April 1 is traditionally known as April Fool’s Day but, more importantly (to bread bakers at least), it is National Sourdough Bread Day.
The day is celebrated annually to honour the long history of sourdough bread-making. The often crusty loaf, with a chewy bite and sharp acidulated tang, is considered one of the most unique-tasting breads available.
Although most people associate sourdough with the “sour” bread made in San Francisco, sourdough bread does not have to be sour – unless, of course, you want it to be.
There is something magical about sourdough, the glorious loaf that magically rises from some water, flour and salt.
Sourdough bread became hugely popular during the Covid-19 lockdown because people had the time to connect with their food and they needed more of a challenge than banana bread.
The truth about sourdough is that it can be as simple or as complicated as you make it. Just like you need the right tools and ingredients to bake your own sourdough, you also need to arm yourself with the right know-how.
Cookbook author and baking aficionado Grace Stevens provides her special tips to make the perfect sourdough bread:
Stevens said it was claimed that sourdough dated from ancient Egypt, about 1500BC. Before that, bread was flat and unleavened, meaning it did not rise.
“During the American Gold Rush, prospectors carried a mixture of water and flour strapped to their backs. Natural yeasts would join the mixture while they were riding, and their body heat provided the perfect environment for yeast to multiply.
“When more flour and salt were added to this mixture, it would create the perfect dough for a well-risen loaf. Every sourdough bread begins with a base starter mix. The starter requires flour, water, and a little bit of patience, as the mixture is left to ferment and mature for between 12 and 48 hours.
“The bread’s famous tangy flavour and chewy crust are due in part to the wild yeast that this fermentation process cultivates,” Stevens said.
Grace Stevens offers five fabulous tips for a great sourdough:
Do not rush the starter mix
You need to plan it well in advance as some can take 48 hours to mature. You know your starter is ready when you take a teaspoon of it, plonk it in a glass of water and it floats.
Use filtered water
Yeast is a delicate organism; the chlorine and other chemicals in tap water can prevent your starter from growing.
Remember to feed your starter once or twice a week
Essentially, your starter is alive and feeding off the gluten, sugars and carbohydrates in the flour. By removing ⅓ of your starter weight and replenishing it with ⅓ equal parts water and flour, you give the microbes more to eat.
Your starter should smell fruity and fresh
If it starts to smell like nail polish, you know to feed it. But, if the smell remains, you will need to start again.
Remember the temperature
Putting your starter in the fridge slows down the yeast activity which allows the bacteria to dominate, giving the final dough a more sour taste.