Sourdough Bread using starter

During the COVID quarantine, Brandon and I enjoyed watching the Bread Ahead Instagram live videos. Brandon was really interested in the sourdough bread, so we started growing a starter that we named "Quarantina." Once Quarantina was live and well, we started trying to make loaves. The first couple attempts were not that great, but Brandon has been making a loaf every week or so for over a year and makes consistently delicious bread every time and now uses the starter for pizza dough, English muffins and foccacia.

Take starter out of the refrigerator.

Add:     75 grams water

            75 grams bread flour

Stir, and leave on counter for 2-3 hours or until bubbly and active.

 

In a bowl, add:

            350 grams water

            150 grams active starter

Stir, then add:

            500 grams bread flour

            11 grams sea salt

 

Using rubber scraper, fold and turn until all flour is moistened. Cover bowl with a plate and let rest on the counter for 1 hour.

 

Do an envelope fold and cover to rest another 30 minutes-1 hour.

 

Repeat envelope fold, cover, and put in refrigerator until ready to use, at least 12 hours. 

 

Remove bowl from refrigerator, scrape dough out onto an olive-oiled surface. Dimple and envelope fold. Return to bowl, cover, and let rest 30-45 minutes or until room temperature.

 

Smooth and form into tight boule shape and place top down into floured banneton. Cover with tea towel and let rise until 1 ½ times size, about 2-3 hours. When bread has risen, place Dutch oven in the oven and turn on to 475°.

 

When oven is fully preheated, gently turn dough out onto olive-oiled surface. Score and drop into preheated Dutch oven with lid on. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Then remove Dutch oven lid, turn oven down to 325°and continue baking for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. 

 

Remove from Dutch oven immediately and cool on rack.

Honey Taffy

The Easts (Grandma Carling's family) kept honey bees and I remember having a bucket of honey in the pantry that Mom got from (Great) Uncle Acel. This is an old pioneer recipe and can be made without the cream.

1 cup raw, unfiltered honey (honey local to your area is preferred) *

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup white sugar

Pinch of sea salt

 

Put honey, sugar, cream and salt into a heavy based pan, stirring and heating over medium heat until combined and any sugar crystals are dissolved.

 

Bring mixture to a boil and boil until the syrup reaches 250°F. Reduce temperature 2° for every 1,000 ft. above sea level. For example, reduce to 240°F for 5,000 Ft.

 

Pour onto Silpat or greased cookie sheet and allow to cool until lukewarm. With greased hands, pull and stretch the taffy, until it becomes light in color. Place on a Silpat or greased cookie sheet. Cut into pieces with butter knife and wrap in waxed paper. 

 

*Honey should not be fed to infants under 1 year old