I first learnt about the wonders of malted grains to enhance the flavour of bread when I made Russian bread and since then I’ve been an addict. What is malt? Malted grains are any grains that have been germinated and … Read More
*An updated, lighter version of this bread is part of my comprehensive course, Wholegrain Rye Sourdough Bread: Mastering The Basics. * Rye has been used to make bread for thousands of years. It’s not only super tasty, it’s also lower … Read More
Lunch is ‘primo sale’ organic raw goat’s milk cheese studded with pistachio. I found this Italian gem in our local health food store and love it.
.
I’ve also got a salad made from local greens/veg, herbs from the garden and raw onion (that I soak for a day in lemon so it’s flavour is gentler). The salad is topped with my sauerkraut and a dressing made from local lemons and olive oil plus my latest obsession – nigella seeds.
.
I’m generous with the dressing as mopping it up with the accompanying slices of my sourdough spelt bread is very almost the best bit!
This is a wholegrain rye sourdough. I make one every week, along with my wholegrain spelt. My hubby eats the rye, it’s lower in gluten and suits him better.
.
Because it’s lower in gluten, the technique is quite different to my spelt loaves. In its simplest form, with a good starter, it pretty much looks after itself.
.
And horrah! The rye is local. Italy being a bread basket suits me 😉
.
Anyone else love rye sourdough?
Are you up for cooking bread lasagna with me this month? It’s such a good dish for using up left-over meat and/or veg and end-of-the-loaf bread.
.
The recipe that’ll guide you through is linked in my profile.
I tried out a new method for my 100% wholegrain spelt sourdough. It included a lot of water and some super-stretchy letter folding. Coming out of the oven, it looks and smells wonderful. I feel like a proud Mum.
Like bread? Like lasagna? Then you’re going to love this month’s new Ancestral Cook-up: Bread Lasagna!
.
Seriously, there is something magical about layering the (already darn yummy) sponge-like substance that is bread with tasty filling, covering the whole thing in stock and then baking it up.
.
You can do this any which way. It’s designed to suit your tastes, your kitchen and your creative whims. Check out my profile for the recipe where I talk through the options and give you loads of ideas to play with.
.
And then come cook with me this month 🙂
I love bread. So when I heard the statistic that over 40% of the bread sold in the UK is thrown away, my reaction was visceral: “What?! That’s crazy!” In my adopted home, Italy, there are many, many recipes based … Read More
Very often the thing that stumps us as home sourdough bakers, in our quest to make brilliant bread, is our ambient temperature. The bacteria harnessed in sourdough breads and starters work well at warm temperatures and if we keep our living space cool, we”ll often struggle.
I have previously written an article How To Keep Your Sourdough Starter Warm which gives lots of ideas as to how to cosset a starter. Sometimes, despite trying all the easier methods (like an airing cupboard or a warm water bath) you aren’t able to get the results you need. This is where a proofing box can be heaven-sent. As well as giving you stable warmth to make creating a starter easier, it can also help you be in charge of your baking schedule – making sure you don’t have to get up at 3am because your dough is ready for the oven!
You can buy professional proofing boxes, but they are expensive and take up extra room in your kitchen. It is relatively easy to make your own, DIY, proofing box.
The simplest, non-thermostat, type is described in my earlier article linked above. They are of some help, but I have found a temperature-controlled set-up to be far more useful. And it’s not difficult, once you understand the electronics. I am a home-cook, and know next-to-nothing about electronics, but I’ve managed to get a grip on the ‘how’. I will describe it here in the simplest non-electrician language that I can. Please accept my apologies if you know what I’m talking about already. Please linger if you don’t – it’ll be worth it!
Here’s how to make a DIY proofing box with temperature control, to help you with achieving and maintaining a desired temperature whilst you are creating a sourdough starter or proofing sourdough bread dough.
The bits you’ll need:
Considerations/Options for the above:
Small insulated space
Options for this include a polystyrene box, or something along these lines constructed with foam packaging, a microwave (please be careful – these are not safe to dismantle), a toaster oven or even a standard oven. It need not still be working, but it does need to shut reasonably well.
AC/DC transformer
The AC/DC transformer you choose must convert to the DC appropriate to the thermostat and heating element you have chosen. Generally speaking in Europe this is going to mean 220 Volts AC to 12 Volts DC.
Heating element
This needs to be an appropriate output for the insulated space you want to heat. A 40 or 50-Watt heating element will be good for an average size microwave-sized space during northern-hemisphere spring and autumn temperatures. Increase the size of the space, or lower your ambient temperature and you’ll probably need a more powerful element.
Thermostatic controller
This is an LCD display showing the temperature inside your proofing box and allowing you to set it to what you desire. The controller then switches the heating element on and off automatically in order to maintain that temperature. The best way to explain how to choose a thermostatic controller is by showing an example of the components we used.
An example of the components we used:
Our heating element’s power rating is 48 Watts and it runs on a 12 Volt power supply. Our thermostatic controller runs on a 12 Volt power supply and can work using a current of up to 10 Amps. Also our transformer can supply up to 10 Amps at 12 Volts.
The formula:
Here it is in plain English so you can just match the numbers up and do the sums.
Power (Watts) = Current (Amps) * Potential (Volts)
For our heating element:
Potential (Volts) = 12 Volts
Power (Watts) = 48 Watts
Therefore, substituting the values we have into the equation:
48 = Current (Amps) * 12
Current (Amps) = 48 / 12 = 4 Amps
Since our thermostatic controller can handle up to 10 Amps we are safe! And our transformer can supply up to 10 Amps also so that’s sufficient. These are the figures you’ll need to look at on the component specifications – then insert them into the equation above.
So what should I do?
Here’s a diagram of the circuit:
Here’s what our set up looks like:
Here are the parts we used, from Amazon – the products may not be available from the same sellers in your part of the world (or may not be available any more in these listings), but you can use the specifications here to familiarise yourself with what you need.
Heating element
Temperature controller
Power supply
Power connectors
https://www.amazon.co.uk/WOWLED-Connector-Terminal-Male-Adapter-Security/dp/B019RHFUJ2
Cabling
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-1mm-16Amp-Automotive-Marine/dp/B01819HUOA
Two quick addendums from years of use:
1/ The power supply has two sets of outputs and we’re currently using a large oven as our proofing space! Therefore in winter I have set one of the power supply outputs permanently to power a 50W heater and the other to power the thermostatic controller which powers another heater. The first heater (on all the time) can usually keep the oven in the low 20s degrees C while the second tops it up to whatever we set it to (ie 25C or 28C).
2/ Heat-shrinkable plastic tubes are available – they protect the joins between cables and components much better than electrical tape does. Here’s a photo of these being used on our set up:
Want some help with your sourdough starter? Check out my $5 course at The Fermentation School 10 Tips for Creating and Maintaining a Sourdough Starter!
Very often the thing that stumps us as home sourdough bakers, in our quest to make brilliant bread, is our ambient temperature. The bacteria harnessed in sourdough breads and starters work well at warm temperatures and if we keep our … Read More
Identifying food intolerances and restricting can be a super-hard thing to do. My son, now 6, has had them since birth. We’ve been on an incredible journey to work with these, and our own, health issues.
.
It is, however, just this restriction plus a generous dollop of passion that has guided me in my kitchen creativity.
.
Here’s what came out for lunch: Left-overs Bread ‘Lasagne’
.
Restriction – no tomatoes or dairy for my son for a few weeks as we fine-tune his responses to stuff.
.
Passion – I’ve been really fired up recently about bread waste (the UK throws out 40% of the bread that it buys).
.
I fried up some onions, mushrooms, garlic and red pepper. I added left-over chicken, red wine and some capers. I created a ‘lasagne’ with layers of this mix alternated with sourdough bread. I covered the lot in ample chicken stock. I baked for 40 minutes. Whilst baking I whizzed up some fresh basil, parsley, garlic, nutritional yeast and cashews into a ‘pesto’.
.
It was amazing and, I hardly ever say this, perhaps even better cold.
.
And my son doesn’t feel like he’s restricting at all 🙂
