Crusty 10-Grain Sourdough Bread Loaves... using a starter.

Crusty 10-Grain Sourdough Bread Loaves... It was one of those days when I needed a break... what better way than to relax in the kitchen:). Love to bring out the flour and bake bread.

I confess I wasn't planning on making this particular bread... nor posting it. It was just that I really needed to use my starter as I was going on vacation for a few weeks... wanted to use most of it, if I could. I hoped the rest of the sourdough starter would somehow survive in the back of the fridge until I came back.

As I looked at my starter sitting on the counter from the night before, all fed and ready to be used, I thought of all the possible ways I could use it. I could of course make bread. But what kind of bread? I suppose the possibilities were endless... rolls would be easy to do, as well as flatbreads, or pizza doughs... even sweet breads could be made. But you see, I had this 10-grain hot cereal mix sitting in my fridge... could I possibly use it? It would be fun to come up with a new recipe. I really wanted to experiment... didn't want to rely on a specific recipe from a bread book. Sort of wanted to be on my own...

Truth be told, I wasn't expecting a stellar end-product... neither was I expecting something fabulous. At least most times when I experiment, the end result isn't always something to be proud of. But I knew the worst that could happen was to have some really dense flat breads with a crumbly, coarse crumb. I wasn't really worried as I could always turn it into breadcrumbs:)... but deep down I wanted my loaves to be successful. So I forged ahead and combined the ideas/techniques I learned from the Almost No Knead Bread, the Multigrain Sandwich Bread, and the Sourdough Walnut Bread to bake bread.

As I started getting all my ingredients out, I decided to get a pen and paper, along with my camera:)... just in case the loaves would be a success. I've made plenty of other recipes where I didn't write down measurements... and wished I had! Needless to say, I was thrilled with the final result....the bread loaves were fantastic! I could hardly wait to cut through it and see how the crumb was... springy, soft and well, you can see it in the photos. The crust was nice and crispy with a nice crunch. Wonderful for making hot or cold sandwiches, or next to a soup or saucy entree... or simply topped with some butter and jam. Loved the sunflower seeds and the various grains throughout the bread. Interestingly enough, I was planning on adding a bit more whole wheat flour to the dough...but found out last minute, that I only had 1 cup of spelt flour in the house. Ended up making the bread with what I had in the house. Next time, I'll add more whole wheat flour.

Years ago, I received quite a few Corningware casserole dishes as wedding gifts... at the time, I thought, "When would I ever use them all?".... How thankful I am for those dishes! They really come in handy... especially when baking bread. I know other folks use dutch ovens for baking bread, but I like to use the Corningware. I can make smaller loaves, and freeze some for later. Plus, the bread gets just the right kind of crust...golden and not too crusty.

In any case, I am posting the recipe for my own personal reference...and for those of you who care to try it. By the way, the sourdough starter survived in the back of the fridge until I came back... ended up making this bread again, except a sundried tomato/basil version. Hope you enjoy...

Note: While I used a 10-Grain Hot Cereal( Bob's Red Mill), you can easily use a 7 or 8-Grain Hot cereal.

Tip: You can use any baking dish/es that are oven-proof to at least 450 deg F(just decrease the pre-heating temp).... the lids must be oven-proof as well.

You will need:

2 1/4 cups sourdough starter, fed from the night before

1 cup 10-grain cereal

2 cups boiling water

2 1/2 tsps kosher salt

2 TBS honey

1/4 cup olive oil( or meted butter)

1 cup whole grain spelt flour

3 1/2-4 cups bread flour, or as needed

1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds( or other seeds of choice)

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, boil water, remove from heat and add 10-grain cereal, honey, and oil,(or butter if using). Mix and set aside until mixture reaches 120 deg F. I just stir the mixture continuously so that I speed the cooling.

2. To a mixing bowl(with a kneading hook), add the sourdough starter, salt, the cooled 10-Grain mixture, the spelt flour, and 3 1/2 cups bread flour.

3. Knead mixture using a dough hook for 5-6 minutes...at this time check to see that the dough isn't overly wet...it should release from the sides of the bowl as it is kneading, but stick to the bottom. The dough will start out very sticky, then gradually start to come away from the sides of the bowl. You can stop midway through, scraping the sticky dough off the sides, and then continue kneading. The dough should climb the hook for the most part. If it is still sticking to the sides, continue adding more flour, 1 TBS at a time, until the dough releases from the sides... I needed the whole 4 cups. But be careful as you don't want to add too much flour.

4. Continue kneading for an additional 3-4 minutes for a total of 9- 10 minutes. During the last minute of kneading, add the sunflower seeds and knead to combine.

Note: The dough is still a tacky sort of dough, expect it to stick to the sides as you stop the mixer from kneading.

5. Oil your hands and divide dough in 3 equal parts... shape the dough in 3 balls.

6. Place each dough ball on it's own parchment paper( you will need the parchment paper to help you place the dough in the baking dish...) and lightly cover with an oiled plastic wrap.

7. Allow to proof for 2 hours...

8. After 1 1/2 hours of proofing time, place 3 Corningware casserole dishes(with lids) in oven( big enough to allow the bread to rise inside when baking)....and pre-heat oven to 475 for 30 minutes.... the Corningware is in the oven during the preheating of the oven...the full 30 minutes.

9. After 2 hours of proofing(and 30 minutes of preheating) slash the loaves( 1/2 in deep)... you can make one slash in the middle or 2 as I have done.

10.Using oven mitts, remove the corningware from the oven. Remove lid and place proofed bread loaves(along with the parchment paper) in each of the 3 Corningwares. Cover with lids and place in hot oven.

Decrease oven to 450 Degs F

11. Bake loaves for 30 minutes. Remove lids and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes...or until the inside of the bread registers about 205-210 Deg F. You may need to cover the top with aluminum foil to prevent the loaves from burning.

12. Allow bread to cool completely(preferably 1- 2 hours) before slicing... Wrap well and freeze, if you like.

Blender Hollandaise Sauce...and Eggs Benedict

Blender Hollandaise Sauce...and Eggs Benedict. My absolute favorite breakfast happens to be Eggs Benedict. I simply LOVE it. Remember the egg yolks from the rasberry friands/tea cakes:)?...well, this is what I made. Many of you might have your own recipe, so bear with me this time around.

I decided to take a few photos of our breakfast and post it...just because this recipe should be in my "recipe box"... for future reference. Now, I know that Eggs Benedict isn't the healthiest of breakfasts, and for that reason I don't have it very often. I'll have it for my birthday, my anniversary, and any special occasion that may come up. But when I do have it, I enjoy it immensely. For this post, I added a few arugula leaves to make it a bit more healthy:)...really, who was I kidding?

I have listed the directions to make a blender version of the classic Hollandaise, for poaching the egg, as well as making your own English muffins. Please don't feel like you need to make homemade English muffins. I just love to bake bread and will grab the chance to do so... whenever I can:). I posted it only if you would like to try it. In case you are celebrating a special occasion, you just might want to make this breakfast:). Hope you enjoy....

Blender Hollandaise Sauce:

3 egg yolks

salt to taste

Dash of cayenne pepper/paprika/smoked paprika

1/2 cup (8 TBS or 1 stick) melted butter, heated until bubbling

2 tsps lemon juice...if you don't have, substitute with vinegar

1/2-1 tsp dijon

onion powder(this is totally optional, but sometimes I do like to add a pinch)

warm water(only if needed to thin it out...I usually add a bit)

Directions:

Place egg yolks, salt, pepper and lemon juice in blender. Blend for a few seconds at high speed until you have a smooth mixture. With the blender running( still at med- high speed), add the hot butter in a thin, steady stream. As you add the butter, the sauce should thicken. When all the butter has been added, you should have a thick consistency...almost like mayo. Thin it out with a bit of warm water. Keep it warm over a pot filled with warm water or a bain-marie.

Poached eggs:

1-2 teaspoon/s vinegar

very fresh large eggs

water

Directions:

Combine 1 1/2 inches water (about 2 quarts) and vinegar in a wide 3-quart heavy saucepan (preferably about 9 inches wide) and bring to a simmer.

Break 1 egg into a small bowl or cup. Have it ready. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, swirl the water to form a "whirpool" center and slide the egg into the center of the "whirpool". That will make a cocoon around the egg. Poach at a bare simmer until whites are firm and yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer eggs as cooked to paper towels using a slotted spoon. Repeat with each remaining egg. You will lose some of the white...but hopefully not too much:). Remove any white scum that has accumulated in the water and repeat.

If you want to do a few at a time: Break 1 egg into a small bowl or cup and slide egg into water. Repeat with each remaining egg, spacing them evenly in saucepan, and poach at a bare simmer until whites are firm and yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. I do like to make mine one at a time....maybe 2 max. If you add too many, it can get too crowded. I prefer adding another pot or two on the stove, if need be.

English Muffin Recipe: If you want to be adventurous:)...try making your own English muffins....otherwise, use store-bought. Here is a recipe I made a year ago...or so. Took the photos and never got the chance to post it:)...

Ingredients: recipe from Cooking Bread.com ...please check out the site as it contains step-by-step photos and more info.

You will need:

1 1/4 cups lukewarm water

4 cups bread flour

2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 small egg whites

fine cornmeal

Directions:

In a large bowl, add instant yeast, baking soda and 2 cups of bread flour. Pour in the warm water. Mix till smooth and let it sit for 5 minutes uncovered. In the meantime, beat egg white till stiff and moist. Add the beaten egg white to dough batter. Fold in egg whites till incorporated into the batter. Add rest of the flour, a 1/4 cup at a time. After the first 1/4 cup mix in salt. Pour out onto a flat surface and knead for about 5 to 6 minutes or till it smooth . Oil a clean bowl and place the dough into the bowl. Turn dough to lightly coat it. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rest and doubled...about 1 hour. Pour out onto a flat surface and press to release some of the air from the dough. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Allow dough to rest for about 3 minutes...so that it relaxes. Cut out circles using a 3 inch biscuit cutter. Place the cut out pieces on some cornmeal. Gather leftover dough together and cut out a few more circles. Sprinkle the tops with more cornmeal. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 45 minutes. Preheat your griddle or fry pan to 350F or medium heat. Spray with a little oil. When the griddle is hot, place the muffins and cook on one side for about 4 minutes. Turn over and cook for another 4 minutes. Repeat with the rest.

Assemble:

Toast English muffin, add Canadian ham, and place a poached egg on top. Pour some Hollandaise sauce over the egg and enjoy!

You can also make a ton of variations...try adding some spinach, substitute ham with crab, or use some bacon...or whatever else you like.