The Feeling When Baking Bread

I started my sourdough adventures after I moved to Perth.  I had been baking my own bread for a very long time as I wanted my kids to be eating quality not quantity if they were going to eat bread.  Sourdough has been on my list of 'to do's' for a long time so I was excited to give it a go when we finally unpacked.

My early sourdough breads were a bit hit and miss ~ always with great flavour but never with enough bubble and oven burst.  Anyone who has ever tried their hand at sourdough can testify to the frustration and disappointment when your loaf doesn't turn out the way you want.

I have gone on recipe hiatus for the past month while I deal with the usual life up and downs and have been studying and practicing my sourdough making.  I have been concentrating lately on white sourdough with either a pure white flour starter or half whole wheat and half white.  I also have upped the hydration of the starter and now am maintaining 100% hydration ~ that's equal weight in flour and filtered water.

I had three loaves on the go a couple of weeks ago ~ two sourdough whites and a garlic/parsley loaf for my garlic bread loving oldest daughter.  The garlic loaf is a new loaf type for me and I was pretty happy with the results.  I gave a loaf to my neighbour for lending me her car one weekend when mine wouldn't start.  Thank you, Mary!

My lovely sourdough divided
and resting before the final shape.

There is no feeling like when I pull back my homemade cloche of tinfoil ~ yup, it is a pretty funny tinfoil mound but it works ~ and I see the oven spring in my loaf; slicing the loaf to find beautifully formed holes brings tears to my baker's eyes.  This feeling of triumph never goes away! Check out the pictures on my latest endeavors. 

The garlic loaf slashed and ready for the oven.

My tinfoil cloche working its magic for my baking bread.

Two of the loaves hot out of the oven.