# Sourdough for Easter



## walle (Apr 3, 2010)

Wanted to try something a little fancier with the bread for this weekend, so going the braided route on a sourdough spear, sprinkled with some Sicilian Blend bread dipping seasoning. With that, is one regular loaf, and one cinnamon sugar loaf.

I love messing with sourdough, so I kinda over do the pictures...

Sponge


Kneaded dough


Starter feed and ready to go for next time


Cinnamon Bread - this is real easy, roll out the width of a loaf, rub a little butter on it, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and roll it back up. 



And here's the braided








Sitting in the oven for the final proof


Take aways - rolled dough rope for braiding needs to be about 1.25 X longer that the pan. I did mine 2X longer. Using my 16" pizza pan to give you and idea of how big this thing turned out. My dough also ended up stretching a bit as I tried to braid it.... Not the best job, but it will eat!

I'll be back later with finished pictures.
Thanks for checking out my Easter bread project.
Tracey


----------



## meat hunter (Apr 3, 2010)

Hey Tracey, I told Keith this sourdough thing was a blessing and a curse. A blessing that it is so darn good, but a curse because the family wants me to make it all the time now LOL.

Love the braid idea, I know yours will turn out better than the best bread shops could offer.


----------



## mballi3011 (Apr 3, 2010)

Now those are some really good looking loafs there Trace. Now the wife makes some of that stuff and it's really good too.


----------



## walle (Apr 3, 2010)

Mballi/Meat Hunter - thanks, guys!

Here are the finished goods




Thanks for checking out my bread project.
Here are some tips for you bread heads that don't have a day and half to make bread. I use this on regular bread and tried this morning on this batch of sourdough with succeful results. Success defined by me is a baked loaf that is light, and at least double in size from the formed dough.

Proofing your dough,
After you have mixed up your dough, replace the first two hour proofing stage by simply microwaving your dough, on low, until you can "feel" it getting loose and soft. In my micro wave, that is four minutes on 20 (100) being the high setting.

Make your rolls/loaves/etc. immediately and place in baking pan.

With regular rolls/loaves, I will repeat the microwave process and straight into the oven.

Today, because I was using a metal pizza pan, I simple placed the braided roll into a warmed oven for 30 minutes, pulled it out because I neede to bake the loaves, and then baked. It probably proofed for around 50 minutes.

Tracey


----------



## rdknb (Apr 3, 2010)

that so look good, I need to learn how to make it


----------

