An Eskimo bakes: Bread, bread, and more bread ~

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Sponge starter started.
Go do other things.
Pass by the starter.
Wonder when it will start visually moving.
Go do other things.
Notice that the starter has grown.
Marvel.
Check on it often, just for fun.
Squeal in delight.
*smile*

My unbalanced heart

I often crave making good rustic bread, but since I have never had anything close to what I can get so perfectly done here in the area, and I sooooo love bread done well...I rarely give into my need to play with bread when it requires a starter and it's two days before I have a hot loaf out of the oven that still lacks the kind of crust I prefer. There are tricks that one can do at home to get a better crust, truth is...I just don't feel like making the effort. :) That and I feel my home gas oven does not produce the kind of crust in either crispness or browning that resulted from my past electric ovens. What I do end up with is more flavor in the crumb, if not a crisp crust, when I use a sponge starter. Flavor ~ flavor ~ flavor.

~ One boule, two boule, three boule, you ~

Honesty and decent homemade bread, that is this post. I'm done with the honesty, now onto the decent bread. Soft bread.

Hopefully you know a bit about working with a sponge when making an overnight rise in the fridge kind of dough. My instructions will be lacking if it's new to you.

1/4 tsp. yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water - 105-115 degrees
3 1/2 c. unbleached flour

Mix the yeast with the warm water, let sit 3-5 minutes. Mix with the flour, knead or use a mixer for 5-10 minutes. Put this in a lidded container to rise for 6-8 hours. Use before it collapses, when approximately 4x it's original size.

**You will use only part of this sponge. The other remaining amount I used to make rosemary bread. I will post that recipe sometime next week for entry into the weekly blog posts at Yeastspotting.

1 tsp. dry yeast
1/4 warm water
1 c. cool water - room temperture to 75 degrees
12 oz. sponge starter
4 c. flour
1 T. kosher salt
1 c. rouch chop walnuts
5 oz. roasted red peppers, patted well with paper towels to remove moisture, diced.

Add the warm water to the yeast, let sit five minutes.
Add the cool water, sponge starter and break up with your hands for a few minutes. This is fun.
Add the salt, 3 1/2 c. flour and knead by hand or dough hook and mixer for ten minutes. Let rest for 10-15 minutes.
Add the red peppers and walnuts, knead (or mix) until combined. The dough will become very wet and slippery from the peppers. Let rest 10 minutes.
Add more flour if you need it. I started with 1/4 of the 1/2, then added the remaining. It is a soft sticky dough. I left it that way.
Let rise in an oiled bowl for one hour, covered.
Put the dough in the fridge overnight.
Remove the next morning. Let it warm and when it starts to rise again, form into three boules.
Before they get to almost double, preheat oven to 450.
When double, flour and slit (or not) and bake for 15 minutes.
Steam oven if you know how. Use a tile if you have it.
Reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake for another 10-15 minutes. It should sound hollow.
Let cool completely.