no subject

[firecat]

Thanks to the folks who encouraged me to bake bread despite the disasterful bread making class, and to the folks who specifically mentioned "no knead bread," I made my first loaf of bread using this recipe:

http://www.breadtopia.com/sourdough-no-knead-method/

It came out great and it was really easy. I spent more time going into the kitchen to see if it had risen any more than I spent mixing or working the dough.

Comments

[datagoddess.livejournal.com]

So how is it?

I have some sourdough fermenting in the fridge - didn't have time to finish and bake it today. I love sourdough!

[firecat]

It's just the way I like it - very crunchy crust and fairly dense, moist inside. (I probably like my bread a bit denser than most people.) It's not super-sour, but it definitely has some sourdough flavor.

[stefanie-bean.livejournal.com]

I am going to try that - it looks beautiful. And I *love* your icon!

[firecat]

Thanks! IIRC, surelars made the icon for me. He's another big fan of Der Himmel Über Berlin.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

mmmm, that looks good! I'm glad you went ahead and tried!

[firecat]

Me too!

[theycallmebeth.livejournal.com]

That looks amazing!! Wow! It would be so good with a stew. Mmmmm. :)

I'm so glad you didn't let the people/the experience at that very poorly run class stop you from learning on your own! That is one beautiful loaf of bread!

[firecat]

Thanks, me too. Also now I can make bread without the pizza stone and ginormous stand mixer that the instructors in the class insisted were a requirement.

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

Heh. Isn't it amazing that people were able to make bread before electricity?

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

That looks simply awesome.

Just a tip: Unless you kill the yeast, bread is pretty forgiving. That's one of the reasons I love working with yeast dough so much. Folks are intimidated by it, but there's a helluva lot more leeway with yeast doughs than with, say, (bloody gorram) cakes.

[firecat]

Thanks, and thanks for the tip. Yeah, I'm getting that impression.

I am reminded of the roses growing all over my yard that receive very little care. (Roses being something else folks seem intimidated by.)

[okoshun.livejournal.com]

That bread looks amazing! I think I might need to make some. Along with a big vat of beef stew. Mmm.

[firecat]

Be sure to share it with theycallmebeth! :)

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Yay, bread!!

[snippy]

It looks great to me!

[firecat]

Thanks!

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

Yum! It looks pretty AND tasty. I love crusty bread.

[firecat]

Me too!

[tedesson.livejournal.com]

Isn't it just the best? Easy and tasty.

I'm glad you tried it.

[pir-anha.livejournal.com]

it looks great! so glad you didn't let that bad experience stop you.

now i've got to try that recipe. :)

[eeyorerin]

Yum! That looks great.

[innerdoggie.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that looks good!

Somebody gave me sourdough starter at the beginning of the summer. I don't bake during the summer because it's TOO HOT to run the oven. I wonder if I can use the stuff once it gets cooler.

I am intimidated by bread, but less so. It is rather time-consuming. You have to be around to punch down the dough, and let it rise, etc. This is also why I never make pizza at home.

[firecat]

The web site I listed has thorough instructions on reconstituting an old sourdough starter.

I found it time-challenging rather than time-consuming. I had to plan out when to mix the dough and when to get it ready for its second rise, but no stage took very long. One benefit of this method is that the initial rise is for 12-18 hours, so if you're willing to accept some variation in your bread, the rising time is flexible.