I made my first E-T sourdough bread slavishly following the recipt (I think) and have the following comments: it is really sourdough, but not terrably tangy. The crust was not as crisp as expected. I took one loaf out at 20 minutes on a stone and about 197 F internal temp. The crumb looked great, but was soft - almost moist - and the crust was pale. The second loaf came out at 25 minutes and about 208 F internal temp. The latter was a little darker and the crumb and crust were better, but still not entirely crisp. In executing the receipt, I did need to add about 4 Tbls. extra water to absorbe all of the flour into the dough. Both loaves make excellent toast. Any suggestions how I can produce a crisper loaf with more color in the crust and tang?
Hi Dave - For more tang, try letting the shaped loaf rise overnight in the fridge. The longer and cooler the rise, the more the tang. However, the longer the rise, the less brown the loaf will get, as the yeast consumes all the sugar, and sugar is critical for browning the crust. So it's a tradeoff. You could also try adding a bit of citric acid for additional tang, as suggested. As for crisp crust, let the bread cool right in the turned-off oven - just prop the oven door open a couple of inches, and put the loaf right on the oven rack. That should help - Keep at it - you'll get there! PJH
April 26, 2009 at 6:54pm