Freckled Sourcream Sourdough Loaves

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups filtered water
1 tbsp. Sugar
1 pkg. yeast (not quick-rise)

Directions

Use a ceramic, glass or plastic container (not metal) to make the starter. Blend the flour, water, sugar and yeast with a wooden spoon till smooth like a pancake batter. Drape a cotton towel over the container and set in a warm place free from drafts(no higher than 95 degrees). Uncover it every 24 hours and stir with a wooden spoon for four days. On day five make your bread.

2 cups starter (above recipe)
1/4 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. white sugar
1 cup warm water (no higher than 95 degrees)
1/2 cup sour cream (warmed)
1 Tbsp. Vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup graham flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. crushed and dissolved rock or sea salt
3-4 cups unbleached white bread flour

In one bowl, mix starter and both sugars. In another bowl, combine the salt, sourcream and water together. Allow the sourcream mixture to sit until the salt dissolves (about 10 minutes). Add sourcream bowl to starter bowl and mix.

Stir in the wheat gluten, the graham flour, the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of white flour. Continue adding white flour one cup at a time and mix thoroughly after each addition until the dough cleans the side of the bowl. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic – about 10 – 15 minutes.

Wash a bowl in very warm water (to warm it) and then dry it well. Coat it in about 2 Tbsp. of olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and let it rise until it had doubled in bulk (about an hour). Once it has doubled, punch the dough down. Divide the dough into two or three equal pieces (depending on how big you want your loaves to be). Oil your baking sheet or bread pans and dust them with cornmeal. Shape your loaves as desired. Let them rise for 1-2 hours as needed. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes. Remove the loaves from their pans immediately and tap them on the bottom. If they sound hollow, the bread is done. Serve with softened butter and enjoy!