Sourdough bread #2

3 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
6 cups Bromated Flour
¼ cup (See note Below) Sugar
1½ teaspoon (Or Less) Salt
AFTER COMBINING THESE THREE INGREDIENTS ADD,
1 cup Of Your . . . Sourdough Starter
½ cup (We use Puritan Canola) Oil
1½ cup Warm Water

Directions

QTY MEASUREMENT PREPARATION INGREDIENT Keep starter in refrigerator except after feeding. Feed starter every 3 to 5 days. To feed, remove your glass container from the refrigerator, mix the above "TO FEED STARTER" ingredients, and add to your starter and stir.

Leave the starter out of the refrigerator un-covered for 8 to 12 hours. Return the container to the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days before feeding again. Initially I suggest that you feed the starter at least two times before you make your first batch of bread. (Just to build up your supply and allow it to work well.) To make bread, take the starter out of the refrigerator and stir well and measure out one cup of the starter. Return the container to the refrigerator (cover the container lightly - we lay one of those small styrofoam (sp) bowls on top of the container). Mix the dry "TO MAKE BREAD" ingredients, then add the cup of starter, oil and warm water. Mix with a wooden spoon. The dough will become stiff, but continue till you have a nice ball of dough and all the dry flour has been absorbed into the ball of dough. Knead the ball in the pan 5 or 6 times.

Then place the dough in another bowl (that has been sprayed with Pam). Turn the dough over so that both sides have received some Pam on it. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let the dough double.

Have patience, cause it make take several hours, or overnight, plus, before the dough doubles. (In the summer time we put ours out in the garage after we make it up about 9 PM, and the next morning it has really blossomed (more than doubled), but in south Texas it gets some hot from May to October. The key is patience! Don't sweat it, it due course it will double, or more. After doubling, turn the risen dough out on a floured surface and knead (is it knead or kneed - who cares ~ you know what I mean anyway) it sufficiently to remove most of the air bubbles. Divide the dough and place in bread pans that have been sprayed with PAM (or whatever) or use the new type that are non-stick.

Let the dough rise again until above the edge of the bread pan an inch or two. Again, have patience with the rising - it will make it! A suggestion would be to always place the dough in the warmest place you can find, but don't put it in the oven with the light turned on to create some warmth - cause it will develop an undesirable crust on top. When risen sufficiently, heat your oven to 350 degrees, put the bread pans in and set the timer for 20 to 25 minutes (depending on your oven). I would look at it after about 20 minutes, and if the bottom of the loaf is lightly browned, take 'em out. We then take the loafs out of the pans and set them on wire racks on your counter and lightly brush the top of each loaf. This makes 3 nice loaves. The dough will also make about 24 nice biscuits.

Divide the dough into balls twice the size of a golf ball, and flatten out with the palm of your hand, then fold over and lay in a pan with about 2 inch sides. Let them rise sufficiently and bake as above. Usually the biscuits only take 15 to 17 minutes.

TO MAKE OTHER TYPES OF BREADS, ADJUST BREAD RECIPE AS FOLLOWS: Wheat Bread: 4 Cups Bromated Flour + 2 Cups Wheat Flour Oatmeal Bread: 6 Cups Bromated Flour + 1 Cup Oatmeal Flour Raisin-Cinnamon-Nut Bread: Add 1 Tbsp Cinnamon, ½ Cup Chopped Nuts (Walnuts or Pecans) and 1 Cup of Raisins.

NOTE REGARDING SUGAR IN BREAD MIX: When making our bread dough, (not when feeding the starter) we use one packet of "Sweet One", low calorie sugar substitute - instead of the ¼ cup of granulated sugar. "Sweet One" comes in a box of 50 packets. If you cannot find it call 1-800-544-8610 (Took this off of the box). We like it cause it seems to be the only sugar substitute that you can use for cooking.

To soften the bread crust, brush the top of each loaf with margarine.

From Ed Schwing

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