Sourdough Bread

398.  Sourdough Bread!  Crunchy crust, airy texture, tangy flavor and the perfect bread when toasted.  

Though I had never tried making sourdough bread, a new challenge presented itself with a sourdough starter.  Every day you must "feed" the starter to keep it alive as well as working more air in by stirring.  I was up for the challenge and am enjoying the outcome.  My starter is a small batch for one loaf of bread a week.

Here is a great link to watch another process of a starter how-to HERE.

When you are ready to bake a loaf of bread, here is my recipe:

Autolyse flour and water stage.  It is very good to have a digital scale for acuracy.

Adding the salt and starter.

The stretch and fold process adds air into the dough and develops the gluten in the dough.

 The final shaping and proofing in a floured proofing basket called a Banneton or in a heavily floured kitchen towel placed in a bowl.

It is a beautiful bread...and if you take the time, you will be so happy with the fulfilling process.

"The baker's skill in managing fermentation, not the type of oven used, is what makes good bread. "

~ Chad Robertson, Tartine Bread

Irish Soda Bread & Citrus Honey Butter

357. Its March and Irish Soda Bread can be found in every grocery store, bakery and Instagram post.  So I received this email from King Arthur Bread Co and they featured an Irish Soda Bread.  I have tried many different recipes in the past but have never settled on one favorite.  So, I put this recipe to the test.  They claimed it was closest to an authentic Irish Soda Bread.  It was delicious and the aroma was intoxicating!

You can find the recipe link Here .  But, I made a convenient recipe cards for you to print out.

                     To save recipe select, drag and drop onto your desktop.  Print as a photo.

I mixed the dough in a large bowl and used my hands for the process.  Just prepped everything ahead.  The dough was stickier than the recipe described but I did not add anything to change the texture.  I baked it in a 9" round cast iron pan.  Because cast iron bakes hotter I adjusted the baking time 

to 35 minutes but could have baked for 30 minutes.  It was a bit dry but the taste and texture were lovely.

I served the bread with butter, honey, lemon curd and made a mixture of Orange Honey Butter.

This is a recipe I will be returning to.  Thanks King Arthur Flour Co. for developing a beautiful Irish Soda Bread.

"Cooking and Baking is both physical and mental therapy."  ~ Mary Berry