Faux Sourdough

 The Simplest Sourdough you could ever make!  Is it as good as true sourdough? Not really, but it is very close with only a portion of the time and effort sourdough requires. 

This truly is a very simple just throw all the ingredients in your mixer, with the beater paddle to start, then switch to the dough hook and knead it for 7 minutes. You could likely use a bread machine to mix the dough as well, but I haven't tried it. 

Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and let rise for about 90 minutes.  Then turn it out on a lightly floured surface and divide into two equal parts (I always weigh it to get even loaves).  Shape the loaves as you prefer, I tried both boules and batards and they were equally successful.  Let the loaves rise for about an hour or until a finger poke leaves a lasting dent in the bread. I baked these in a very hot oven of 450 for 30 minutes but you need to watch them for burning on the top, it might be wise to go a bit lower and longer.  Providing some steam is a good idea as well, I just spray the hot oven with a mister when I slide the loaves in.  These were baked on a steel slab but a pizza stone would work fine.  The boule was done in a Dutch oven.  

Ingredients

4.5 cups Unbleached Flour

1 tablespoon sugar

2.5 teaspoons salt

1 2/3 cups of lukewarm water

THE SECRET INGREDIENT

1 package (18 gms) Platinum Instant Sourdough (Yeast and Sourdough Culture) If your grocery store doesn't have this you can order it on Amazon. 

 12-Grain Bread

This is a variation of a recipe I use often, it starts in the bread maker then comes out to be shaped as a loaf for the oven.  This particular loaf was done in a longer pan to make a nice sandwich/toast size slice. 

I used bread enhancer for this one (basically additional gluten), sold as Fleischman Bread Enhance locally but any gluten should work fine. 

1 2/3 cups water

3 tbsp powdered milk

2 tbsp of olive oil

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp molasses

2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups white flour

3/4 cup 12 grain cereal uncooked

1 1/4 tsp yeast

5 tsp gluten 

After the bread machine complete the dough cycle, shape a loaf and put it in a lightly oiled loaf pan.  Let rise 1-1.5 hours covered with an oiled piece of plastic wrap.

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes, then when you remove the loaf, rub the top with butter to stop it from drying it out (that's from my Mom). 

Quarantine Bread

I am home under self-quarantine for Covid-19 after International travel so had some time on my hands and no groceries in the cupboards.  I threw this in the bread making on dough setting:


1- 2/3 Cups of skim milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp molasses
2 tsp salt
1-1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2-1/2 cup unbleached white flour
3/4 cup mix of flax and chia seed
1-1/4 tsp yeast

After the dough cycle is done, either put in in a loaf pan (I used a sandwich length loaf pan, I love those) or shape it into a batard (torpedo shape).  Let it rise for about 90-120 minutes.

Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes (internal temperature of 200 degrees is a good sign).

                                                                Cool on a rack as long as you can stand it.