Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Cabin Baking: Improved No-Knead Sourdough Bread

I'm a novice bread maker, but have been learning to make improvements with each batch.

Here are my most recent tricks for making better no-knead sourdough bread. (Click here to see the recipe).


The recipe called for letting the dough rise in the mixing bowl covered with plastic wrap. But if the dough touched the plastic wrap, it fell and produce a denser bread.

My good friend Jeanne heard my tale of woe and gave me an early Christmas present, a dough rising bucket from King Arthur Flour.

With it's 6 litre capacity, I don't have to worry about the dough hitting the top. Plus, the lid keeps the temperature steady for a consistent rise.

Coating the inside with vegetable spray allowed the dough to slide right out onto my breadboard ready for the next step.

I bake my no-knead bread in a cast iron dutch oven. It absorbs and radiates heat consistently throughout baking. One trick I learned early was to line the pan with parchment paper. The wider 15" size fits perfectly, keeps the wet dough from sticking, and makes lifting the finished bread out of a hot pan easier.

One problem I had baking bread in a cast iron dutch oven was over browning the bottom. Where the the dough did not touch the hot metal, it came out perfectly crisp and golden. But where the bottom of the loaf touched the pan, it turned out dark brown and hard.

I have metal trivets and thought I would try using one to keep the dough off the bottom of the pan. The parchment paper kept the moist dough from slipping through the openings and the bottom of the loaf came out just as perfect as the top. A major success!

These are my three tips for improved no-knead sourdough bread. Do you have any bread baking tricks? I'd love to hear from you. -- Margy

19 comments:

  1. Hi Margy, Thanks for the sour dough information and recipe. i love sour dough and it's terrbly expensive to buy in the UK so I shall try this method,
    Best wishes,
    Di.
    ABCW team

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    1. This recipe is so easy I don't mind making bread any more. You can make your own starter to save more money. - Margy

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  2. That looks delicious
    I can't give you tips or so because I never cook or bake ..that is the job of my husband, he loves it

    Have a wonderful ABC-day / – week
    ♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ (abc-w-team)
    http://melodymusic.nl/abc-wednesday-19n/

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    1. Wayne is in charge of the BBQ and I take care of the oven. Works well for us. - Margy

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  3. Had to give up baking bread as it was not good for my waistline or blood sugar levels. This really looks yummy!

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    1. I only make it about once a month. We only eat a slice a day so it lasts and doesn't hurt our waistlines too much. - Margy

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  4. Those are GREAT tips! Thanks!
    I love baking bread and I will use your tips!
    pinning!

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    1. I learn a lot from the homesteading link parties. It's fun to be able to share some ideas of my own. - Margy

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  5. When I eat bread, I choose sourdough!

    Leslie
    abcw team

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    1. I love the sour taste, and this recipe gives me that. - Margy

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  6. I do so enjoy your work indoors and outdoors! I love eating out so I can have real bread!

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    1. I much prefer bread to cakes, pies and cookies if I have to choose. - Margy

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  7. Thanks for the tips. I have not tried cast iron for baking but it makes sense.

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    1. Now that I've solved the bottom burning problem it works perfect. I even backed with it on top of my woodstove, but in the over for bread works the best. - Margy

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  8. Must try your recipe. I wonder if a round ceramic tile on the bottom of your pan would work.

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    1. That would probably work as well. I had the trivet at the cabin so thought I would give it a try, and in combination with the parchment paper did the trick. - Margy

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  9. I've been baking bread for centuries now - and have no secrets - sometimes I feel like a novice when I start to bake. Love your idea for putting the rack in the bottom - and also lining the pan. I've been watching past seasons of The Great British Bake Off on youtube and they line almost any pan they bake in - maybe I'll catch on to the good tricks. Your bread looks divine. I'll have a piece to go with my soup please.

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  10. no need to knead!
    ROG, ABCW

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  11. Great tips! I think you've solved a couple of my break baking problems! Thank you!

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We welcome your comments and questions. - Wayne and Margy