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Sunday Snapshots: Learning To Make Seed Culture & Barm From The Bread Baker’s Apprentice

June 2, 2013 by Nancy Lopez-McHugh 40 Comments

Sunday Snapshots: Learning To Make Seed Culture & Barm From The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Spicie Foodie | #baking

We live in the land of rye and sourdough breads. My husband and I really like all types of breads so there’s always plenty to choose from depending on our craving or culinary needs. The main local bread is made from rye, and it’s definitely a sourdough, the color is a medium color and throughout it there are caraway seeds. This is probably the Czech bread that we buy most often. Its great with soup, as a sandwich bread, alongside klobasa or Bavarian sausages, and when served with tuna salad there is no better taste.

As much as we enjoy eating this bread my husband still misses one particular rye bread from back home. He’s always on the lookout for something similar to that sourdough bread he used to love to eat with patty melt burgers. The rye bread he has been looking for is a lighter color and also has caraway seeds speckled throughout, but unfortunately we have yet to come across it.

When I purchased my copy of ” The Bread Baker’s Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread” I came across several sourdough and rye breads. One particular recipe stood out, New York Deli Rye. When I showed it to my husband he agreed that it was the bread he was missing so much. So I knew I had to attempt it and hopefully satisfy that craving my husband has had for so long. These photos are my first ever attempt at making sourdough bread. I have to be honest that I was a bit nervous going into it, after all it involves creating organisms in a beaker. Hubby was a tad nervous too, he probably thought I would end up poisoning us. Hehe!

So here is how I learned to make seed culture and barm from “The Bread Baker’s Apprentice”.  I can’t share the exact seed culture and barm recipe because I do not have the author’s permission to print this recipe. Tuesday I will share the bread I baked with this. Also please excuse the horrible photos, it was meant to be a casual capture of the process.

Seed Culture

Sunday Snapshots: Learning To Make Seed Culture & Barm From The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Spicie Foodie | #baking

The first step was to create the barm, which meant mixing bread flour with water and seed culture. Of course I didn’t have a seed culture so I had to make it before creating the barm. Day 1 of seed culture involved mixing rye flour with pineapple juice. It needed to sit for 24 hours at room temperature.

Sunday Snapshots: Learning To Make Seed Culture & Barm From The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Spicie Foodie | #baking

Day 2 of the seed culture involved mixing with bread flour and pineapple juice with the dough from day 1. No rise was to have happened and today’s dough needed to ferment for another 24 hours. The aroma was a strong bitter pineapple-ish scent.

Sunday Snapshots: Learning To Make Seed Culture & Barm From The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Spicie Foodie | #baking

By day 3 my dough had risen a little bit. But not as much he states in the book, perhaps because my kitchen is quite cold. Regardless, half of the dough was discarded and mixed with more bread flour and water. Now the dough is much wetter, but again it needed to ferment for another 24 hours.

Sunday Snapshots: Learning To Make Seed Culture & Barm From The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Spicie Foodie | #baking

Day four the sponge needed to have doubled from yesterday, but mine did not. Again I think it might be because of the cold temperature in my kitchen. So I had to let it ferment for another 24 hours.

Sunday Snapshots: Learning To Make Seed Culture & Barm From The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Spicie Foodie | #baking

Day 5 is when my dough rose to the height it should have on day 4. Today again half of it was discarded and more bread flour and water was mixed into the remaining sponge. The mixture is quite wet, and it needed to sit until it doubled in size. Mine took nearly another 24 hours to double. But now it was seed culture and ready for making the barm.

Creating the Barm

Sunday Snapshots: Learning To Make Seed Culture & Barm From The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Spicie Foodie | #baking

Today for the barm it required mixing the seed culture with bread flour and water.

Sunday Snapshots: Learning To Make Seed Culture & Barm From The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Spicie Foodie | #baking

The results was a sticky gummy and very wet mixture. Today’s fermentation required 6 hours or until the barm was bubbly.

Sunday Snapshots: Learning To Make Seed Culture & Barm From The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Spicie Foodie | #baking

Mine required nearly 10 hours for it to become airy and bubbly. Then it was placed in the refrigerator to use the next day for baking our New York Deli Rye bread.

Well, here you have my 8 days of creating seed culture and barm. I have to say that I really enjoyed this process. It was like having a pet that I had to feed and check throughout the day. I’ll be back in a couple of days with the process of my very first sourdough bread. Can’t wait to share it!

Have a great Sunday everyone!

 

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Filed Under: Baked, Sunday Snapshots

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Comments

  1. Rosa says

    June 2, 2013 at 11:45

    I love sourdough breads and I can’t wait to see what you are going to bake with that starter!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 15:18

      I can’t wait to show it to you!

      Reply
  2. Monique says

    June 2, 2013 at 14:55

    It is exciting..I ahve done this..I am not sure of the SEED ?

    But I have made starters:)
    You will love the taste..
    Fun post:)

    Good luck ..I will be watching:)

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 15:30

      Hi Monique,
      I’m using the terminology from the book as I’m not yet familiar with the terms most people use. But I think it is called the starter.:) Thanks!

      Reply
  3. Vicki Bensinger says

    June 2, 2013 at 16:21

    This book has been on my list of books to purchase. I look forward to seeing the results you get from your starter.

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 15:30

      You should get yourself a copy Vicki, it’s great!

      Reply
    • Audrey says

      April 20, 2016 at 13:11

      I plan to purchase a copy, it’s been on my wish list. There is a helpful video on breadtopia.com for the pineapple juice starter, by the author for measurements before buying the book.

      Reply
  4. john@kitchenriffs says

    June 2, 2013 at 18:15

    Looking forward to seeing the bread! We bake all of our own bread these days using very small amounts of commercial yeast and long rise times (overnight at least; usually more like 24 hours). Haven’t yet tried the sourdough method but am intrigued by the possibilities. Great post – really informative. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 15:31

      Thank you John!

      Reply
  5. Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today says

    June 2, 2013 at 18:18

    Thank you for sharing this recipe. I like that you presented how to make everything straight from the beginning :)

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 15:31

      Thank you Marta!

      Reply
  6. Victoria of Flavors of the Sun says

    June 2, 2013 at 19:41

    What a fun process to see in progress. I haven’t made sourdough in years, but used to keep starter in a crock on my counter back when I made so much bread. Thanks for sharing this. Looking forward to seeing the actual bread!

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 15:47

      Thanks Victoria, I hope you make some again.:)

      Reply
  7. Angie@Angie's Recipes says

    June 2, 2013 at 19:46

    Cool that you too have started the wild yeast! Happy feeding!

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 15:47

      Thanks Angie!

      Reply
  8. yummychunklet says

    June 3, 2013 at 04:13

    Very helpful post!

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 15:47

      Thanks!

      Reply
  9. Betty says

    June 3, 2013 at 04:42

    I can’t wait to see the bread you make from this! I’ve never tried making my own starter. :)

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 15:47

      You should try it sometime Betty, if I can do it anyone can.:)

      Reply
  10. Suzanne Perazzini says

    June 3, 2013 at 11:15

    That’s amazing to watch it grow like that and what a great feeling of accomplishment.

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 15:48

      It is pretty cool, thanks Suzanne!:)

      Reply
  11. tania@mykitchenstories.com.au says

    June 3, 2013 at 12:55

    Great visuals Nancy and very interesting. You have to learn to play it by ear

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 15:48

      Thanks Tania!

      Reply
  12. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says

    June 3, 2013 at 17:50

    I’ve been baking sourdough bread this year but haven’t perfected my recipe yet… can’t wait to see how your bread turns out! :)

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 22:56

      It’s my first ever Laura. Can’t wait to share it with everyone:)

      Reply
  13. Georgy says

    June 3, 2013 at 17:53

    That is really interesting its wonderful to see the change and healthy great graphics!!!!

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 22:56

      Thank you Georgy!:)

      Reply
  14. Evelyne@cheapethniceatz says

    June 3, 2013 at 19:42

    Great job on doing your starter! It is fun home chemistry. Is it the kind you will keep a bit of and feed for other breads? I know people who name their starter lol.

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 22:57

      Thank you Evelyne! This is intended for many other breads, I have to decide what to bake next. Haha, that’s funny and I could see myself doing that.:)

      Reply
  15. Gourmet Getaways says

    June 3, 2013 at 23:02

    Oh I love it… everything good takes time, I can’t wait to see the loaf! I will have to pin the book onto my books I want board!

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 3, 2013 at 23:30

      Thank you Julie.:) I do hope you purchase the book, I think you’d love it!

      Reply
  16. Donalyn@The Creekside Cook says

    June 4, 2013 at 01:16

    Isn’t it fun to make sourdough, Nancy? I haven’t done it in years, but i agree it is very much like having a pet! I’m looking forward to seeing the bread next!

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 4, 2013 at 13:26

      It really is Donalyn! Thanks and I hope you make some sourdough soon too.

      Reply
  17. Yelena says

    June 4, 2013 at 04:40

    Nancy, I can not wait to see the bread! O my, what a long process. I love homemade bread, and the most time I was spending – 7 hours, but many days. You are my hero. Now I have to try something like it!! I just have to.

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 4, 2013 at 13:27

      That is how I normally make bread, maybe a couple hours work, but sourdough is so different. Thank you Yelena:)

      Reply
  18. Ramona says

    June 4, 2013 at 21:07

    Wow… what and amazing process. I have trouble just letting things sit for a few hours to marinate… you have some patience. :)

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 4, 2013 at 21:39

      Hehe, not always but I really wanted the bread to turned out good for my hubby.:) Thanks Ramona!

      Reply
  19. Nami | Just One Cookbook says

    June 4, 2013 at 22:44

    Bookmarked! I really want to do this, and I think you will be very addicted to make bread once you are in it! I feel like making dough is like raising a baby. This is going to be fun!

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 5, 2013 at 00:46

      Yes, it’s a really fun experiment and I’m sure you’d enjoy it. Thanks Nami!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Homemade New York Deli Onion Rye Bread | Spicie Foodie Healthy Recipes & Food Photography says:
    June 4, 2013 at 09:34

    […] Sunday’s post I shared the process of making, my first ever, seed culture and barm to use in this sourdough rye […]

    Reply

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