Lamblane

* 2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)
* 7-1/2 cups to 8 cups all-purpose Flour, unsifted
* 1 cup Mister Baker's San Francisco sourdough starter batter at room temperature
* 2 teaspoons plain or iodized salt
* 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Bread Baste or Wash Recipe: 1 teaspoon cornstarch brought to a boil with 1 cup water,

Then cooled to room temperature. See step #5.

Hot water for the oven as required. See step #4.

In a large mixing bowl, combine water, sourdough starter batter and 4 cups of the flour. Mix well and cover with clear plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place (85 degrees F) 8 to 12 hours.

Stir in salt, sugar and enough remaining flour (about 4 cups) to form a very stiff dough. Knead until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (2 to 2-1/2 hours).

Punch down and divide in half. Knead gently until smooth. Shape each half into loaf or round shape. Cover the sourdough bread loaves lightly; let them rise in a warm place until puffy and almost doubled in size (1 to 1-1/2 hours).

Carefully place a small pan on the shelf, below the oven baking rack, and fill it with hot water.

Place your sourdough bread loaves on the baking rack, close the oven door and bake in a preheated (400 degree F) oven for 10 minutes. Then brush your sourdough bread loaves with the baste mixture. Close the oven door and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes more until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.

Nothing can compare to the taste of a warm, fresh baked loaf of sourdough bread right from your own oven. The kitchen filled with the wonderful aromas of fresh baked bread. Hmmmm...!!!

Remove the loaves from the oven and place on a cooling rack until cooled down to room temperature. Now for the hardest part of all in this baking recipe. Allow your loaf to cool completely (about 2 hours) before cutting into it. A loaf of sourdough bread is not fully flavored until it is fully cool. Also, bread is much easier to slice when cool.

Now for the good stuff - the end, final chapter...! Slice up your sourdough bread, and butter it well with lots of fresh butter or try covering it with thin slices of your favorite cheese. Then sit back with a glass of your favorite beverage, along with some good friends, and enjoy the fruit of your baking labors. It will be some great times...! Enjoy the moment...!

http://www.yankeegrocery.com/sourdough_bread/recipe.html