Around here - Sourdough Workshop

It has been devastating recently watching all the fires in Qld and NSW and they never seem to end.  We actually had one in our suburb that took over 2 hours to get under control last week.  I praise all the firemen and volunteers spending days and nights trying to protect properties for families and keep people safe.  Without rain I think these fires will continue to happen and then sadly if we do get rain it all comes at once and everything floods.   I remember last time 75% of Queensland was under flood and we have a big big State.  Mother Nature sure has a mind of her own at times.

Yesterday my friend Karin and I did our Sourdough Workshop class from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm and it was wonderful.  There were 7 of us in the class which was held in the couple's home kitchen. They are German and he has been baking since he was a teenager and loves making organic home made breads.

The first part of the class we all made our own starter using part of their 7 year old starter and then it was onto making the breads.  We made two loaves first, a Paderborner Country Bread and then a Country Bread with Sunflower & Pumpkin Seeds which were then left to rise.  Next was the Rye Wheat Bread and Authentic German Bread Rolls.  The little bread rolls needed shaping with two methods so that was interesting.  The first shape was round and then we left them for another rise and then they were shaped a bit like a dumpling, and then another rise before going into the oven to be cooked.  

While one lot of bread was rising we started on the next and when that went into the oven the next one was rising.  It was busy day and so enjoyable.  We all got to have a go kneading the dough and shaping the bread rolls and I got to weigh and mix one of the breads as well.  It was so nice having the day out learning something new.  I'm not knew to bread making however sourdough starter and sourdough bread is something I wanted to learn properly.

It was a great day and we are so happy we booked in and had a whole day baking and meeting new people.  Here's a few photos from our day.

My new starter which I will have to think of a name for.

Weighing out the bread flour.

Wearing my beautiful dress that Karin made me for my birthday...so clever.

The Paderborner Country Bread & Country Bread with Sunflower & Pumpkin Seeds being sprayed with some water ready for the oven.

Fresh from the oven the Paderborner Country Bread & Country Bread with Sunflower & Pumpkin Seeds

The Rye/Wheat Bread straight from the oven.

The German bread rolls on their second rise.

The German bread rolls straight from the oven...which were so nice.  These were sprayed with water and a mixture of half rye flour and half corn flour shifted over the top before they went into the oven.