Sourdough - using starter for soft sandwich rolls

August 20, 2021

Sourdough - using starter for soft sandwich rolls

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We've all been there. We've taken a portion of sourdough starter from the 'motherlode' in the refrigerator and refreshed it the night before baking.

The following day, we've used what we need for our sourdough and then we realise that we've got rather a lot left. We know that there's already a batch of inactive discard in the fridge from last week...that's ready for some lovely sandwich loaves....using BreadClub20's recipe at:

https://breadclub20.blogspot.com/2021/05/sourdough-using-discard-for-sandwich.html

But what can we do with the rest? Pour it down the sink? Put it on the compost? Make military-grade slug traps for all the neighbours?

No! We use it to make fluffy, soft sandwich rolls that freeze really well and as as good when they defrost as the day they were baked. Next week: sliced ham, beef or pork, Italian meats, BLT, sausage, tuna and mayonnaise, egg, cheese and onion.....the world is your oyster!

And this is what we're going to bake today. We're making soft sandwich rolls using sourdough discard

INGREDIENTS (for 9 rolls)

100 gms of sourdough starter (you can use recently fed or unfed for this recipe... there's lots of bacteria and yeasts ready for action in both forms)

500 gms of strong bread flour (you can mix your flours if you wish....wholemeal, spelt, khorasan, T55, strong white....it's a good way of using up half packets...just make sure you use at least 400 gms of strong white per mix)

250 mls of filtered water

10 gms sea salt

1 tablespoon of demerara sugar

50 gms unsalted butter (there's enough salt without adding more in the butter. If you've only got salted butter, cut back on the sea salt a little)

7 gms yeast (DON'T FORGET THE YEAST)

I'm also adding 1 tablespoon of chia seeds. These are optional, you can add different / more seeds or don't bother at all.

I'm also using the discard from my 1898 starter - it's yellow and creamy....I'm expecting it to add to the lightness of the finished loaf. However, as they say on the television....'different types of starter are available....'

METHOD

Using a bread machine

Add the flour, discard and the salt to the pan and cover with the liquid. Leave to autolyse for fifteen minutes. Add the remainder of the ingredients and choose a Basic Dough programme (2hrs 20 minutes). Then proceed to the next stage.

Mixing by hand

If you're mixing by hand or using a stand mixer, add the softened butter and the salt to the flour and mix thoroughly. Then add the remainder of the dry ingredients (except the yeast). Slowly add the liquid, the discard and then the yeast until you have a sticky mix. Turn the mix out onto a floured board and knead until you have a silky and pliable dough. (There are 'Help' videos and articles in the 'Useful Web and YouTube links' on the left hand side of this page). Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover. Leave for an hour somewhere warm until the dough has doubled in size.

1. Prepare a baking tray and line it with either silicone, or baking paper or grease / flour it well.

2. Tip the dough out onto a floured worktop and knock it back. By now it will have already had a first proof. Try and keep the sticky side to the top.