Bread Baking

[chesshaus@bellsouth.net]

Hi! I'm the new guy. Glad to find this site. I have lots of cooking questions.

First: Sourdough Bread. Is it possible to make a sourdough bread using wheat flour, not white flour, in a bread machine? I was given a bread machine a short time ago, and I have yet to use it, and now is the time. I'm wanting to use a wheat flour because I'm trying to keep white flour intake down, as I think it would be healthier. Am I right, or am I kidding myself and making things harder than they need to be?

I guess I want to try using a bread machine because I'm chicken to try to make it the "regular" way

Waiting for you feedback.

Thanks

[hannsenctan]

uhm, when you say white flour, do you mean all-purpose flour? because as far as i know, all-purpose flour is Wheat flour. Or when you say "wheat flour", are you referring to "whole-wheat flour"?

Anyway, to answer your question, yes, you can use whole wheat or all-purpose flour, as a matter of fact, almost any flour. The point is, the yeast feeds on the flour and ferment to form sourdough. Yeasts need carbohydrates and water to survive, and well, flour is a carb source.

[Bentley Green]

I would think so as well, since whole wheat bread can also be made in the machine.

[DivaDonna]

First: Sourdough Bread. Is it possible to make a sourdough bread using wheat flour, not white flour, in a bread machine? ...
I guess I want to try using a bread machine because I'm chicken to try to make it the "regular" way.

Hello, new guy. :)

Yes you sure can make sourdough using whole wheat flour. It works great.

Unfortunately, I've never gotten a really good, sour sourdough from a bread machine.

A bread machine is a good way to get started or a good tool to use if you're terribly busy. But for really great sourdough (or for the real fun of breadmaking), just plunge in and do it the old fashioned way. After all, what have you got to loose except some inexpensive ingredients and a bit of time.

Two resources that might help A LOT:

1. The Tassajara Bread Book from the San Francisco Zen Center. Be sure to get your hands on a recent edition (the original was published 40 years ago). It's a great primer.

2. The article "Whole Grain Breads Baked at Home" (http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/blunt112.html) (which I also just linked to in another thread before I saw your post. I hope nobody minds). The article has some good recipes, including one for a sourdough starter, but even more important, it goes into the basics of bread & why various things work or don't work.

Take some encouragement from a former fellow chicken: You can do it. :)

[Bentley Green]

I've made just about all types of yeast breads, but never sourdough. I've had it though as a soup bowl filled with thich creamy clam chowder, and it tastes really good, though a bit on the tart side.

[hannsenctan]

thanks for the link DivaDonna :D

[chesshaus@bellsouth.net]

I've made just about all types of yeast breads, but never sourdough. I've had it though as a soup bowl filled with thich creamy clam chowder, and it tastes really good though a bit on the tart side.

Sourdough Bread is probably my favorite. Love the flavor. I've got all of my ingredients togather now, and I'm ready to give it a try. I'll report back to let everyone know how things turned out.

[Bentley Green]

Thanks!

I'll be waiting to hear from you.

[jasmineskillclue]

I make my own bread and I use the bread machine only to make the dough. Then I put it in the oven and it is even more tastier...

Whole wheat bread recipe. (http://skillclue.com/2008/08/20/organic-hearty-bread-of-our-childhood/)
Jasmine

[chesshaus@bellsouth.net]

Thanks for the tips! I had not considered making the dough in the machine and baking the bread in the oven. I'm going to try this this next week.

[Bentley Green]

You're welcome!