Topic: Help needed, sourdough bread newbie!

[Mrs Tweedy]

I am afraid that I am a little too impatient to do the starter the old way.

Jayb I use Dove's farm quick yeast. It comes in an orange packet and you can get it from Waitrose and I think I have seen it in Sainsburys. It makes a good sourdough loaf.


I buy several packets at a time so I always have plenty in the cupboard and we don't run out of bread.

There is another sourdough  recipe that I use that needs malt extract but I haven't been able to track any down lately.
I also have a recipe for a semolina bread that has a sour dough starter too if you want the recipe.

[Jayb]

I am afraid that I am a little too impatient to do the starter the old way.

Lol, I know what you mean, but it does smell gorgeous and I'm getting quite attached to my bubbling pot of goo!

I've never used malt extract , that's kind of like Horlicks to me. I remember adding milk powder when making bread long time ago, so maybe similar? I did come across these though;
http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=2963&prodid=3450
http://bakerybits.co.uk/Malted-Flour-C223197.aspx
which may be of help. I love the bakerybits site, I'm sure I read a link to it somewhere else here, just can't find where at the mo.

Not sure I can get excited about semolina bread, kind of gives me a gloopy pudding scare! So I think I'll skip on that one, although I'm sure it is nothing like it, but thanks for offering 

[Jayb]

A true sourdough starter isnt made from dried commercial yeast - it uses wild yeasts and actobacillus bacteria present in flour and the atmosphere instead.  You can buy sourdough starter kits to get yours going or you can try to make your own from scratch. Either way will take a while - weeks possibly because the wild yeasts are slow to reproduce.  Some sourdough cultures have been around for decades - mine is just over a year old so a baby really!

This site is excellent for advice on how to pep your starter up.

Interesting you say about the wild yeasts, I seem to remember, with cheese making, you should not be wine making at the same time. I guess it would also be a no no to have a sourdough starter bubbling anywhere near too?

[Mrs Tweedy]

Thanks for the links; I will investigate those as I have used malt extract in a variety of breads over the years.

I can understand the reluctance for the semolina bread especially as I remember my mother's semolina pud Yuck. And it was the worst as mother was a double for Ria in Butterflies if you are old enough to remember the series.

Semolina in bread tho' gives in a crunchy texture. It is an Italian bread.

[goodlife]

I looove semolina pudding..with a dollop of jam..MMM 
I use malt extract with my bread baking quite often. You cannot actually taste it as such but it add good debt to bread flavour and for same reason + added extra colour I use beer malts too..just cup of malts and boiling water over..bit of soaking and its ready for using when the temperature is cooled down a bit. You can buy all sorts of different malts to create different flavours and depth of colour for the bread. And if the malts have been soaked bit longer..say 24 hrs or so..they soften nicely and can be added into dough too.

[Mrs Tweedy]

I use beer for some of my bread, and mustard. Lovely flavour and great with cheese.

Many years ago I used to make my own malted wheat grains to add to the wholemeal bread too.

[Debs]

Semolina in bread tho' gives in a crunchy texture. It is an Italian bread . . .  that sounds lovely Mrs T. !!

Could you post the recipe please??

Debs

BTW Paul Hollywood has a new 'bread' programme starting on Tuesday, which should be good!

 

[Mrs Tweedy]

Here you go, Debs, one recipe for Pane di Semola. i will give the manual method as I don't know if you use a bread maker or not.
I use a doughsetting on the bread maker and in the past I used the dough hook of the  Kenwood.

We like to eat this with cheese, parma ham, olives, tomato salad and antipasta type preserves in oil, eg peppers, courgettes and artichoke hearts and dried tomatoes in oil. The bread is good to dip in the oil of the preserves.
It also helps if there is some sunshine to go with it!!!!!! Here's hoping we get some this year.
Starter...1/4 teaspoon dried yeast
              150 ml water
               125g white bread flour
Sprinkle yeast on to water, leave 5mins and stir to dissolve. Add flour and leave for 12 to 24 hours covered with a cloth.

For the dough  1 and 1/2 teaspoon dried yeast
                       175 ml luke warm water
                        125g white bread flour
                        250g semolina, plus extra to dust
                          1 teaspoon salt
                          2 tablespoons olive oil
Sprinkle the yeast into 100ml of the water, leave for 5mins and stir to dissolve.
Flour in a bowl with the salt in the bottom of the bowl. Add everything except the remaining 75 ml of water. Knead to a smooth elastic dough, adding the extra water if needed.

Place in an oiled bowl. Cover an leave to  double in size, about 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours.
When risen knock back the dough and knead briefly.
Leave to rest for 10 mins then divide the dough into 2 pieces, shape into round loaves. Place loaves on well oiled baking sheet dusted with semolina and flatten the loaves  slightly with the palm of your hand. Sprinkle with a little semolina, cover with a cloth and leave until the loaves have doubled in size.
Bake in a pre heated oven at 200C gas 6 for about 30 mins until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

You can put a dish of boiling water in the bottom of the oven to create steam which will make your bread crustier.

When making bread it is a good ide not to let the salt and yeast comeinto direct contact at the beginning as salt can reduce the effect of the yeast.

If using a bread maker just follow the instructions for your machine and whack all the ingredients in the machine.

[Debs]

Mrs T,

Thankyou so much - this sounds delish!!

. . . just need warm sunshine & a nice bottle of red vino 

Debs