Fun Stuff > CHATTER

This thread is about Baking.

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Slick:
You should be nervous! I typed up the instructions from the book I used a while ago, I can get them for you if you're interested here it is, excerpted from an e-mail I wrote to Dan-who-is-gone-from-here.

--- Quote ---BEGIN BOOK EXERPT

1/2 pound organic sweet red grapes
5 pounds organic unbleached white bread flour without the germ
Nonchlorinated water

1. Rinse the grapes briefly under cold running water if necessary. If
the grapes appear clean, do not bother to wash them, so as not to
sacrifice any of the yeasts clinging to the skins. Place the grapes in
the center of a double layer of cheesecloth and tie up the corners to
form a neat bundle.

2. In a 2 or 3 quart sterilized glass, plastic, or earthenware
container, combine 2 cups of the flour and slightly more than 2 cups
of nonchlorinated room-temperature water and stir to form a paste.
Squeeze the bundle of grapes over the batter so that most of their
juice comes out. Stir well. Submerge the cheesecloth bundle in the
batter and secure the container with a tight-fitting lid or several
layers of plastic wrap. Set aside at room temperature, out of the way
of drafts or intense heat, for 3 days.

3. Once a day, uncover the starter and, using a sterilized utensil,
stir the bundle of grapes around in the batter.

4. On the fourth day, uncover the container and stir in 1/2 cup room
temperature water and 1/2 cup of the flour. Replace the cover and set
aside for another 6 days. Make sure that the starter does not get too
warm. Don't worry if the starter separates and has a yellowish liquid
on top. It may also have a funky or sharp alcoholic odor after 4 or 5
days, but eventually the yeasts will build up in number and begin to
exude a pleasant aroma.

5. Starting on the tenth day, you will need to feed the starter 3
times per day for 4 days. Rinse out a 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 quart glass,
plastic, or earthenware container with boiling water. Let it air dry
and cool to room temperature. Uncover the starter; remove and discard
the bundle of grapes. Stir the starter well and pour 2 cups of it into
the prepared container. Give away or discard the remaining starter.
Add 1/2 cup room-temperature water and a heaping 1/2 cup flour. Stir
well, cover, and let the starter ferment for 4 to 6 hours. Stir in 1
cup water and 1 heaping cup flour. Stir well once more, cover, and let
ferment another 4 to 6 hours. Finally, feed the starter 2 cups
room-temperature water and 2 1/2 cups flour. Stir well, cover, and let
the starter ferment overnight, for up to 12 hours.

6. The next day, discard all but 2 cups of the starter and repeat the
same feeding schedule for 3 more days. Remember to begin the process
each day with only 2 cups starter.

7. About 8 to 12 hours after the final feeding on the fourteenth day,
your starter is ready to be used. At this point you can store it
tightly covered in the refrigerator. Feed it 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup
flour 2 times per week to maintain it. It is good to take the starter
out of the refrigerator and refresh it with a feeding 8 to 12 hours
before you plan on baking. I like to keep about 3 cups of starter in
my refrigerator at all times.

8. Always replenish the starter when you use it. If the recipe calls
for 1 1/2 cups of starter, add about 1 cup flour and 1 cup water to
the remaining starter.

Helpful Guidelines:
-Set up a regular feeding schedule for the first 2 weeks. After that
you will have more flexibility. As the parent of this newly born
life-form, you will find that careful attention and nurturing in the
beginning will result in a strong, resilient, and mature starter.
-Feed your starter with top-quality, organically grown ingredients and
fresh, nonchlorinated water.
-For the first 4 to 5 days, make sure all utensils and containers that
come into contact with the culture have been sterilized in boiling
water.

END BOOK EXERPT.


Phew. My thoughts:
-Heed what he says about a regular feeding schedule for the first 2
weeks. I was lazy/busy and I think that was a contributing factor to
why mine got weak before I spoiled it.
-I just used a pyrex pot I picked up at a thrift store and wrapped
with at least a double layer of saran wrap all over. Ideally, I'd of
liked a sealable bowl or something to prevent the waste of plastic,
but I needed something you can boil to sterilize.
-I think I used sterilized utensils for maybe the first full week,
just to be sure.
-I'm planning on seeding this with organic apple peel and grapes when
I try again, feel free to give that a go. I'm thinking just some apple
peel (peeled with a sterilized peeler) should be sufficient.
-Smell it every time you feed it! It goes through a lot of really
full, interesting new smells as it grows! This alone was probably
worth the time investment in my ridiculous venture.

Also, regarding sterilizing, just submerge whatever in boiling water
for at least ten minutes, then let it air dry and cool.
--- End quote ---

Emaline:
Gosh. Now I am super nervous! I hope this turns out ok. I was going to use this recipe, I may end up using yours. Thank you!

Slick:
Use his instructions if you want, it would be interesting to see different results. Feel free to hybridize ideas.
Nervousness is good just because you need to respect the process and the life you are nurturing. Keep your schedule, keep it regular, don't cut corners while it's growing, and just respect the process and you will get a good result. In life, I often cut corners and lean on things to get by, because the world is well developed and there are people whose jobs it is to help me fill my paperwork and answer my questions about things and show me how to fix what I've broken. With sourdough you are growing a living thing from nothing, you are a little pioneer on the frontier of your kitchen and you've just got to be ready to commit to treating it right and being responsible for it. You can do it, though, because you are a human being and human beings before you have managed to do it so it is yours to do too if you want. It just takes weeks and there is no device with a digital timer you can punch buttons on to zap the process done in fifteen minutes.
OK whatever ramblebot

unrelated querry
So, when frying meat or roasting something you get drippings and in the drippings you get fat that congeals out and becomes solid at room temperature. An idea that's been bouncing about my head a little while is, why don't I save that fat, cut it in with butter, and use that to make my pies? That could be pretty good, couldn't it? Chickeny pastry? Maybe?
I will try this the next time I roast a chicken.

elizaknowswhatshesfor:
I'm a baker! Of both bread & cakes. I was living with my parents & got all used to using an aga, now I'm back to an oven everything is confusing.

I wish to share with you my favourite vegan cake recipe which will please everyone whether they are vegan or not. A friend of mine makes it for shows.


--- Quote ---Henry's banana and chocolate cake
6 1/2 oz plain flour
2 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda...
1 tsp baking powder...
5 oz sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
2 tbsp soya flour (plain will do if you don't have soya)
1/4 pint veg oil
1/4 pint soy milk
2 mashed bananas

mix it all together. bake at gm3/325f/160c in a greased tin for 30-35 minutes or until it springs back when you press it down
I replaced the golden syrup with black treacle for extra stickiness, the soya flour with semolina flour and I only had olive oil which is too heavy for cake used 4oz of soya marg
--- End quote ---

It doesn't need anything with it as it is delicious! I will add some photos of silly cup cakes & birthday cakes also.

Slick:
Eliza-who-knows, I wish I had checked that out a week ago, because I was then staying with a vegan household. I will still try it some time when I have time, though, because good vegan cake recipes are golden.

I baked eggs for supper! In pastry. With some fried mushrooms and onions and garlic. And salt and pepper, of course! It was pretty straight-forwards and tasty. I am a hard-yolk kind of guy typically, but I will make it softy style next time because supposedly that is more delicious.

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