SERIOUS BAKING (Continued)

Baking Bread.
Baking sourdough bread is on my first list, the sourdough starter was refrigerated, and now it is outside sitting on the kitchen bench.  After a few hours at room temperature, I took a hundred grammes of it, and follow by feeding the starter, a procedure that I could not miss. It is a must to keep the sourdough starter stays a life.

 Sourdough Starter

100 g liquid sourdough starter of the sourdough starter

Feeding the sourdough starter, to keep the starter a life.

Baking round French bread 'boule'.  The ingredients of this sourdough bread are strong plain flour, sourdough starter, little dry yeast, water and salt, it is easy and simple

The ingredients and quantity for Sourdough Bread "Boule."

500 g plain flour, 300 ml water, 100g liquid sourdough, 1 g dry yeast, 10g salt

Using an electric stand mixer to prepare the dough.  And these are the process.

All ingredients in a bowl

 Mixing the ingredients together, and kneading over low speed for four minutes

The Dough after the Four minutes kneading

Continue kneading at a quick speed for six minutes.  Stand firmly to the stand mixer and hold it, as it moves so fast.  You could not afford to leave while the machine is on, it could be a disaster.

The look of the dough after the final kneading.
It's is satiny and smooth.

Take it off the dough hook, knead the dough lightly for a few seconds, and shape it into a round (the first shaping).  Place the round dough into a bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let it rise for two hours. It will have increased in volume by the end of the rising time.

Prepare a place for the final shaping to have some flour ready at hand and get the basket ready.  Love using the new basket, and new equipment for the kitchen pleases me.

Place the dough on a floured board.  Turn it over, then bring the edges in towards the centre and press them down gently. Turn the dough over again and shape it between your hands, while pressing down on the work surface, to create a well-rounded ball.  Place on a lined basket, bottom-up, cover with a damp cloth and let it proof for two hours.

The dough has proofed for the second round, and it is ready for baking.  Place the dough onto a lined baking tray - right side on the top and, score the surface with a cross pattern.
Place a baking sheet on the bottom shelf of the oven preheat to 220 degrees C.  Just before putting it in the oven, pour 50 g of onto the preheated baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes

When it is baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Freshly baked sourdough bread 'boule', beautiful rustic look bread, is resting
on a wire rack to cool

When the bread is baked, take it out of the oven and leave it to cool on a wire rack.  This known as 'sweating', excess moisture continues to evaporate, and the bread will reduce weight by up to 2%.

The crust is crisp, the crumb is soft and yet chewy.

Sliced  Sourdough 'Boule' ready for Deep Freezing

The sourdough bread baking in this post is based on Éric Kayser, The Larousse  Book Of Bread. I have learnt a lot from his book, and I am glad that I could share my experience of baking with you.

I don't buy sourdough bread from the shop, once a month baking it could suffice for us, but I must take care of the liquid sourdough starter properly.

To Keep the Bread Stays Fresh.

STORING BREAD
(According to Éric Kayser)
Long loaves with a highly aerated crumb and a beautiful crust will lose their freshness and become stale more rapidly than large round loaves with a dense, compact crumb.
In general, natural - or sourdough-fermentation ensures that a loaf of bread can be kept for several days without going stale.  By contrast, well-baked baguette will only keep for 8-10 hours.  It is best to wrap the bread in paper, linen, or cotton bags, rather than in plastic, which will make it sweat.  Store in a dry place, in the refrigerator, where it will go stale more quickly.


Message:
To you my girls, Mel, Jane and Susan, it is not easy baking sourdough bread particularly taking care of the starter, luckily you could get the best sourdough bread in your city.   But we can have fun baking when you are home with mum.  Love you all!



Until Next Post.
Susy

SERIOUS BAKING (updated)

It is time to be baking bread.  The sourdough starter is resting in the refrigerator for some time now.  My new banneton proofing baskets have arrived, and I am very excited about it. Serious baking needs full attention to details, from the preparation to finish.  Proper equipment, tools and skills are essential for serious baking.  I almost have those, but the ability certainly has rooms for improvement.

 PROOFING   BASKETS

In the future, I won't be baking too many cakes as my Melanie and the family are moving to Queensland; indeed we shall miss them.  But other cooking and baking in the oven maybe the way to go for winter time.

Baking savoury Tart is in order, preparation has been done, but today is so busy with other chores and commitment.  The baking did not take place.
Preparation for this Onion Tart was simple, simply baked the whole unpeeled onion until soft.  Peel when it is cold, cut in half.  Place them on a frypan with butter, cook to caramelise.  Keep it fresh, and refrigerated until the baking time.

I used bought puff pastry for this tart.  What I did was simply cover the cold caramelised onion on the pan (the cut down), tuck some of the pastry in/under so you have a round pastry neatly cover the onions.
Bake in a hot oven at 200 degrees C for 16-18 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.  Take it out from the oven and let it stay in the pan for a few minutes before turning it over to a plate.

Freshly Baked Onion Tart

To serve, it is delicious to serve hot, you would enjoy the crispy light pastry and the deliciousness of the caramelised onion and the garnishes.
Serve cold, or room temperature is excellent too, garnish with rocket and cheese.  I love to have Gruyere cheese with this tart or Grana Padano.

Cut into wedges, and the tart is dressed with rocket and shaved Grana Padano.

Other Baking.

SCONES
Nothing is better than having freshly baked scones with hot tea; indeed, it is a treat.  Good preparation and proper baking scones I do, and often I bake batches to freeze for the next scones and cuppa days.  It can be done quickly, and the scones stay as fresh.  What you need to do is take them from the freezer, and reheat in the hot oven for five minutes to refresh.  Halve the scones and buttered to dress.  Jam and cream for the topping if you wish.

Scones dressed in a jam and slivered almonds

Reheated date scones in a hot oven for a few minutes to refresh

Butter to dress the Date Scones

Thin Strips of Butter to Dress the Date or Fruit Scones

Lavishly dressed date scone with butter.

Date scones spread with butter and dressed with a strip of pretty butter is so good.  Friends and family enjoy the scones with tea or coffee.

Baking is fun for everyone who loves serious cooking more so baking the scones.


To Be Continued

Food Glorious Food

We love our fine home cooking.  Prepared with Care.

The Pictures From Old  and New File

 Now it is late Autumn, any braising food is going to be done in the kitchen, good warm and hearty meal for the family.  But regardless beautiful sandwiches are always welcome, they are a treat to us all.  A cup of tea at four to relax is the ritual that we don't like to miss.

Until Next Post

Susy