Baking A Sorghum Loaf Using A Sourdough Starter

I bought some Sorghum Meal to make Maltabella with. This is an old childhood favorite of mine. However, making the porridge made me wonder how this tasty flour would work if I turned it into a bread. I simply had to try it. I am delighted to report that this is one of the tastiest loafs I have ever baked, considering I did not add any extra flavours or herbs. You simply have to try this to believe how filled with flavour it is.

Measure 2 cups (500 ml) maltabelle/sorghum meal in a large bowl. Add 4 cups (4 x 250 ml) cake flour. I don't use bread flour in this recipe as the sorghum is already a heavy flour and I need to get the bread slightly lighter.

Add a tablespoon (12,5 ml) salt and 2 tablespoons (25 ml) sugar.

Mix the dry ingredients well.
Option 1: If you wish to speed up the process or eliminate using the sourdough starter, you can add a packet of Instant Dry Yeast to the dry ingredients.

Add a cup (250 ml) lukewarm milk, 4 tablespoons (50 ml) cooking oil and an egg to the dry ingredients.
Option 2: If you wish to speed up the process or eliminate using the sourdough starter, you can add a packet of Active Dry Yeast to the milk. Allow about 10 minutes for it to froth up.

Add 2 cups (500 ml) sourdough starter.

Bring the dough together.

If the dough is too dry, you may need to add some water. I needed only about a tablespoon (12,5 ml) in mine. It depends very much on the consistency of your sourdough starter whether you will need to add more liquids, or not.

Knead the dough for about 10 minutes to turn it into an elastic ball of dough.

Divide the dough in two.

Shape the dough into oblongs.

Prepare two small bread tins with non-stick coating and lightly flour the bottoms of the tins.

Place the dough in the tins.

Cover with plastic and allow to rise in a warm dry place for a couple of hours.

Once risen, bake the bread in a preheated oven at 200 °C for about 40 minutes.

Pour some milk in a small bowl to brush on the loaves as soon as they come out of the oven.

The baked bread has risen a little more in the oven.

Brush with milk.

Turn out on a wire rack to cool.

If you want a softer crust, you can cover the hot loaves with a damp cloth. The steam will soften the crust.

Serve with any of your normal condiments.

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