West Coast French Sourdough Bread I

* Exported from MasterCook *

WEST COAST FRENCH SOURDOUGH BREAD I

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 c Starter
1 pk Dry yeast
3/4 c Flour
3 c Flour
3/4 c Water
2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Soda
1 1/2 c Warm water
2 c Flour
2 ts Sugar

About 9:00 in the evening measure out 1 cup starter
from the refrigerator storage jar into mixing bowl (do
not use metal or plastic). Add 3/4 cup water and 3/4
cup flour and beat thoroughly. Cover bowl tightly with
clinging transparent wrap and set in warm place (80 to
85) overnight.

In the morning about 7:00 beat starter thoroughly.
Measure out 1 cup and return remaining starter to
storage jar. In another bowl pour 1-1/2 cups of just
warm water, stir in 2 tsp. sugar and sprinkle 1 pkg.
yeast on top. Let stand until yeast is dissolved. Add
the 1 cup of reserved starter and 3 cups flour. Beat
thoroughly, cover tightly and let stand in warm place
until very light and foamy. This will take from 1 to
1-1/2 hours.

Sift 2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. soda with 1 cup flour
and spread the remaining 1 cup on the pastry board.
Stir the sifted flour mix into the sponge. Turn out
on board and knead for several minutes using a little
more flour if necessary to make a very stiff dough.
Knead until completely smooth and not sticky so that
it can be worked on an unfloured portion of the board
without sticking. Divide in halves and shape into
either round or long narrow loaves. Place on flat
baking sheet, preferably non stick, or lightly grease
it or sprinkle corn meal over the surface. Slip into
large plastic bag, supported so that it will not touch
dough (drinking glasses placed at each end of sheet
are fine). Set in warm place for 1 to 1-1/2 hours to
rise.

If the dough becomes too light the loaves will spread
in baking but this only makes a more delicious crust.
When ready for the oven brush top of loaves with cold
water. Make diagonal slashes across top of long
loaves and five or six radiating from center of round
ones with a sharp single-edge razor blade or scissors.
Bake in oven preheated to 400 degrees with pan of hot
water on the floor from 50 to 60 minutes and the crust
is as dark as desired. About 10 minutes before the end
of the baking period, brush tops with water again.
Remove from pans and stand on edge to cool, propping
them against a heavy glass jar or similar object.

For the most attractive slices, especially if the
loaves have spread a little to much in baking, cut
with a very sharp knife diagonally across the long
loaf and at the same time have the blade slanted from
top to bottom away from the end. This makes the slices
about twice as wide as when cut straight up and down.
Cut slices from the round loaves on the slant also.
When ready to seve, to preserve the utterly delicious
taste and crisp, hard crust, re-heat quickly with
wrapping open at one end so that the bread will not
become steamy, or spread slices with butter and place
under broiler at high heat for a very short period
until the edges are beginning to brown nicely. This
recipe makes 2 long or 2 large round loaves.

From: Breads and Coffee Cakes with Homemade Starter
Shared By: Pat Stockett



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