Sourdough, part 2

After a week or so of daily feeding the reserved portion of my first starter, I had another 3 cups of prepared sourdough starter... 2 cups for a second loaf and reserving the remainder for the next batch of starter.

Last time I took the idea of "soft dough" as the outside texture.... I am a fiber artist.  So while the texture was smooth, soft, and therefore not sticky, the resulting bread was tough.

So this time, I spent less time kneading and was more mindful about the flour I added.... I do think this is a "softer" dough, in that it's a bit sticky, but not tough.

I also put it through two rounds of proofing.  The first in an oiled bowl overnight that was covered in both plastic wrap and a towel.  I think this helped to keep the dough from getting too dry.

The second in loaf form... also oiled and covered in plastic wrap and a towel.

I slashed the loaf after 2 hours,

and baked for about 45 minutes at 350F.

I tried to take extra care in the shaping step this time around, but I need more practice to ensure any remaining creases are on the underside of the loaf.

This definitely a better loaf.... in crumb, texture, and taste.  Even if it is a little flat.  The final bowl rise photo shows the dough loosing it's shape.  So I think it needs to knead longer, but probably not much more flour.  So round 3 should be even better, right?  :-)

Happy Baking!