The Mysteries of Bread Dough
I had my first semi-success with the sourdough starter this week. After several failures! It isn't easy to convert from an inveterate bread machine bread maker, to a by hand sourdough bread maker, believe me.
The most frustrating part has been that a lot of the success of your bread depends on learning whether or not it "looks about right." There are a few guidelines to what looks right and what doesn't, but unfortunately you really do have to develop a sense of your own, about whether a loaf is too dry or too wet, whether it needs more kneading, or any kneading, or just a bit of folding, and whether it's done rising or not risen enough, or (horrors never end!) over-risen.
There are three basic stages to bread dough:
1. The initial mixing of ingredients.
The most frustrating part has been that a lot of the success of your bread depends on learning whether or not it "looks about right." There are a few guidelines to what looks right and what doesn't, but unfortunately you really do have to develop a sense of your own, about whether a loaf is too dry or too wet, whether it needs more kneading, or any kneading, or just a bit of folding, and whether it's done rising or not risen enough, or (horrors never end!) over-risen.
There are three basic stages to bread dough:
1. The initial mixing of ingredients.
