San Francisco Sourdough Bread

INGREDIENTS

Sourdough starter:

yields approximately 3 lbs.

1 & ½ oz. fresh compressed yeast or ¾ oz. dry yeast

3 c. water, at body temperature

1 oz. granulated sugar

1 lb. 8 oz. bread flour

San Francisco Sourdough Loaves:

yields four 18 oz. loaves

1 ounce fresh compressed yeast or ½ ounce dry yeastx4

2 c. warm water (105°F-115°F)2 qts. water

4 oz. yeast

2 Tbsp. salt4 oz. salt

1 ounce malt sugar or granulated sugar4 oz. sugar

1# 4 oz.Sourdough Starter9.5 lbs. bread flour

2# 6 oz. bread flour, approximately5 lbs. starter

cornmeal

DIRECTIONS for Starter:

  1. In a plastic crockery container with a large opening and plenty of room for expansion, dissolve yeast in water, then add sugar. Stir in flour using wooden spoon; keep stirring until you have a smooth paste.
  2. Cover loosely to allow gases to escape, and let stand a approximately 80°F for at least 2-3 days, preferably a little longer. The mixture should bubble and have a strong sour smell. Stir the starter down once a day during the time it is fermenting, also stirring in any crust that forms on top.
  3. When the starter is redy to use, remove the 1 pound, 4 ounces needed foir the sourdough bread, and replenish the remaining starter by adding 2 cups warm water and 1 lb. bread flour. Again, let stand loosely covered in a warm place for 24 hours before using. After that the starter shoud be stored in the refrigerator (see note). The starter, or part of it, may also be frozen; before using, allow it to slowly thaw and start to bubble again at room temperature.

NOTE: Care of your starter: In addition to stirring the starter down once a day, if the starter is not used (and therefore not replenished), 1 cup warm water and 8 ounces bread flour should be added once a week. If more than 3 to 4 weeks goes by without using the starter, remove it from the container, discard half (or give it to a friend who will appreciate it and not think it is a bad joke!), wash and rinse the container, and place the remaining starter inside. Replenish with water and flour as described in step 3. If the starter is left alone too long without adding fresh water and flour, it will slowly die in its own residue.

DIRECTIONS for Sourdough Loaves:

  1. Dissolve yeast in water; add salt, sugar, and starter. Incorporate enough flour for a quite-firm, not-sticky dough. Continue to knead for about 8 minutes until the dough is elastic and pliable.
  2. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and turn the dough so that the top will be oiled as well. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
  3. Punch the dough down and scale into 18-ounce pieces.
  4. Pound and roll each piece into a 16-inch long loaf. Let rise until half-doubled in volume. Pe patient here; the loaves will take quite a bit longer to rise than regular bread. While proofing, spray the loaves with water to prevent a crust from forming on top.
  5. Before baking, spray the loaves again, then dust with cornmeal. Slash the tops of the loaves using a sharp serrated knife or a razor blade, cutting lengthwise at a slight angle as for Baguettes.
  6. Bake at 425°F using steam for the first 10 minutes and baking for a total of approximately 40 minutes, or until done (if your oven is not equipped with steam injectors, place a pan containing four or five ice cubes in the oven, and add ice cubes, a few at a time, to create steam during the first 10 minutes of baking). Allow bread to cool on a rack.

NOTE: Sour bread is also typically made in a flat round shape in San Francisco. Scale into 2-pound pieces, then form the pieces into tight round loaves. Let relax for a few minutes, then flatten them into approximately 9 inches in diameter. Proof and spray as for the long loaves. Dust with bread flour (quite heavily so it shows after baking). Slash the tops of the loaves first in a series of parallel lines, then with additional parallel lines at a 45° angle to the first set to form a diamond pattern. Bake as directed in step 6, but approximately 5 minutes longer.