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So I started 2023 with a bang, on the side of my loaf that is. I have made about 5 loaves this year and all have proofing and kneading issues (and shaping). I even forgot the yeast in my steamed buns! My goal is to get better at timing (and organizing!) my sourdough bakes. What worked out for me last year or the year before doesn't seem to work out right now. With kids, everything is always changing as they get older (at least I don't have to move the crayons up to a higher shelf anymore). I have learned from every bake at least. Well, whether I'll remember or not is up in the air, hence why I am posting here, so I don't forget.

The pictures are not in chronological order. I will say that adding carrot juice to bread was not as tasty as I had hoped. And I learned not to leave the broiler on to long to warm up the oven for proofing (no longer than 5 minutes). I also need to sharpen my knives.

So here's to (mostly) yummy failures and hopefully better future loaves!

This bake used my offshoot of Alan’s starter, a 80% hydration and all whole rye.  The levain was whole wheat and was stiff and sweet.  What is a bit different about this bake was that I used rye for the first time in a tangzhong, this one again has a 1:2 ratio of rye:milk.  I had a bag of sweet potatoes so decided to add mashed sweet potato to this dough.  Being still in Fort Lauderdale I do not have my Ankarsrum Assistent so fully hand mixed this dough.  

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For one 9x4x4” Pullman pan loaf.

Instructions

Levain

Mix the levain ingredients in a jar or pyrex container with space for at least 300% growth. 

Press down with your knuckles or silicone spatula to create a uniform surface and to push out air.

At a temperature of 76-78ºF, it typically takes up to 10-12 hours for this sweet stiff levain to be at peak.  For my starter I typically see 3-3.5 times increase in size at peak.  The levain will smell sweet with only a mild tang.

Tangzhong 

In a sauce pan set on medium heat, stir the milk and whole rye flour until blended. Then cook for several minutes until well thickened, stirring regularly with a spoon or heat-resistant spatula. Let cool in the pan or, for faster results, in a new bowl.  Theoretically it should reach 65ºC (149ºF) but I don’t find I need to measure the temperature as the tangzhong gelatinizes at this temperature.  You can prepare this the night before and refrigerate it, ensure that it is covered to prevent it from drying out.

If you plan on using a stand mixer to mix this dough, set up a Bain Marie and use your stand mixer’s bowl to prepare the tangzhong.

Dough

For hand mixing instructions see the next paragraph.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the milk (consider holding back 10 g of milk and adding later if this is the first time you’re making this), egg, tangzhong, salt, sugar and levain.  Mix and then break up the levain into many smaller pieces.  Next add the flours.  I like to use my spatula to mix until there aren’t many dry areas.  Allow the flour to hydrate (fermentolyse) for 20-30 minutes.  Mix on low speed and then medium speed until moderate gluten development this may take 5-10 mins.  You may want to scrape the sides of the bowl during the first 5 minutes of mixing.  Next add room temperature butter one pat at a time.  The dough may come apart, be patient, continue to mix until it comes together before adding in more butter.  Once all the butter has been added and incorporated increase the speed gradually to medium. Mix at medium speed until the gluten is well developed, approximately 10 mins.  Add the mashed sweet potato and mix until well incorporated.  You will want to check gluten development by windowpane during this time and stop mixing when you get a good windowpane.  You should be able to pull a good windowpane, not quite as good as a white flour because the bran will interrupt the windowpane somewhat. 

Hand mixing 

Into a large bowl add the tangzhong, milk, melted butter, salt, sugar and egg.  Mix well then add the levain, cut the levain into small pieces with your silicone spatula.  Add flour and mix until no dry flour remains.  Rest for 10 mins then slap and fold until the dough has good gluten development.  Stretch the dough on a wet countertop.  Spread about ⅓ of the mashed sweet potato onto the dough, then fold in half.  Repeat until all of the mashed sweet potato has been added.  Slap and fold or stretch and fold until the sweet potato is well incorporated.

On the counter, shape the dough into a tight ball, cover in the bowl and ferment for 2 - 3 hours at 82ºF.  There should be some rise visible at this stage.

You can next place the dough into the fridge to chill the dough for about 1.5 hours, this makes rolling the dough easier to shape.  Remember, if you do so the final proof will take longer.  Alternatively, you can do a cold retard in the fridge overnight, however, you may find that this increases the tang in your bread.

Prepare your pans by greasing them with butter or line with parchment paper.  

Lightly flour the top of the dough. Scrape the dough out onto a clean counter top and shape it into a batard.  Transfer the dough into your pan and cover.

Cover and let proof for  4-6 hours at a warm temperature.  I proof at 82°F.  You will need longer than 4-6 hours if you chilled your dough for shaping. I proof until the top of the dough comes to within 1 cm of the top edge of the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350F and brush the dough with the egg-milk wash.  Just prior to baking brush with the egg-milk wash again.

Bake the loaves for 50 minutes or until the internal temperature is at least 190ºF, rotating as needed to get even browning. Shield your loaf if it gets brown early in the baking process. After 50 mins remove the bread from the pan and bake a further 10 mins by placing the loaf directly in the oven on the rack with the oven turned down to 325ºF. You can brush the top of the loaf with butter if you wish at this point while the bread is still hot to keep the top crust soft.

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My index of bakes.

Alan’s starter is quite potent and still not getting much of a sour scent to it.  It is living in a ziplock bag in my fridge and I made the stiff sweet levain from it directly without any refreshing and the levain was ready in no time.  I think I’ll figure out how to bring some home and compare it to mine.  Alan if you read this, what is the hydration that you keep your starter?  It is certainly not 100%.

So jackfruit can do a decent imitation of pulled pork for those unfamiliar with this tropical fruit.  So I combined this vegan pulled pork with my formula for sourdough gua bao and must say, it made a decent dinner.  I was a bit apprehensive about steaming the bao without my trusty bamboo steamer, but it worked out using my pasta pot with steaming inserts.

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Overnight Levain

In a large jar, combine all purpose flour, water, ripe sourdough starter, and sugar. Cover the jar loosely and let the levain ripen overnight at warm room temperature (I keep mine around 76°F to 78°F).

Tangzhong

In a sauce pan set on med heat with about 1.5 cm of water, place the bowl of your stand mixer creating a Bain Marie, whisk the milk and flour until blended. Then cook for several minutes until thickened, stirring regularly with a spoon or heat-resistant spatula. Let cool.

In The Morning

In a mixing bowl, add the Tangzhong, water, milk, sugar and salt, mix to dissolve.  Add the stiff sweet levain and using a silicone spatula, cut the levain into small pieces.  Add the baking powder, cornstarch and flour.  Mix to form a shaggy dough.  Allow to rest for 10 mins.  On your countertop or with your stand mixer  knead the dough until good gluten development.  Drizzle in the vegetable oil and mix until well incorporated.  If mixing my hand, which I recommend since it is such a small amount of dough, add the oil with the liquid ingredients.  Remove some dough for aliquot jar to follow rise.  Shape into a boule and rest in a covered bowl at 82°F until it has increased by 40%.

Prepare six 4” parchment squares.

Remove the dough to the counter and divide into six equal portions shaping each into a tight boule.  Allow to rest for 10 mins.  Roll out the dough into a 3 × 6-inch oval. Brush the surface of the dough with canola oil and gently fold the dough in half, but make the top folded part a bit longer than the bottom otherwise when steamed they won’t be equal in size. Place on a 4-inch square of parchment paper.

Cover the buns with a damp, clean kitchen towel and allow them to proof until they are 1 ½ times larger,

Cover the filled bao with a damp cloth and place in a warm place and allow them to ferment until they pass the poke test.  Using an aliquot jar they should reach about 100% rise.

Prepare your steamer setup and bring water to a boil.  Working in batches if necessary, arrange buns in the bamboo steamer spacing 2” apart.  Once the water is boiling turn the heat down to medium.  Steam over boiling water for 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and leave the buns in the covered steamer for 5 more minutes to prevent collapsing.  (I left them in the steamer and on the same stove element turned off). Do not lift the lid of the steamer, doing so will cause a sudden drop in temperature that can cause the buns to collapse or wrinkle or dent.  Remove the buns from the steamer and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before serving.  

Buns can be kept in an airtight container (a resealable bag works great) at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Room temperature buns can be reheated in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds or steamed for about 2 minutes, until soft and warmed through. Reheat frozen buns by steaming until soft and warmed through, 10 to 15 minutes.

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Ingredients:(Makes 8)

For the buns:

250g plain flour

2 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp easy-blend dried yeast

½tsp salt

½tsp baking powder

50ml plant milk

75ml water

1tbsp rice vinegar

2tsp sesame oil, plus extra for brushing

2tsp black sesame seeds

For the filling:

2 x 400g cans of jackfruit, I only used 1 can.

1tbsp sunflower oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4cm piece fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

6 spring onions, 4 thinly sliced

3tbsp soy sauce

2tbsp hoisin sauce

2tbsp maple syrup

1½tbsp rice vinegar

1tsp Chinese five-spice

1 carrot

¼ cucumber

½ red pepper

1. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Drain the jackfruit and squeeze out any excess water. Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan or wok, add the jackfruit and fry over a medium heat for about 10 minutes until golden brown, breaking up the pieces slightly with a wooden spoon.

2. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and four sliced spring onions to the pan and continue frying for another minute. In a small bowl combine the soy and hoisin sauces, maple syrup, rice vinegar and Chinese five-spice with four tablespoons of water. Pour into the pan, mix to combine, reduce the heat slightly and continue to cook for a further three minutes or so until the jackfruit is caramelized and coated in sticky sauce. Remove from the heat while you prepare the remaining filling ingredients.

3. Using a julienne grater, cut the carrot and cucumber into fine strips. Finely slice the red pepper and remaining two spring onions. Cover and chill until ready to assemble the bao buns.

My index of bakes.

Clas, flas and TH-SD are types of sourdough (Type II) used with small amounts of dry instant yeast (DIY) to make bread (often in 4-5 hours).

Refer to the detailed instructions by rusbrot for

• clas here (0:42-6:00);
• flas, rusbot's  MALT KMKZ, here;
• TH-SD here. TH-SD stands for thermophilic sourdough.  

Summary

To make clas/flas, just mix the ingredients below and place in a jar.

     Obtain malt grain(rye or wheat) from a hobby brewing supplies store.

Both clas and flas can be maintained in a water bath in a crockpot with a temperature controller.

Try to match the level of the water bath with the level of the jar contents (clas or flas).

Note that rusbrot emphasizes the use of plastic film on the surface of clas to inhibit mold growth. 

This is not needed for flas since the liquidy contents of the jar may be shaken up a couple of times a day. 

(Note that a water bath might be maintained in a proofer also. ) 

Using clas/flas

Strain out the grain sediments in flas mixture; flas (for use in bread dough) is the liquid portion that is left.

Both clas and flas can be used immediately. 

Refrigerate clas for 1-2 days and use as if fresh; flas can refrigerated for a week or more.

FREEZE portions of clas(120g)/flas(90 gr) for later use.  You will have sourdough at your fingertips!!

(See below for THERMOS Method.)

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Refresh rye CLAS  rus brot -  https://brotgost.blogspot.com/2018/11/3.html

-No need to add vinegar or use a plastic film to cover surface of clas mixture.

General Proportion: (#gr rye in clas) : (new rye flour)  = 1:9

Recipe: Mix the following and ferment at 38-41C , 12 hrs.

29 g Clas (10 g rye, 19 gr water) - room temp

90 g whole rye flour (preferably freshly milled)

171 g(ml) water (45C)

Hydration: 190%   Yield: 290 g rye clas

********  Proportions for Refreshment in 6-8 hr: (#gr rye in clas) : (# gr new rye flour)  = 1:2    Recipe: 29 g Clas; 20 g whole rye flour; 38 g(ml) water;    Yield: 87 gr clas    

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Wheat Clas  (24-36h)

Recipe: Mix the following and ferment at 38±2C, 24-36 hrs.

-Use plastic film on surface of wheat clas mixture during fermentation.  Ending pH-4.

25 g whole grain wheat malt flour  (buy malt grain from a brewing supplies store)

75 g whole grain wheat flour

10 g(ml) vinegar (5% acidity)

140 g(ml) water (45C)

Hydration: 150%   Yield: 250 g wheat clas

Refresh wheat CLAS  (12 hrs)

-No need to add vinegar or use a plastic film to cover surface of clas mixture.

General Proportion: (#gr wheat in clas) : (#gr new wheat flour)  = 1:7

Recipe: Mix the following and ferment at 38±2C, 12 hrs.

30 g wheat Clas (12 g wheat, 18 gr water) - room temp

84 g whole wheat flour (preferably freshly milled)

126 g(ml) water (45C)

Hydration: 150%   Yield: 240 g wheat clas

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Thermophilic Sourdough Starter with fermented rye malt (solod)

Refer to ingredients and procedure by rusbrot. Makes 250 gr.

• 40 g crushed unfermented rye malt
• 10-15 gr fermented red malt (solod)
• 200 ml water at 60C       400% hydr  (200:50)   | rye  | H2O | H2O | H2O | H2O |

Ferment: 24-30 hr; 50-53C (use a water bath); shake or stir mixture periodically.

 Result:  flavor like apple/plum

Uses

Recipes by rusbrot using thermophilic sd starter-

• white wheat bread  (rye from TH-SD = 5% tot flour)
• 55 gr TH-SD in 100% whole wheat/rye loaf (470 gr total flour)
• Sventine duona Lithuanian festive rye-wheat bread (rye:wheat::35:65)
• rusbrot's Latvia Solinātā rudzu rupjmaize by Yippee

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SERGEY's 4 Day Clas

The recipe for Sergey's clas is at foodgeek (see also his Live Journal article).

It is a 4-5 day process.

To refresh takes 24 hrs at 40C.

Mix 50 gr clas with 180 gr ground rye and 270 gr water at 42C.

Hold it in a water with a temperature controller at 40-42C.

(You can also use a proofer.)

It may take 48-60 hr to get the plum fragrance and the reddish tinge.

See the crumb for 100% lean whole wheat loaf here.

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In the lean 100% whole wheat loaf baked in the Zojirushi in a 2000ml Pullman pan, the following amounts were used.

Range for rye flour from above sourdoughs:

   clas: 8% (above table)-12%;  for Predough-3%

   flas 18.9% (above)-28%

   TH-SD: 5% (above)

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THERMOS METHOD for making a "modified clas"- the hydration is 300% (cp to 190% in rusbrot formulas).

• Warm a thermos with 50C water for 15 min. Empty it.
• Pour 290 ml of 45C water and 10 ml of vinegar into thermos.
• Use a funnel to add rye flours (75g whole rye and 25 gr wh wheat malt, both freshly ground).
• Close thermos and shake vigorously to mix flour and water-no lumps.
• (Optional- Set thermos in an ice chest with a large jar of boiling water.)
• Shake the thermos about every 8 hr.
• Check for pH < 4 in 24 h.

Keep in mind that the hydration of this "clas" is 300%.     | rye  | H2O | H2O | H2O |

If a recipe of 500g total flour contains 10% rye flour from clas (50 gr), then 200 gr of "modified clas" is needed to supply 50 gr. rye;  the liquid supplied is 150 gr.  Adjust total hydration accordingly.

A refresh using the thermos would only require 12 hr.