LCBO Food & Drink Winter 2018

BASICS  SOURDOUGH 101

tools You don’t need to invest a lot in equipment to make good bread, but these are the tools you will see referred to in sourdough recipes, and for good reason—they make the job easier.

A Note on Measuring Sourdough bread recipes deal with a huge number of variables. Measuring flour by weight instead of cup size guarantees that you always use exactly the right amounts of flour, water and starter and takes one variable out of the equation.

Cast Iron Dutch Oven or Combi Cooker —you can simulate the conditions of a professional bread oven (high tempera- tures, steam) most easily by cooking your dough in a lidded cast-iron pot. Just make sure it is large enough to contain a cooked loaf.

Lame —the curved razor blade used to score proofed dough. In a pinch you can use a serrated knife or snip your dough with kitchen scissors.

Digital Instant–Read Thermometer —all water be- low body temperature feels cool to the touch so it can be hard to determine the ideal temperature without a good thermometer.

Pizza Peel or Thin‑Handled Cutting Board —to help you transfer your proofed dough to your preheated pot.

Glass or Clear Plastic Jars/Bowls make it eas- ier to see how the bubbles are forming on the sides of your starter or dough.

Bench Scraper —also called a dough knife, it’s very helpful for cutting dough, helping to shape it, and for scraping flour and dough from a countertop.

Banneton —a breathable proofing basket generally made from cane or wood pulp, often lined with linen. A small colander lined with a linen dish towel makes a workable substitute.

Dough Spatula —this flex- ible plastic tool makes it easy to scrape dough from bowls.

IMPORTANCE OF TEMPERATURE Think of temperature like an ingredient in a sourdough recipe. The air and water temperature will have an effect on the speed that your dough bulk ferments and proofs, which will also have an effect on the flavour. The longer your bread has to develop, the stronger the flavour will be.

Digital Scale —essential for measuring flour and water with accuracy

FOOD & DRI NK WINTER 2018 79