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3/6/12

Bread Machine Sour Dough Bread

About a year ago I started sour dough starter per the directions on the King Arthur website.  So occasionally I whip up a batch,  This week has been like trying to walk in deep mud as I just can't get in gear and get much done.  I had gotten the starter from the refrigerator and left it out yesterday but just got the bread completed this morning.

This is an adaptation of the recipe also found on the same website.  I generally prefer honey to sugar for bread baking and I increased the amount of yeast.  I am quite happy with the results.  In fact the bread made a delightful ham sandwich  for my lunch today.

If you make this recipe in a bread machine for success you need to use a setting that provides a total of 30 minutes kneading, a first rise of 40 minutes, and a second rise of 1 hour, 50 minutes.  The long second rise allows for the volume but I also increased the yeast by 1/2 t. to help it along.  The bread needs to bake for 60 minutes.  I used the basic setting on the Zojirushi bread machine although the recipe recommended a French bread cycle.  I just looked up the specific times of each cycle until I found the one that works.  I do not have a French bread cycle.

Ingredients for a 1 1/2 pound loaf:

2 t. yeast
1 1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. honey
2 1/2 C. bread flour (I use King Arthur)
2 C. sour dough starter
1/2 C. lukewarm water

Place the ingredients into the pan in the order given, EXCEPT stir the honey into the lukewarm water until it is dissolved first!!  Program for French bread or other long-rising cycle and press start.  The directions stated the bread would not crown. but would remain flat across the top.  This was not true of mine.  It did better I presume due to the increase of the yeast.

Remove from the pan when cool enough to handle and cool fully before wrapping in an airtight bag.


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