Sourdough

This here is the 2nd sourdough loaf I have ever made. My first attempt went ok, but unfortunatley I didn’t cook it long enough. The loaf was still gummy on the inside and not completely crispy on the outside. I was determined to create the ever-elusive perfect sourdough loaf. I had everything I needed, how hard could it be? 

I took out my starter in the late morning, refreshing it with some new flour and water. After dinner, hours later, my starter was bubbly and ready. I used the “Same-Day sourdough bread” recipe and mixed up the dough until it passed the window pane test. I let it sit on the counter to rise a good 8 hours until the stretches and folds. 

I wasn’t sure if this recipe would turn out as I hoped. I am still pretty new to baking with sourdough and using a cast iron pot. Also it was hard to get the timing right wedged between the needs of my children. It’s never easy baking with children underfoot but I believe the struggle is always worth it. 

There were 15 minutes left for the loaf to bake but I had to rush to drop off Isaac at school in that exact moment. Thank goodness Salvador came to my rescue and took out the loaf when the timer beeped. I came home to the most delicious aroma filling our home and the much anticipated golden loaf cooling on top of the stove. It looked exactly how I imagined it should look - with that crunchy, crusty exterior. I couldn’t wait a second more, I just had to cut myself a slice! I felt a bit nervous - this would be the real test.

Upon the bread first touching of my taste buds, I immediately felt a mixture of relief and excitement as I automatically tasted that delicious tang of sourdough. The interior was soft and airy. The crumb perfectly crunchy. I couldn’t believe it actually turned out well, especially since I thought it would be much more complicated. We all devoured the bread within a few hours, slathering it with butter and jam. Mmmm, nothing better!

I can’t wait to bake more bread soon!