My business is based on giving (I give away a lot of bread), and even though many would say, “Don’t give out your recipes!” I say, “Why not?” Most people will use it a time or two and find that it’s just easier to purchase the bread. Others are just curious and I have no problem satisfying that curiosity. Some may take it and start selling what they make. Great to all reasons for wanting the recipe!

No matter what your reason, be patient. Yes, this is a science, but there is much art to it, also. So, you will probably mess it up a few times until you start to get the “feel” for the different stages of the process.

So, here is how I make the bread that many people crave (sourdoughcrack.com). And here is a recent video where I was a guest on the You Tube show, “Cooking Made Easy with June” where we made sourdough bread.

Equipment:

• Scale that measures in grams
• Bowls for ingredients
• Mixer that can handle bread dough (or just your clean hands)
• Pastry cutter (if you are planning on mixing for more than one loaf at a time)
• Parchment paper
• Knife (serrated works well, or a very sharp straight blade)
• Basting brush
• Aluminum foil
• Bread pan(s)

Ingredients, (all the measurements are in grams for a single ~1.25# loaf):

• Start: ~186g (get some here)
• Water: 119g
• Flour (I prefer bread flour over all purpose flour): 313g
• Salt: 8g
• Small container of warmed coconut oil

Preparation (time from start to finish: 8 – 12 hours):

1. Measure (Please remember to “zero” your scale before measuring each ingredient into the bowl(s)) and mix all ingredients either using a mixer with a dough hook, or by hand (please wash your hands first, either way. :)).
2. The dough should be slightly wet, like a soft clay, but not sticky.
3. Leave in a large bowl, or just dump it out on the cleaned counter or table surface for 30 minutes.
4. Fold by taking one side and folding over to the other. Do this 3 – 4 times and leave for another 30 minute.
5. Repeat instruction #4 three times more (total time 2 hrs for folding). By this time the dough should be smooth, and buttery soft.
6. If you have made the single loaf recipe, shape the dough by grasping both sides and folding it into itself, pulling the top part of the dough tight. Turn 90 degrees and repeat. Do it again until you are satisfied with the results (knowing this stage just takes experience and usually mistakes.) If you have multiplied this recipe to get more loaves, divide evenly and follow the folding instructions for each one.
7. Place a piece of parchment paper in a bread pan and place the newly formed ball of bread dough in the pan. (depending on the quality of the parchment paper, you may want to brush the part of the paper that will go into the bottom of the pan, with coconut oil, to prevent the finished loaf from holding on to the paper).
8. Brush panned dough with coconut oil.
9. Repeat this process for each loaf.
10. Cover and let stand until the dough has risen double (anywhere between 6 – 10 hours depending on the average room temperature and humidity, and the liveliness of your start. This process takes experimentation because there are many fluctuating variables, and your location and situation is going to be unique).

Baking:

Gas oven (humid heat):

• Preheat to 500°F.
• Cut each loaf in any pattern you want about 1/4 inch deep (the cuts allow the bread to expand while baking).
• Cover each bread pan with a sheet of aluminum foil.
• Place in oven and set a timer for 36 minutes.
• When the timer goes off, remove the foil (please be careful to not burn yourself), and set a timer for 5 minutes (you are going to brown the crust).
• When the timer goes off, take a look and see if the crust is the brown that you like your bread to be. If so, take it out and turn it out of the pan to cool on a clean surface. If not, leave it in for as long as it takes to get your crust where you want it (check it at least every minute). Then take it out, turn it out of the pan, and let it cool on a clean surface.
• Remember to turn off the oven. 🙂

Electric oven (dry heat):

• Move one rack to the lowest setting and place a shallow pan of water on it (this will provide humidity for the bread as it cooks).
• Preheat to 500°F.
• Cut each loaf in any pattern you want about 1/4 inch deep (the cuts allow the bread to expand while baking).
• Cover each bread pan with a sheet of aluminum foil.
• Place in oven and set a timer for 36 minutes.
• When the timer goes off, remove the foil (please be careful to not burn yourself), and set a timer for 5 minutes (you are going to brown the crust).
• When the timer goes off, take a look and see if the crust is the brown that you like your bread to be. If so, take it out and turn it out of the pan to cool on a clean surface. If not, leave it in for as long as it takes to get your crust where you want it (check it at least every minute). Then take it out, turn it out of the pan, and let it cool on a clean surface.
• Remember to take out the pan you used for the water.
• And remember to turn off the oven. 🙂

Enjoy the process!

John