The dough comes out onto the counter and is divided and pre-shaped. After this stage, your dough will be larger and lighter. This is called the bulk fermentation, and the gluten is allowed to relax, and more complex flavors are developed. Now the dough sits pretty for 1.5 – 2 hours. I do a total of three or four folds, each resting for 20-30 minutes in between. This makes far less mess and makes the folding steps simpler. Personally, I prefer to leave my dough in the bowl as opposed to dumping it onto the counter.
There are countless techniques for this, and it comes down to preference. The salt (and a little more water) is incorporated into the dough completely, then the dough rests for 30 minutes. It also slows fermentation, which is why it’s added after the autolyse. Salt adds flavor to the sourdough, and gives the dough structure, improving its ability to hold on to the carbon dioxide. It’s a hugely important step, one that takes about 30 minutes, but some folks autolyse for up to two hours or more.Īfter the autolyse, the salt is added. This allows the flour to fully absorb the water, to activate enzymes, and to begin converting the flour into simple sugars. It must rest after mixing, and this is called the autolyse. To mix the sourdough, simply add your leaven to some water and add the flour. This sits out for 8-12 hours, and then it’s time to make your dough. Once you have a starter and it’s healthy and active, you add warm water and flour to make a leaven.
#How do you make cheese bread with sourdough starter how to
It’s fun! Click here to go to Chapter 4, How to Make Sourdough Starter in Six Easy Steps. If you can’t find one, you can make your own. If you don’t want to make it from scratch, I suggest reaching out on social media (Nextdoor is a great way to find a starter!) and simply ask: “Does anybody have some healthy, active sourdough starter I could have?” This is something you can either make yourself from scratch or receive from someone else. (An interesting side note: many people who are gluten-sensitive are able to eat sourdough with no digestive issues – this is due to that breakdown of the gluten protein, making it gentler on sensitive stomachs.) The Basics Some bacteria even digest gluten which creates lactic acid, lowering the pH and bringing the sour to the sourdough.
The CO 2 creates bubbles in the dough, which gives the bread its rise and crumb. They begin digesting the flour, and a by-product of this digestion is carbon dioxide (CO 2). The yeast and bacteria that exist on the flour grain and on the baker’s hands get kick-started once the water is added. Three basic ingredients – flour, water, salt – come together in a beautiful symbiotic rhythm to raise the bread naturally, as has been done for thousands of years. Sourdough breads are made with wild yeasts and bacteria. However, this type of bread has only existed for just over 150 years. Fast forward to Chapter 4 to learn all about sourdough starter, and how to make your own from scratch!Ĭhapter 2: What is Sourdough? When people think of bread, they tend to think of that which uses commercial, or quick rise, yeasts. If you don’t have a starter, let’s get it going.
If you have a starter, great! Start feeding it regularly to get it nice and strong, and take a look through Chapter 3 to make sure you have all of the essential kitchen tools for baking sourdough. This can make a world of difference to your bread and your overall experience. Don’t think too hard on whether or not it’s a good idea (it IS a good idea!), and instead, keep this momentum and just start.Ĭhapter 2, What is Sourdough?, explains everything you need to know, so you’ll have a better understanding of what you’ll be working with. The best way to begin baking sourdough is to just begin. You read this post! First of all, congratulations on starting your sourdough bread journey! Whether you know it or not, you’ve already begun this adventure simply by being interested and curious about this process.