Here's the recipe that turned out so dry for me. It also seems to need
more salt. I appreciate your suggestions.
Adapted from James Beard's Sour Cream Bread....

Makes two loaves

Ingredients:

(T = tablespoon, t = teaspoon, C = cup)

1 T dry yeast
1/4 C warm water
1 T granulated sugar
1 t salt (optional)

1 C sourdough starter (exact measurement not important)
2 C (total) sour cream, or sour cream/yogurt (see below)
5 to 6 cups good bread flour
1 to 1 1/2 C raisins

Procedu

In a large warm bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, add sugar
and optional salt.

Add sourdough starter (rough measurement is ok) to yeast mixture, stir
well and let proof for 10 to 20 minutes.

Beard's recipe called for 2 C sour cream, I generally use a mix of 1/2
sour cream and 1/2 non-fat yogurt (Continental, for you S.F. Bay
Area types.) You could also use up to 1/2 C buttermilk if you wish.
Decide on the combination, and we'll proceed.

Add 2 C sour cream/etc to yeast and sourdough mixture and blend well.

Add 4 C flour, one at a time, beating well between cups with a hefty
wooden spoon. The dough will be STICKY! Remove to a floured board,
and use your official baker's scraper to incorporate enough flour to
allow hand kneading.

You'll probably add up to two more cups of flour as you knead, depending
on humidity, temperature, phases of the moon, native
talent, and etc. When you get the dough manageable, knead in the
raisins, chasing them all over the board as you do... The whole
kneading procedure should take about ten minutes.

When the dough is smooth and supple, form into a ball, place in a
buttered bowl, (turning to coat all sides) cover with a towel and
place in a warm spot to rise. Check often, as this recipe seems to rise
quickly. You want it to just double in size, don't let it
over rise.

When just doubled, punch down, knead a bit, and form into two loaves.
Pinch seams and place in two standard loaf pans. Cover and
let rise again till just doubled.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a
delicious golden brown color, and the tops/bottoms sound hollow when
thumped. Cool on wire rack.

It did not raise too much (just doubled). The oven temperature was correct.

Doreen
in Northern Minnesota


M. Halbrook wrote:

>We really need the whole of the forumla to guage where the problem is, but
>less flour is not likely the culpret.
>
>D and d Jordan > wrote in
>news:mailman.6.1192490122.86827.rec.food.baking@m ail.otherwhen.com:
>
>
>
>>I have made many loaves of bread and many loaves of sour dough and I
>>tried a new recipe this past Sunday. It was a Sour Dough Raisin Bread
>>supposedly revised from James Beard's recipe. The bread rose; it
>>browned and came out of the pans just fine. The dough is dry and not
>>moist. It contained 2 cups of sour cream, but was not velvety. I kept
>>back about a cup of flour from the six the recipe called for. (I have
>>made James Beard's recipe for cinnamon bread and it also contains 2
>>cups of sour cream. I understood that the wetter the dough, the better
>>flavor.
>>
>> Now to my question:
>>
>>Is it the shortage of flour that makes dough dry?
>>Is it insufficient kneading?
>>Is it a bad recipe?
>>
>>
>>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Rec.food.baking mailing list

>http://www.otherwhen.com/mailman/lis...ec.food.baking
>
>To unsubscribe send a mail to and then reply to the confirmation request.
>
>
>