allowed to bubble before mixing it and flour together. Wild yeasts found in flour, dried fruit and the air are used to make a sourdough starter which can be mixed into flour and water. (Britannica website)

Kneading: For a lot of breads, all the yeast in the world doesn’t matter if the dough isn’t kneaded. After mixing flour and water, the proteins in the flour normally need help activating and forming a strong gluten network. Gluten is essential to keep in the CO2 released by the leavening agent, which creates a light and fluffy loaf. Dough can be kneaded with a bread hook or by pushing the dough forward and rolling it backward on a clean surface. It should be kneaded until a smooth (free of lumps), elastic (it can stretch without tearing) and slightly tacky ball is formed. (Bon Appetit website)

Proofing: Proofing is the most temperamental part of the process, but it’s also the easiest because this is when the dough is left alone. There are several stages of the proofing process: (Masterclass website)

Autolyse: This is when the flour and water is mixed together before the yeast mixture is added, 20 minutes to 1 hour. This helps with the gluten. First proof: This is when the yeast produces the most bubbles. After the yeast, flour and water dough is kneaded, it needs to be covered in a lightly oiled bowl. It then sits at around 70 degrees until it doubles in size, 1 1/2 to 3 hours. Sourdough typically takes longer to double in size. While proofing, the dough should be folded over every half hour. Shaping: This is when the proofed dough is placed onto a floured surface and folded or rolled into the desired shape. It can also be cut into multiple loaves. After shaping, allow it to sit for 15 to 40 minutes. Final proof: This is when the shaped and rested dough is placed into its “proofing vessel,” covered and allowed to rise again. This last proofing can be done overnight in the fridge if a sourdough, or for as little as one hour to keep it simple.

How to make and perfect sourdough starter by Danielle Piper

Starter materials: Glass jar Unbleached all-purpose or whole wheat flour Filtered water Cheese cloth, coffee filter or a paper towel Rubber band

Instructions: 1. Make sure the glass 16oz jar and spoon are clean and dry 2. Add ½ cup flour and ¼ cup water to the jar and mix until smooth. It should be thicker than pancake batter, but not a dough 3. Mark where the ½ cup line is for later 4. Cover jar with cheesecloth, and seal around the mouth with rubber band 5. Leave in a warmish spot in the kitchen, between 68 and 75 degrees, for 24 hours 6. The next day, stir in any liquid that may have separated, then discard* all but ½ cup of the starter (if there is any to discard) 7. “Feed” starter by stirring in another ½ cup flour and ¼ cup water 8. Recover with cheesecloth, and let sit for another 24 hours 9. After 24 hours, it should have risen slightly and produced some bubbles. Stir in any liquids, and remove all but ½ cup of starter 10. Feed, recover and let sit for 12 hours 11. When you next check on the starter, it should have doubled or nearly doubled in size. Discard all but ½ cup of starter, feed and cover 12. After 12 hours, repeat the feeding process. Feed every 12 hours for another 3-5 days. The starter should rise significantly after every feeding, produce plentiful bubbles and smells like a tangy yogurt (see above left).

Notes

• The starter is ready to bake with when it doubles 6-8 hours after being fed • To keep starter alive, repeat the discard and feeding process indefinitely • Sourdough can replace store-bought yeast in any recipe; it just requires a little more time to rise and a little bit of math. Since sourdough is equal parts flour and water, equal portions of flour and liquid from the initial recipe must be removed when sourdough is added. For example, a bread recipe calls for 3 cups flour and 3 cups water. When adding 1 cup sourdough, remove ½ cup flour and ½ cup water. The final recipe is 2 ½ cup flour, 2 ½ cup water, and 1 cup sourdough. • Efficiency tip: instead of discarding all the starter, use ½ cup of the discard and begin another jar, and create double the amount of starter. • Longevity tip: instead of feeding the starter every 12-24 hours, try keeping the jar in the fridge and feeding once a week

There are all sorts of sourdough recipes to try. Bread newbies should search for a straightforward and knead-light recipe like sourdough focaccia bread. Some good resources for straight up sourdough bread are the King Arthur Flour Sourdough Baking Guide and Basics with Babish Sourdough Bread article. There are also lots of recipes that use the discarded sourdough like pancakes, crumpets and popovers. With sourdough, the possibilities are endless. Try not to be discouraged by unleavened cinnamon buns or pale pizza crust; sourdough and baking in general takes practice and patience, and screwing up a recipe is just one stop on the journey to perfecting it. recipes u april | may 2020 u the viewpoint u 11