Sour Bread/Dough

[mccovey]

Was recently in France and California and realized how much I miss REAL Sourdough bread. Has anyone found any comparable products in Finland (where?)? I realize that rye is handled here with a souring process but that's not what I'm looking for.

[Pursuivant]

You mean yeastbread or setsuuri with the evil seeds? (only close without the evil seeds is Juhlalimppu around christmas and easter)???

[tuulen]

If you could be willing to make your own ... http://www.sourdoughhome.com/startingastarter.html

Once you get a sourdough starter established, then a small amount of it can be used to make more of it.

[mccovey]

I'm referring to the classic French sourdough baguette and the classic San Francisco sourdough (latter sold as baguettes and rounds).

I.ve tried 20x to make own over the years but just doesn't succeed.

With all the stuff Finland has been coying over the last years. I would have thought someone would have tried these well-reputed items.

[Pursuivant]

Well-reputed = totally unknown.

Theres a myriad of traditional limppu, some of which are light, some which are sour.

[mccovey]

Well-reputed = totally unknown.

I believe the classic French baguette is indeed world famous - the traditional ones are indeed 'sour' - at least to a degree - unfortunately 'French' bread in Finland knows nothing about that - and even the imported French dough for the supermarket mini-bakeries is not that.

For a general look: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sourdough

Theres a myriad of traditional limppu, some of which are light, some which are sour.

Been trying for decades here and have found no light 'sour,' with or without also the crispy crust I'd be looking for. If anyone knows of any specific one that could be found, please tell. The ryes are known about and many are world-class.

[tuulen]

The secret is to "get" some sourdough starter from "somewhere".

It does exist, but you need to find an available supply of it.

And once you have some, then you could make more of it, all that you could ever need.

[Karhunkoski]

The secret is to "get" some sourdough starter from "somewhere".

Exactly.

I heard someone once say that some of the smaller bakeries sell the dough as well as bread. But I don't remember where that was. Might be worth asking a bakery or two.

[kentan]

I am French and been making sourdough bread for nearly a decade.
It is easy to make your own starter, as it relies on the natural fermentation of flour and water.
Simply mix 50g of water with 50g of good organic wheat (or rye for that matter, as it ferments faster). leave in a warm (20-24 degrees Celcius) place for 2-3 days.
As soon as you spot signs of fermentation, add 100g of water and 100g of flour.
Leave 24 hours.
Remove 3/4 of the mixture, and add 50g of water and 50g of water.
Leave 24 hours to ferment.
Once again, Remove 3/4 of the mixture, and add 50g of water and 50g of water.

You should have by this time an active ferment. Then it's a matter of refreshing it prior to using it. There are plenty of websites where you can grab infos about how to make your own bread.
http://www.sourdough.com
http://www.danlepard.com
http://www.thefreshloaf.com

Only to name a few.



Some of the bread I bake:

[Pursuivant]

There is this mormon friend-bread making rounds, I think that is a sourdough "root".

[Pursuivant]

OK, so I'm still at lost what the heck is that (and I've been to France on numerous occasions going to the boulangerie). What they do have is a normal "hiivaleipä" that has a hugely thick rock-hard crust and flaky innards. You could get something like that from Fazer IIRC... Well, a bit like the "Greek" bread I get here in the UK at the co-op that does resemble a "hiivaleipä". As for rye breads, no damn chance, even at the Polish store, they do sell setsuuri with the evil seeds. Alas, if someone would send me a rye root I'd be over the moon

[mccovey]

OK, so I'm still at lost what the heck is that (and I've been to France on numerous occasions going to the boulangerie). What they do have is a normal "hiivaleipä" that has a hugely thick rock-hard crust and flaky innards. You could get something like that from Fazer IIRC... Well, a bit like the "Greek" bread I get here in the UK at the co-op that does resemble a "hiivaleipä". As for rye breads, no damn chance, even at the Polish store, they do sell setsuuri with the evil seeds. Alas, if someone would send me a rye root I'd be over the moon

Have you stopped at the 'Vin du Rouge shop' for a giant purchase prior to your visit to the Boulangerie - the classic French baguette definitely has a sour component - but there have been articles in NY Times, among others, that even in France the mass-produced breads without this 'sour component' have been invading even the French boulangeries and that it takes a bit of work to find the genuine ones doing the traditional product.

There's NO WAY the Fazer stuff has anything to do with what I've been referring to.

[Pursuivant]

Baguettes? They have no component except air And after half an hour some extra teeth if the crowns aren't quite up to par.

[mccovey]

That's why you gotta find the ones I'm looking for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Karhunkoski]

As for rye breads, no damn chance,

Waitrose is the shop you're looking for. They do an organic rye limppu which is excellent.