precious time

A hallmark of artisan bakers is their use of natural sourdough. It makes bread tasty and wholesome, and requires sufficient time to mature. Natural sourdough is also a symbol of the renaissance of the artisan baking trade. In fact, people don’t really need to do much to help produce this dough. If you mix equal parts flour and water to form a dough and leave it to stand at room temperature, billions of microorganisms and yeast automatically spring into action. They are present in the water, the flour, the air and in the bakery itself. They set off a fermentation process which, particularly for rye dough, is essential for it to become a wholesome, delicious product that rises beautifully in the oven.

Bakers are the expert initiators and guides of this fermentation process: their challenge lies in what is known as dough fermentation. Dough fermentation refers to the preparation of dough across one or more production stages, during which the temperature of the dough and the bakery must be monitored and regulated. For most of the time during the dough fermentation process, the dough rests undisturbed in its trough. Yet this stillness is only superficial. Inside, the dough is rumbling away as it ferments. The gases released during this process cause a steady, very gentle bubbling.

During fermentation, two acids, amongst other by-products, are produced in the dough. One is lactic acid, which gives the bread a mildly sour flavour, and the other is acetic acid, which breaks down the long-chain protein molecules, such as gluten, in the dough. They make the dough lighter and improve its digestibility, aroma, flavour and shelf life. This process is therefore also referred to as the acidification of the dough.

Bakers in ancient Egypt were already working with natural sourdough, and of course the artisan bakers in the Quellenviertel do the same. In every bakery, there is a vat containing natural sourdough as a ‘living’ dough stock, known as the starter. Every day, the bakers work with a freshly prepared dough. To start the dough-making process, flour, water and salt (and other bread spices) are mixed in a new mixing bowl. Added to this, as a key baking ingredient, is a portion of the ‘live’, already fermented starter. This activates the natural fermentation process in the freshly prepared dough.

Speaking on behalf of the bakers, Rudolf Stranzinger from the Stranzinger Organic Bakery explains how the three-stage natural sourdough process works. As the final task of their night shift, the bakers prepare the natural sourdough in the morning for the following night. To do this, a starter dough is prepared in a proving tub and ‘fed’ for the first time – ‘That’s what we bakers call it when we add flour and water to a fermenting dough, essentially as fresh nourishment for the fermentation process,’ explains Rudolf Stranzinger: “The right temperature is crucial here. That’s how we control the development of flavours and keep the dough active.” The second feeding of the dough takes place later in the afternoon. At the start of the night shift, around midnight, it is ‘fed’ a third time.

The dough then rests for about another hour before it is kneaded and ‘worked through’ by hand. During this phase, the bakers portion the dough to suit the size of the loaf. The dough is ‘kneaded together’ to form the bread and shaped. This can be done in a flat baking tin or, for round loaves, in a ‘Simperl’, a floured basket. The unbaked dough is then left for a further half an hour to mature and develop its acidity. Only then are the loaves placed in the oven.

Like any bread, rolls, poppy seed rolls and other small baked goods are the result of artisanal skill and professional experience. Anyone who consciously compares the difference in taste and mouthfeel between machine-made and hand-made rolls will know exactly what we’re talking about. Artisan bakers such as Stefan Kraxenberger from the Kraxenberger Bakery can conjure up a round, plump roll from a flat, round piece of dough in just a few deft movements. To do this, they press a groove into the dough with the back of their hand, over which the dough is then folded four more times. The final tip of the dough is then inserted, point first, into the central hole of the roll. ‘Folding the roll’ is the name given to these steps, which are among the first skills young baker’s apprentices learn. After 15 minutes in the oven, the bread rises beautifully; the crumb becomes soft and fluffy, whilst the crust delights with its toasty baked aromas.

To make a Salzstangerl, an oval piece of dough is rolled up. For a Salzweckerl, the dough is folded in several times using both thumbs from the left and right, and finally, a small ridge is pinched by hand across the back of the dough piece. It is along this ridge that the dough cracks in the oven, creating the typical crust of a ‘Weckerl’. For the ‘Mohnflesserl’, on the other hand, the dough is plaited – depending on preference, using either a single strand or two strands, which are plaited together like a braid. For some sweet pastries, three or more strands of dough are also plaited together to form the final product. “Pastries are very important to us. We spend four to four and a half hours a day on them – that’s more time than we spend on our bread,” explains Stefan Kraxenberger. “We know from our customers that they appreciate the added flavour that comes from the handcrafted work in the bakery.” The bakers in the Quellenviertel pass on their knowledge and practical skills to their staff and their own children, who are already working in the business. In this way, the baking tradition remains alive and the quality of bread-making is maintained. On closer inspection, this transfer of know-how is quite comparable to ‘feeding’ dough.