In Practice: Bake your own Bread
Friday, February 22nd, 2008
Ok, what about make some time and bake some bread. Never done it? How does that work? Why put in all that time and effort, when you can just buy it at the corner? - Well, I think I won’t answer to that. What I can tell you is that there comes a whole package of sensations and fun with it…;-) I’m aware that it’ll probably cost more energy input than output if you count the quantifiable stuff. If you count the non-quantifiable stuff that’ll look different I think. Why not engage in getting some basic knowledge on the production of your own food. So here we go. Have fun…
Bake your own bread / prepare your own Sourdough Starter
Wholemeal flour
Water
Salt
(Nuts, Seeds, Olive Oil, Honey…)
Mix some spoons of wholemeal flour (rye works best) with some water and make it into a liquid paste
cover it, leave it in a warm place
Check it every day for four days, try to keep it the same texture
If it is warm enough after four days it will have bubbles due to fermentation
This is your starter
Preparation for 2 or 3 loafs/about 1,5 kilos of bread
The night before mix 1/10 of the flour (around 150g) with your starter, add some water and make it into a paste
Cover it, put it in a warm place, leave it over night so the yeast can spread
In the morning add the rest of the flour, water and some salt- and whatever else you want to add (some oil, nuts, seeds…)
Make it into a firmer dough then leave it covered for 2-4 hours in a warm place
If you want to keep some starter for your next bread separate some of the dough before adding salt and the other ingredients, put it into a jar and keep it in a cool place. It will keep at least for a week
Put the dough in forms, filling 2/3 of form, let it rise for 2-4 hours
Put in hot oven (240C) for 10 minutes then down to 180C for 30-45 minutes
