What Goes Into Making Sourdough Bread

The majority of you would have tried and tested many sourdough breads, ranging from shop bought to hand made in a restaurant. But, more goes into making a sourdough bread than what you might think, much like beer it is a process that can take a while to perfect. Hopefully, this article will give you an insight into exactly how Sourdough bread is produced.

Where did it all start?

Sourdough culture was created as an essential part of bread making during the Middle Ages. In order for the bread to rise, the mixture of the flour culture, yeast and water would enable it to lift into it's correct shape.Just like beer the culture needs to be 'fed' which to some people sounds strange but in order to achieve the great tastes that Sourdough provides it is a necessity.Sourdough culture can be found in so many of your favourite foods, including pancakes and pretzels. Who knew right?
Why is Sourdough so special to the baking industry?

Lactobacilli breaks down flour's carbohydrates into sugars—which is exactly what yeast needs for food. The wheat gluten in bread dough traps carbon dioxide bubbles which is created from the yeast combining with the flour, it then allows the dough to expand and create the sourdough bread we will all love.
So how do you use it with bread?

Once you have made and 'fed' your Sourdough culture you can then start to decide what kind of product you want to make. We're going to explain how you would use it to make a Sourdough Country Loaf.First of all, you want to make sure you have a recipe that you feel you're going to enjoy. Then you're going to want to combine all the ingredients together, kneading to ensure a smooth dough forms.Next, you're going to want to let the dough rise by itself. Cover the dish and give it an hour. When you come back it should have at least doubled in size (due to the Sourdough culture).Shape the dough into the shape you want your bread and allow it to rise for a further one hour.Once you have sprayed the dough with lukewarm water and baked, you will have the perfect Sourdough bread

.We hope we have been able to give you a brief insight into what Sourdough Culture is and enjoy either making your own or trying ours!