An introduction to all natural bread baking with sourdough
| Date: | tba - spring 2022 |
| Time: | 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM |
| Level: | Beginner, min 4, max. 8 participants |
| Costs: | |
| Location: | Brot Bakehouse School and Kitchen, 38 Meade Rd., Fairfax, Vermont |
Join us for our popular introductory bread baking class where you will learn all about baking with sourdough culture.
In this class we cover the fundamentals of sourdough alchemy in bread making, incl. making your own culture, proper mixing, shaping and finally baking a simple yet delicious sourdough bread.
We will talk about the difference between naturally leavened bread vs. bread made with commercial yeast, proper flour and grain selection and most importantly how to start and maintain a live culture (sourdough) and keep it happy and alive in your home for many bakes to come.
Making completely natural bread with sourdough may look daunting - and yes, it will take some planning and knowledge, but it does not have to be complicated. You don't even need a mixer, it's all made by hand. All you need is a basic understanding of wild yeasts and microorganism and you can start your bread making adventure.
The class is designed as an introduction to sourdough baking techniques and you will get a ripe sourdough culture and recipes to take home, so you can start making bread right away in your home.
Even if you are a total beginner when it comes to bread baking - come curious and leave inspired by wild yeasts and their magic! The class finishes with a sensory bread tasting with different breads and local condiments and everybody will get to shape and bake their own bread.
What we will do:
- learn the basics of sourdough fermentation
- mix and shape a simple country bread together
- bake your bread in a wood fired oven
- have an extensive Q&A session and a sensory bread tasting at the end of the class
What we will not do:
- make so many different breads in one afternoon so you can't even keep track
- just give you the recipes without explaining the science behind it (yes, this is science!)
- doing the work for you (yes, it's a hands-on class!)
Instead you will learn more than you even knew there was to learn, including:
- How to look after your starter
- How to control the flavor of sourdough bread
- How to make a classic sourdough country loaf
- Which variables affect the fermentation?
- How to get an open crumb structure
- Understanding shaping & scoring techniques
- Nutrition & digestibility of sourdough bread
Come join us for a day of exploration and getting-your-hands-in-the-dough. You will surely walk away inspired to continue the sourdough adventure at home.
Please be aware of our class & cancellation policy:
- Full Payment is due upon registering for a class. We understand that there will be circumstances whereby you will need to cancel your course or change the date. Given one week or more notice we are happy to offer a full refund.
- If we need to postpone or cancel a class either a full refund will be given, or you can use your payment as a credit towards any future class.
- If you need to cancel last minute - one week or less of the class date - a full refund minus Eventbrite fees (6% of ticket price) will be offered if we can refill your booking. Otherwise no refund can be issued, but we can offer a class credit; valid for 3 years.
- If you need to cancel 24 hours before class no refund can be issued.
COVID-19 Pandemic Notes:
As we return to in-person classes this summer we will place the safety and well-being of all class attendees first. At this time we will have the following steps in place to ensure everyone can have a safe and pleasant experience baking with us.
To protect everyone’s health during the classes we ask all participants to be fully vaccinated by the time they take a class. If you are not vaccinated, please bring a negative COVID-19 test result from a test performed a maximum of 48 hours prior to the class.
In addition to having a maximum number of 8 participants the classes will partly be outside -weather permitting- and move into the well-ventilated bakery as needed. We will continue the social-distance protocols and if required ask students to wear a mask when indoors.
Please protect yourself, your family and our shared human community from becoming infected with the virus and stay home if you are feeling sick or have any symptoms of COVID-19. We count on your help and collaboration to be able to bring back our in-person classes this summer!
We will always follow the rules and guidelines of the Vermont Department of Health when holding our classes. This could mean travel restrictions for people arriving from out-of-state, or new quarantine requirements later in the year. We also reserve the right to cancel any class should it be deemed necessary. In this case, a full refund will be given.
We are super excited to welcome everyone back to the school and bakehouse this summer and hope that you feel comfortable & safe about coming to class with these measures in place.
Please contact us if you have any questions.