Sourdough Bread Recipe

1      Reviews by:    George Montgomery   Sourdough Bread Recipe is a unique bread with the taste of no other and uses sourdough starter, yeast, sugar and salt, flour, bread flour, cornmeal and cornstarch to make this tasty sourdough bread recipe. 1216

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Sourdough Starter (search recipes)
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 2 cups warm (105° to 115° F) water
• 2 teaspoons each sugar and salt
• 5 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups bread flour
• Cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch, blended with 1/3 cup water

DIRECTIONS

• Let starter come to room temperature. Sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup of the warm water in large bowl of electric mixer. Add sugar. Let stand until soft (about 5 minutes). Stir in remaining 1 3/4 cups water, salt, and starter. Add 4 cups of the all-purpose flour. Mix to blend, then beat at medium speed until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes).
• Gradually beat in bread flour, then add about 1/2 cup more all-purpose flour to make a stiff dough. Turn dough out onto a board or pastry cloth coated with some of the remaining 1/2 to 1 cup flour. Knead until dough is springy and small bubbles form just under surface (15 to 20 minutes), adding just enough more flour to prevent dough from being sticky. Turn dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).
• Punch dough down; cover with inverted bowl and let rest for 10 minutes. Divide into two equal portions. Shape each into a ball and place on greased baking sheets that have been lightly dusted with cornmeal. Let rise until almost doubled in bulk (45 minutes to 1 hour). Preheat oven to 400° F.
• Bring cornstarch mixture to a boil in a small pan over medium-high heat, stirring until thick and clear. Brush each loaf with warm cornstarch mixture. With a razor blade cut a crosshatch design about 1/2 inch deep in the top of each loaf. Bake until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped (30 to 35 minutes). Slide onto wire racks to cool.