Artisan Sourdough Made Simple

Synopsis

Many bakers speak of their sourdough starter as if it has a magical life of its own, so it can be intimidating to those new to the sourdough world; fortunately with 'Artisan Sourdough Made Simple', Emilie Raffa removes the fear and proves that baking with sourdough is easy.

Summary

Chapter 1: The Magic of Sourdough

- Explores the history and benefits of sourdough bread, highlighting its nutritional value, digestibility, and unique flavor profile.
- Real example: Learn about the ancient Egyptian practice of making sourdough bread and its role in their diet.

Chapter 2: The Basics of Sourdough

- Covers the essential ingredients and equipment needed for sourdough baking, including flour, water, and a sourdough starter.
- Real example: Discover the step-by-step process of creating a sourdough starter from scratch using whole wheat flour and water.

Chapter 3: The Art of Kneading

- Describes different kneading techniques and their impact on the final bread, including stretching and folding, slap and fold, and coil folds.
- Real example: Practice the French slap and fold technique by following the author's detailed instructions, noting the changes in dough texture and strength.

Chapter 4: Shaping and Baking

- Guides readers through shaping techniques for sourdough loaves, such as boules, batards, and baguettes.
- Real example: Learn how to shape a traditional sourdough boule using a banneton basket and the proper scoring techniques.

Chapter 5: Trouble-shooting Your Sourdough

- Provides a comprehensive troubleshooting guide for common problems encountered in sourdough baking, including over-fermentation and under-fermentation.
- Real example: Analyze a sourdough loaf that has a dense crumb and identify the potential cause, such as insufficient kneading or incorrect proofing time.

Chapter 6: Advanced Techniques

- Explores advanced sourdough baking techniques, such as autolyse, laminated dough, and long fermentations.
- Real example: Follow the recipe for a sourdough croissant, learning the delicate process of laminating the dough with butter to create flaky layers.

Chapter 7: Beyond Traditional Bread

- Introduces sourdough applications beyond traditional bread, including pizza crust, pastries, and crackers.
- Real example: Experiment with a sourdough pizza crust recipe, noting the unique crust texture and flavor imparted by the sourdough starter.

Chapter 8: Master Recipes

- Includes a collection of foolproof sourdough bread recipes for beginners and experienced bakers alike, ranging from classic sourdough boules to specialty sourdoughs.
- Real example: Try the recipe for "Weekend Sourdough," a simple and versatile sourdough bread that can be enjoyed for breakfast, sandwiches, or as a side dish.