Sourdough French Bread

* Exported from MasterCook II *

Sourdough French Bread

Recipe By : Bill Turner Hewlett-Packard Personal Software Division, Sant
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup sourdough starter
125 ml milk (any type, but I prefer whole milk)
15 ml sugar
10 ml salt
30 g shortening
250 g flour

1. Combine milk, sugar, salt, and shortening in a pan. Heat until
shortening melts, then cool to lukewarm (about 45 =F8C .

2. Stir milk into starter. Add flour gradually, forming dough that pulls
away from sides of the bowl.

3. Kneed until smooth (about 15 min.), adding flour as needed to keep the
dough from sticking to the board. When done, the dough will be fairly
heavy, but smooth in texture.

4. Place in a well-greased bowl and raise in a warm place until doubled.

5. Form into a long loaf (about 40 cm long). Place on a greased baking
sheet and let rise again, until almost doubled.

6. Cut diagonal slits in top of loaf with a sharp knife, and bake in a 400=
degree oven until done, about 30-35 min.

7. Remove from pan, and let cool in a draft-free location.

Author's Notes:
This is a hearty bread, possibly heavier than many people are used to.=
The flavor is wonderfully tangy, and complements just about any meal. Try
it with garlic butter! This bread is slow raising. I usually spend two
days on it - start the dough one day, let it rise overnight, then form the
loaf and bake the next day. This recipe is from The Complete Sourdough
Cookbook, by Don and Myrtle Holm.

Be careful that the milk mixture has cooled before adding it to the
starter. If it's too hot, you'll kill the starter and the bread won't rise.=
Since the dough rises for a long time, I usually cover it with a damp towel
to keep it from drying out. If you want a chewy crust, brush the top of the
loaf with a mixture of corn starch and water before baking. Also, placing
a pan of water in the oven while baking will make the crust a little
softer. I usually brush the loaf with butter after baking.

Difficulty : moderate.
Precision : measure the ingredients.

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