BEST SOURDOUGH SAN FRANCISCO RECIPES

Steps:

• Put first 4 ingredients in bread machine and stir gently. (yes, this works…).
• Let sit for about 10 minutes. Starter should start to bubble a little.
• Add flour, then spread oil and salt evenly over the flour.
• Select basic course or following custom settings if your bread maker has them:.
• Custom settings for Zojirushi BB-CEC20: Preheat - 20 Minutes ( I start cycle after mixing first four ingredients then add remaining three ingredients after ten minutes), Knead - 20 minutes, Rise1 - 40 minutes, Rise2 - 40 minutes, Rise3 - OFF, Bake - 58 minutes Medium or Dark crust setting ( I use medium), Keep warm - OFF.
• Check a few minutes into kneading and add flour or water as needed to get a just slightly tacky dough that sticks to your fingers like a strong post it note and stretches smoothly without tears when kneading. Sourdough bread dough is a little gloopier then regular white bread.
• See directions for making a starter or order a starter online.
• Like all sourdough breads wait until at room temperature before cutting or insides will clump up and tear the insides out of the loaf.

Steps:

• Mix sourdough starter, flour, and salt together. Use enough water to make bread dough. (A moist dough is preferable to a dry dough.)
• Knead dough until it passes the “window pane test”: a small piece of dough will stretch between four fingers without breaking thin enough to allow light to pass through.
• Shape the dough into a loaf. Place in a pan or proofing basket, or on a board. Rub a little oil on the top surface of the dough and cover lightly with a towel or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for 4-24 hours. If desired, a short (4-12 hours) proofing period can be used and the dough can be punched down, reshaped, and allowed to rise a second time, but a second proofing period is not required.
• Slice an X shape in the top of the loaf with a very sharp knife or razor blade.
• Bake at 400°F until the internal temperature reaches 210°F. (Use a meat thermometer inserted into the bottom or side of the loaf.) Bake 30-60 minutes (depending on loaf size). Cool before slicing.