You Bake!!!!!!

[LizStreithorst]

Please talk about baking. Baking is an art that I decided I'd fail at almost before I gave it a shot. If you would be so kind as to give me an easy recipe for anything involving baking I will try it. I will most likely fail at first because I have not developed the feel for doughy stuff.

I'd like to try a beef wellington for one but that's so far over my head I can't imagine ever being able to do it.

[LJSmith]

This is a go to. It’s very forgiving. As the saying goes time heals all wounds.https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread

[LizStreithorst]

I adore good bread. I can't buy a decent loaf of anything around here. I buy bread from Zingerman's and have it shipped to me. I will make this easy bread this weekend and let you know how it goes. If if goes well, I want to figure out how to make a sour dough starter. I adore bread that is too sour for anyone but me. I want to do it with part whole wheat flour but I really want to be able to make a very sour rye. I understand that if one adds more rye flour than 1/4 to 3/4's white flour the bread will refuse to rise. Is that so?

[RogueDiscus]

Real bakers out there should respond, but I grew up loving rye bread, and used to make my own whole grain sourdough rye. We have The "Joy of Cooking" cookbook, among others, and I mostly followed their recipe for sourdough starter and sourdough or whole grain rye. I also used whole wheat flour. I think I followed their recommendation to add gluten flour. This I think is the glue that rye lacks, and is less available in whole wheat. It takes some practice to get your timing right for the rising; too long and you loose it and you get flat loaves, but it was always rather dense. It was never as sour as store bought. I think they put in flavoring. I think traditionally, sourdough was more a way to maintain a yeast culture going for long periods of time rather than sour.
Steve

Oh, and for those of you who make your own bread turkey stuffing for Thanksgiving, try using up to half rye bread!

[LizStreithorst]

I know that gluten is lacking in rye flour. Is there a way to add gluten with out adding white wheat flour? How did you make your own sour dough rye when you made yours? Surely you know how to make a good sour dough starter if you made sour dough rye. I had an old Joy of Cooking until it started to fall apart and decided to replace it with a new one. I threw away a gem that told me everything. I don't even read the new edition. It ain't worth much.

[LJSmith]

Sourdough starter is as simple as a cup of water and cup of flour in a bowl on the counter. after a few days it will get bubbly. Add some more flour and water to keep it fed. Once it gets all airy, fluffy, and boozy smelling it is ready. You can use 3/4 of a cup instead of yeast in that recipe I sent. Keep the extra starter fed and you can keep it forever. If you want to hurry along to start throw a handful of grapes in the flour water mix.

[LizStreithorst]

Have you read Anthony Bourdain's book, Kitchen Conditional? He hired a guy, "Adam with no known last name" who made the best bread every had ever tasted called him one morning and pleaded with him to "feed the *****" "The *****" was his sour dough starter.

[alron2]

Did you get it?
Ron

[pastry]

Laughing my butt off. I love it, Liz! Hey do you love bread based breakfast casseroles? I have one that is very healthy yet when you eat it you would think it was not.

[LizStreithorst]

I don't eat breakfast. I don't eat much period. But I do enjoy good food. A decent loaf can't been had down here locally.

Do you bake cakes, too? One of my dog grooming customers bakes cakes for birthday's and weddings. I asked to see a picture of her work. She's an artist! I had no idea! I never baked a cake in my life but I've read enough to know that cakes require precise measurements that are best done by weight. I can't imagine being so precise.