Well it took about 24 hours but I’ve finally done it. I made a loaf of sourdough that rivals what I could get at a bakery. The crust was golden and the perfect combination of crispy and chewy. The crumb was moist and full of holes to soak up the butter. The flavor was as good as any I’ve ever had.
It did burn a little on the bottom but that’s something that is easy to fix next time around. The important thing is that I was finally able to combine all of the lessons I have learned from my previous attempts (along with tips from several baking books that I’ve been reading lately) and produce something that I was beginning to think was impossible from my home oven. And the best part is that I did it without destroying or shattering anything!
It does look great. The crust is just right. Did you use water in the oven this time? I have been doing that, without a problem, but then, my oven doesn’t have a window!
9:24 pm Jul 7th, 2006I made the oatmeal bread from th King Arthur book yesterday, with steel cuts oats. It was okay, but not gorgeous like your sourdough.
Thanks! Yes, I used water again but this time I draped a towel over the oven glass for safety. Also, I put the pan for the hot water in the top of the oven rather than the bottom and it made it much easier to pour the water in. It seemed to work just as well. I also spray the inside of the oven with water a few times during the first 5 minutes of baking.
9:30 pm Jul 7th, 2006[...] I’ve been baking bread since I was small. My mom baked bread a lot when we were kids and my sister and I used to have fun helping (dressed in our matching chef’s hats and aprons, of course). At some point, I took things into my own hands and started baking my own bread. Cinnamon Swirl bread, to be exact. For whatever reason, once I learned how to make that, it was the only bread I made for years. It wasn’t until we moved overseas a few years ago that I was bitten by the breadmaking bug (actually, attacked is more like it!). I will never stop making the cinnamon swirl bread but I’ve since branched out into all types of bread from standard whole wheat sandwich loaves to focaccia to sourdough (my latest obsession!). [...]
12:52 pm Aug 12th, 2006As a fellow sourdough lover (and as someone who can’t get good or even decent sourdough on the East Coast, could you share your recipe? Love the blog. Great writing and beautiful photography.
8:05 pm Jan 12th, 2007i agree with Bill. we just made the cinnamon bread and it was awesome, we’d love to know how to make the sourdough loaf.
7:37 pm Apr 15th, 2007Great blog.
Hi Bill and Larry,
I know I need to get a post written about sourdough! I’ll get to work on it…keep checking back! Thanks
9:41 pm Apr 15th, 2007[...] own oven! And they know what to expect because they were visiting me in Sicily when I baked my first perfect loaf of sourdough from this very same [...]
5:02 pm Nov 23rd, 2007Nicole,
I just purchased a grain mill attachment to my kitchenaid mixer. What grains are best for making flour for the sourdough starter? I’ve read that gluten/ wheat problems are caused because the oils in store bought flour goes rancid very quickly. It sounds like fun, and very old fashioned to grind my own flour. Any suggestions?
12:50 pm Nov 24th, 2007I have been looking for sourdough recipes and yours looks realy nice could you be able to email me the recipe please
regard:Ekaterina
8:53 pm Apr 5th, 2008Your bread look great! I have a sourdough start that I have kept going for a year now, but I don’t have a bread recipe. Will you share yours please? I would love to try it.
11:46 am May 4th, 2010Thanks in advance.
I am knew to this site. If there is a place to find recipes, would you tell me how to get there? Thanks!
Nancy
???a grain mill attachment – really??? I want that. Let us learn more of such an interesting device plz.
10:29 am Jul 7th, 2010Could we hear about grain mill mixer attachment results please.
10:54 am Jul 7th, 2010