*  Exported from  MasterCook II  *

                          Sourdough French Bread

Recipe By     : Bill Turner Hewlett-Packard Personal Software Division, Sant
Serving Size  : 0    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Breads

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      cup           sourdough starter
 125      ml            milk (any type, but I prefer whole milk)
  15      ml            sugar
  10      ml            salt
  30      g             shortening
 250      g             flour

1.  Combine milk, sugar, salt, and shortening in a pan.  Heat until
 shortening melts, then cool to lukewarm (about 45°C).

2.  Stir milk into starter.  Add flour gradually, forming dough that pulls
 away from sides of the bowl.

3.  Kneed until smooth (about 15 min.), adding flour as needed to keep the
 dough from sticking to the board.  When done, the dough will be fairly
 heavy, but smooth in texture.

4.  Place in a well-greased bowl and raise in a warm place until doubled.

5.  Form into a long loaf (about 40 cm long).  Place on a greased baking
 sheet and let rise again, until almost doubled.

6.  Cut diagonal slits in top of loaf with a sharp knife, and bake in a 400=
 degree oven until done, about 30-35 min.

7.  Remove from pan, and let cool in a draft-free location.

Author's Notes:

    This is a hearty bread, possibly heavier than many people are used to.
 The flavor is wonderfully tangy, and complements just about any meal.  Try
 it with garlic butter! This bread is slow raising.  I usually spend two
 days on it - start the dough one day, let it rise overnight, then form the
 loaf and bake the next day. This recipe is from The Complete Sourdough
 Cookbook, by Don and Myrtle Holm.

    Be careful that the milk mixture has cooled before adding it to the
 starter. If it's too hot, you'll kill the starter and the bread won't rise.
 Since the dough rises for a long time, I usually cover it with a damp towel
 to keep it from drying out. If you want a chewy crust, brush the top of the
 loaf with a mixture of corn starch and water before baking.  Also, placing
 a pan of water in the oven while baking will make the crust a little
 softer.  I usually brush the loaf with butter after baking.

Difficulty    : moderate.
Precision     : measure the ingredients.

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