DIY Sourdough Starter and Bread

[sweetmaria]

Why is it not advisable?

working on sourdough yeast-making process. because it is difficult.

 

[El_Goretto]

working on sourdough yeast-making process. because it is difficult.

Oh ok... I thought there was some dangerous food poisoning risks or something like that.

But that's ok, I finally cracked the secret and have a very active starter going on. Yesterday by noon, it had more than doubled volume and was about to spill out. I had to stir it down 4 times for the rest of the day so that it wouldn't spill out before I needed it for my levain last night.

Left my levain (leaven) overnight and this morning that one has more than doubled volume, is all bubbly and a spoonful of it floats so it's ready for making bread.

Already mixed the water and flour, it's doing its autolyse now for a couple hours.

 

[El_Goretto]

Well, it went extremely well. I let you judge for yourself:

It tastes as good as it looks. Sorry for blowing my own trumpets but I'm goddamn proud of myself.

 

[William King]

Hoy damn. Good one you!

 

[Supir Angkot]

Well, when a Frenchie successfully bakes sourdough is pretty much like wong Jowo manages to make tempeh, susah susah gampang. Congrats.

 

[El_Goretto]

Maybe it's the beginner's luck!

This is the recipe I followed: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-sourdough-bread-224367

It goes into a lot of details on the whole process. However I had somewhat shorter leaven rising, autolyse, resting times and proofing to account for the heat and humidity here. Also my oven doesn't go all the way to the recommended temp so I baked it at the same temp throughout (max my oven can: 240C).

I also took inspiration from these guys to get a better idea of the shaping (and I still kinda messed it up):

 

[sweetmaria]

oh WOW!!!

Can't give you any more reputation but WOW! congrats!

 

[El_Goretto]

Hoy damn. Good one you!

oh WOW!!!

Can't give you any more reputation but WOW! congrats!

Thank you, you two!

Well, when a Frenchie successfully bakes sourdough is pretty much like wong Jowo manages to make tempeh, susah susah gampang. Congrats.

Thanks!

French people don't really bake their own bread. It's not as common as one would think simply because there are bakeries at every corner just like there are alfamart/indomaret everywhere in Indonesia. And the average French bakery makes amazing bread by international standards. So by convenience alone, it's easier to pop out and buy freshly baked bread. It's also quite cheap.

 

[El_Goretto]

My bread making shenanigans have been going along well. Haven't messed up a bread so far, the worse that has happened is a weak oven spring (aka oven rise), but still made good bread with a nice airy tender crumb and dark gold crispy crust.

I now have acquired a 40x40cm slab of marble for 50rb which fits perfectly in my oven to use as a baking stone.

I will report on this after my first try.

 

[steveandpenny]

God I'm proud of you and envious .the bread looks like it's to die for. I really want to try it but my wife pointed out 2 things....one every time I cook something new, I destroy the kitchen (and swear alot) .. 2nd she pointed out we don't have a oven ....ohhh.

But I did find a place in Jakarta that has not only real good sour dough bread but also crusty Baggett with seeds and onions and olives in it. It's called Paul's and it's on the ground floor of the Plaza Senayan Mall near the hag-dazz store...3 rd floor has bagels bagels in the food court. That's the reason I was there. Any way I bought a dozen bagels and 2 crusty sour dough loafs and a Baggett to bring home to manado. Got home with 10 bagels and the 2 loafs of bread. Told my wife I fasted for Ramadan and broke my fast with the Baggett. She reminded me we weren't Muslims.

I tell you she the smart one in our famliy.
But again I bow to you El Goretto.

 

[El_Goretto]

Paul is a French chain, we have them in every train station and mall in France. They're quite decent but still not quite as good as some of the artisanal bakeries. But for Indonesia, they're a god send! Too bad they're too far from me. I also know there is a Paul bakery in Pacific Place, another one in Plaza Indonesia, one in construction at the new mall in Pantai Indah Kapuk and probably several other locations.

You might be able to make bread in your BBQ by fitting it with a marble or granit slab. Might require a bit of trial and error and a thermometer will be absolutly required but can be quite fun. It will double as a pizza oven too!

 

[El_Goretto]

So I've tried the marble slab in my oven today.

The difference is not huge but then again my oven isn't great in the first place.

The main difference is the absence of hot spots and a more uniform browning of the crust.

I was expecting more browning on the bottom though, maybe my atone wasn't hot or low enough, not sure.

But this is my best bread yet in terms of shape and crust. I got a nice oven rise which I think is more due to my focus on improving the shaping rather than the stone.

 

[El_Goretto]

 

[steveandpenny]

We were thinking of building a clay outside pizza oven ! Got the plans and found out where to get coconut charcoal. So maybe bread isn't out of the question.

Also thanks for the info about Paul's. Going to look them up online and see if I can talk them into a location in manado.

 

[Smallworld]

The bread looks amazing. EL-G

I know this is about DIY but for those who love bread in Bandung there is mom's bakery. Sourdough big loaf is around 60-70 k rp. Can be preordered and delivered.

 

[El_Goretto]

The bread looks amazing. EL-G

I know this is about DIY but for those who love bread in Bandung there is mom's bakery. Sourdough big loaf is around 60-70 k rp. Can be preordered and delivered.

Thank you!

Buying ready made is fine and is even preferable if it's readily available: no need to go through all this trouble other than for education factor.

 

[Davita]

As much as making one's own bread can be interesting, educational and a nice hobby...here in Bali there is such a plethora of ethnic breads available, for such a small island, I'm overwhelmed.
One of the things we introduce to our visitors are the many varieties of breads available.