sourdough crock pot bachelor bread

I am new to the sourdough scene, having just gotten started in August, Pancakes, waffles, bread in the cob oven, nothing very unique. Except that I'm kinda lazy, so I have to be creative to stay ahead of the curve.

I got worn out making fires in the cob oven and cooking all day, and it is wood intensive. Also, the bread isn't warm and fresh the next day and being an epicurean gourmand, I like my bread steamy and fresh.

So I decided to see if the crock pot would give me that one a day satisfaction.

for the first loaf i simply oiled the crock and lightly dusted the sides with flour, and dropped in the dough, thinking it would rise enough before it cooked that it would get light and fluffy. It did rise a bit, but not enough to fulfil my sensual urges.

the second loaf I decided would be right. I ddint want this third times a charm BS, I wanted bread now.

So I made another loaf, and this time allowed the dough time to rise on its own without the prompting of the crockpot. And it did. And I was delighted,

I also, on the second try didnt actually put the crock in its normal heater thingy. Once the dough had risen I simply dropped it on the woodstove (on a trivet, covered with an insulating hot pad) , stoked the fire and went to bed.

the bread was perfect in the AM, as the picture indicates.

NO need to use loads of wood in the cob oven, fresh hot bread with breakfast, and a happy winter wren.

two 'draw backs'.

I injured myself in oct '09 and as a result of lower activity levels and my continued teen athlete diet choices, gained about 40#... Im now just back down to my normal 200#.

Drawback #1: ill be tempted to gain back the 40# this is so damn easy and good.

Drawback #2: its gonna be hard to eat most other bread Im offered, and people will think im being rude...

This is soooo good to know - you've inspired me!

I'm also on a sourdough journey, have my starter forming in a warm place as I type.

I've read that hot temps are important for a good rise, so this crock pot version has me intrigued. 
I can't wait to try it now.....

Thanks for posting all your pictures (worth a thousand words).

The dough likes to rise at about 80-90f. The first time round I figured that the time it took to heat the crock pot to low would give the bread time to rise, but it was too hot. So I just set the second batch on the mantle above the stove and let it rise like normal- actually about 3 hours, but it was fine. Then I set it on the stove/trivet overnight. perfection.

Thank YOU! it always make my day to inspire others.

In spiritus,

Deston

Well you've inspired me too 

With it being summer and too hot to run our wood stove and being too busy for baking out of doors this will be perfect for me. Thanks!

well Im twice honored then.

Bob, where do you spend your summer?

cheers,

Deston

Deston Lee wrote:
Bob, where do you spend your summer?

I'm in Tasmania, Australia. Certainly not super hot here but running a wood stove at this time of year adds a bit and I prefer the cool.

The other side of the big blue marble!

wonderful, this internets thingy`

I just roused a giant raisin cinamon roll in the crock pot and learned a thing or two.

the first time on the oven, quite by mistake, i  loaf while cooking and must have inadvertently turned it 180 degrees- it was perfect. second time around it was over cooked undercooked- clearly in relation to stovepipe. so I must turn my loaf on the stove, apparently.

A rocket stove with insulator blankets or a Hot box cooker might be more evenly heated, though an HBC will need a long time and the crock will have to be HOT HOT HOT before going in.

cheers!`

I'm not following you Deston  

You made a loaf and put it on the (wood) stove top to raise (at 180F) - how to you set a stove top temp to exactly 180F?
And then your saying you must consider hot spots when (raising? or cooking?) such as that created by your stove pipe.

Can you give a bit more info?

not turned it TO 180 degrees- ( I typically write 'f' to indicate farenheit, c for celcius- and when I say degrees, I mean as in degrees of a circle-

turned it 180 degrees menaing that I spun it half way around.

I did not raise it on the stove, I have a mantle for that- its @80-85 optimally, but I cant set it either so just I pay attention 

I did cook on stovetop- and thats when I noticed the hot spots- in short what IM saying is that after about 1.5 hours on my particular stove, when set on low (damper and flu in low flow positions), I must roptate the crock 1/2 a turn and let alone for another 1-1.5 hours.

the raison cinnamon bun is  ridiculously delicious! rediculicious!

I follow now.... thanks for explaining.

Your killing me with that yummy description - wish I have some now!