Read the original post "Einkorn Paska Easter Bread Recipe (Kulich)" on A Modern Homestead. Kulich (also known as Paska) is a classic Easter Bread. A tradition shared by Russian and Ukrainian people, this recipe came to me from an Orthodox Christian Nun and has been converted for use with einkorn flour! Kulich is also known as Paska – though Paska (or Pashka) can also refer to a sweet cheese... Read More The post "Einkorn Paska Easter Bread Recipe (Kulich)" appeared first on A Modern Homestead.

Let’s made delicious, nutritious homemade bread! My easy no-knead sourdough bread recipe is perfect for beginners or experienced bakers alike. It has a beautiful crisp crust and soft, chewy center. I love to combine white bread flour with whole wheat and touch of rye to create a well-balanced, gut-healthy loaf. This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process to make artisan-stye sourdough at home, with plenty of photos and tips along the way. I’ve also included a video tutorial at the end. Once you get comfortable with the basic recipe and process, the options to get creative are endless! Then you can experiment with different flour ratios or fun additions like herbs, cheese, nuts, fruit, and more. NOTE: This recipe was originally published in February 2019 but has been updated to include new photos and tips I’ve learned over the years. Sourdough Made Easy If you’re new to sourdough, please don’t be intimidated! I’ve been baking sourdough for nearly 10 years now, and have helped thousands of beginner’s successfully learn how to make sourdough too. My goal is to make it as easy, fun, and approachable as possible. I don’t want to confuse you with complex bakers terminology, hydration ratios, or other jargon. Instead, I’ll help explain the basic process and vocabulary so you can get comfortable with it. For me, perfection isn’t the goal. Life is busy, my timing and schedule gets off at times, and some loaves turn out less tall or fluffy than others. But they’re all delicious and nutritious, and that’s what matters most! Benefits of Making Sourdough at Home It’s super fresh and delicious. Few things beat a slice of just-baked, chewy, crusty homemade sourdough. You have full control over the ingredients in your bread – such as using certified organic flour, whole wheat, or tasty sourdough inclusions like herbs, nuts, olives or cheese. It’s fun and rewarding! Once you get your groove, the recipes and opportunities to be creative are endless. Making your own bread is more cost effective, and reduces waste and packaging associated with buying store-bought bread. Homemade sourdough is naturally fermented, which makes it more nutrient-dense and easier to digest than commercial yeast breads. It also reduces the gluten content – so much so that many folks with gluten sensitivities (not allergies) can tolerate sourdough much better than other bread, myself included! A fun loaf we made with walnuts and shredded purple carrots from the garden. It wasn’t as tall as some (thanks to the extra moisture from the carrots) but was gorgeous and delicious! Temperature Tips Sourdough is happiest in warm conditions; around 70 to 80°F is ideal. In this range, both your sourdough starter and dough will readily get active, ferment, and rise the best. Try not to overheat it though! Temperatures over 85°F can quickly lead to over-proofing. If your home is on the cool side, do your best to find a warm spot for your sourdough. Some bakers put theirs inside the oven with the light on (but oven OFF) to create warmth, though that can easily lead to accidents… (I’ve heard many horror stories about baked starter and melted bowls!) Instead, I like to use this handy warming plate for both our starter and bowl of proofing dough, or use a seedling heat mat if you have one. I’ve also found that using warm water in the starter and dough will help boost activity. To help assess temperature, you can use a food probe thermometer to check the dough or use an ambient thermometer nearby. This warming plate can help warm your starter or a bowl of dough Supplies Needed large mixing bowl and/or dough tub kitchen scale liquid measuring cup dough scraper proofing basket aka banneton, which helps the loaf keep its shape while rising. Choose between a round “boule” shape or an oval “batard” shape. lint-free tea towel or other bowl cover Dutch oven or cast iron combo cooker. We love our Lodge combo cooker! It’s best to bake sourdough bread inside an enclosed container to trap in steam, which helps the bread rise and get a nice blistered, crisp, chewy crust. parchment paper or reusable silicone bread mat with handles high-heat oven mitts optional: probe thermometer or an ambient room thermometer RELATED: Pop over to this list of my favorite useful sourdough baking supplies for more details, tools, and information. Ingredients This recipe makes 1 average size loaf of sourdough bread, though you can double it and split the dough into two loaves after bulk ferment. Active sourdough starter – 100 grams. If you need one, learn how to make sourdough starter from scratch here. Or pick up an easy, foolproof organic sourdough starter from our shop! Flour – 470 grams total. I like to use a combination of 310 grams of bread flour, 140 grams of whole wheat, and 20 grams of rye flour – but you can use all bread flour or experiment with different ratios as long as it adds up to 470 (though the more whole wheat you add, the more dense the loaf often becomes). EDIT: This recipe used to call for 455 grams of flour. We recently started using a tad more, but feel free to use the old recipe if you prefer higher hydration! Salt – 10 grams. Sea salt, kosher salt, or Himalayan salt is preferred over iodized table salt. Filtered water – 350 grams (about 1.5 cups) *If you live in a very humid climate like Florida or Hawaii, use slightly less water. Start with 1.25 cups and add more if needed.  Example Baking Schedule Before we get into the step-by-step, keep in mind that making sourdough bread is generally a two-day process. Don’t worry, the dough is just sitting there proofing or in the refrigerator most of that time! Your active time is only a couple of hours. Here is my usual baking routine, assuming I want to bake a loaf of bread on Sunday morning: I take the starter out of the refrigerator on Friday evening and let it come to room temperature overnight. (If it hasn’t been fed in several weeks, I’ll feed it once Friday night as an initial “wake up” feeding too.) Feed the starter on Saturday morning, allowing it to come to peak activity (usually 5-6 hours) Make dough on Saturday afternoon or evening Let it sit for 4 to 5 hours at room temperature to bulk ferment, doing a few rounds of “stretch and folds” during the first 2 hours. Pre-shape the dough, transfer into a banneton, and put in the refrigerator to cold-proof overnight. Finally, I bake on Sunday morning Don’t worry, this will all make sense once you do it a couple times! I hope this chart helps too. Instructions 1) Feed Sourdough Starter Feed your sourdough starter about 4 to 8 hours before making dough. Leave it at room temperature (70 to 80°F is ideal) to rise and reach peak activity before mixing it into your bread recipe. To feed our starter, I typically mix 1/2 cup starter, 1/2 cup lukewarm water, and 1 scant cup flour – which is equal to a 1:1:1 ratio by weight. Peak activity is when the starter has at least doubled in size and is no longer rising, but before it starts to fall back down. Don’t rush it! It’s best to use starter once it has reached full peak activity or even just after (when it starts to fall back down, but hasn’t fully deflated yet) instead of mixing it into your dough too early. Note that it can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours for a starter to fully rise and reach peak activity. The exact time depends on numerous factors including the age and strength of your starter, when it was last fed, ambient temperature, and how you store it. Warmer temperatures increase activity, and cooler temperatures slow it.  A slow, sluggish starter that hasn’t been fed recently (e.g. after several weeks or more in the fridge) will benefit from being fed twice before baking with it – such as the day before. To do so, let it warm to room temperature, feed it, and then let it fully rise and begin to fall again before discarding and feeding it a second time. RELATED: If any of this sounds foreign to you, please pop over to our guide on how to feed sourdough starter to learn more. The starter has more than doubled in size and is no longer rising = peak activity PRO TIP: If your starter has peaked but you aren’t quite ready to use it yet (life happens!), I’ve found that you can simply put it in the refrigerator at peak to halt activity, and then pull it back out when you want to use it (within 12 hours). It’s best to use the same day, but this adds some nice flexibility in your baking schedule! 2) Make Autolyse (Flour and Water) An “autolyse” is the term for a combination of flour and water only, which is mixed together to sit for about an hour before adding the salt and sourdough starter. During this time, the flour becomes hydrated and activates enzymes that jump start the fermentation process and gluten development. When your starter looks like it’s nearing peak activity (about 1 hour before), use a kitchen scale weigh out 470 grams of flour and 350 grams of warm filtered water. Don’t forget to tare or account for the bowl weight! Add the flour and MOST of the water to a mixing bowl. Pour in about 300-325 grams or 80-90% of the total water at this stage, reserving a small amount of water in the measuring cup to add later. Mix until it forms a loose, shaggy dough. Yes, it will be pretty dry and sticky at this stage! I usually start mixing with a utensil but finish mixing with clean wet hands, and then use a dough scraper to clean up the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp lint-free towel, beeswax wrap, dinner plate, shower cap, or other bowl cover to prevent the dough from drying out. If you are using a dough tub, set the lid loosely on top. Now let the autolyse mixture sit for an hour at about 75°F. PRO TIP: I weighed our water and found 350 grams is almost exactly 1.5 cups (in our measuring cup at least, double-check yours) so now I don’t have to weigh it every time. If you live in a humid climate, start with slightly less water (1.25 cups) and add more later with the starter if the dough seems too dry. 3) Add Starter and Salt Once your starter has reached peak activity and the the autolyse (flour/water combo) has sat for about an hour, it’s time to combine them! Weigh and add 100 grams of active sourdough starter, 10 grams salt, and the remaining 25-50 grams of water into your autolyse now. Use clean, wet hands to thoroughly mix the dough. It should feel much more wet and sloppy than it did during the autolyse stage. I use the “slap and fold” technique to tighten up the dough – explained in the next step. PRO TIP: Remember, never use ALL of your starter! Always leave at least a 1/4 to 1/2 cup behind to continue to feed and use in the future. Once I take what we need for a recipe, I usually put our starter back in the fridge without feeding it. 4) Slap and Fold Now the fun really starts! The “slap and fold” is a technique used to help tighten up loose dough, introduce air, and jump start gluten development for the bread. Do this right after you mix the starter and salt into the dough: Pick up the loose dough ball. I find this is easiest to do with wet hands, which reduces sticking. Working on a clean surface, flop or “slap” the dough down onto the counter, fold it over itself, pick it up, flop it down again, fold, and repeat. See the video demonstration below. Repeat the process until the dough ball is more smooth, tight, and formed – but stop once it starts to get extra sticky on the counter. If needed, use a dough scraper to ease it back into your bowl. Here’s a quick video of me doing the slap and fold technique: 5) Bulk Ferment (Stretch and Fold) Now it’s time to let the dough sit at room temperature for several hours, known as “bulk fermentation”. This is when your starter will start to naturally ferment the flour and dough, creating air bubbles and rise! During this time, you’ll also do a few rounds of stretch and folds, explained more in the section to follow. Leave the dough in a bowl at room temperature (warm location is best) to bulk ferment for approximately 4 hours. I sometimes let my dough ferment for up to 4.5-5 hours when the house is extra cold. Cover the bowl again with a damp towel, loose-fitting lid, or other breathable cover. During the first 2 hours of bulk ferment, perform 3 to 4 sets of stretch and folds spaced 30 minutes apart. See more detailed instructions and photos below. If you’d like to add any optional inclusions like herbs, spices, grated cheese, nuts/seeds, etc, I usually do so during the first set of stretch and folds. Additions can change the texture of your dough (especially if they’re wet) so I suggest to use them sparingly until you gain more experience working with sourdough. How to Stretch and Fold “Stretch and fold” is a sourdough technique used to introduce air, increase dough elasticity, and develop or strengthen gluten structure – which in turn improves the bread’s final shape, rise, and crumb (and replaces traditional kneading). Grasp the dough from one side, and gently pull or stretch it upwards until you meet resistance. Now lay it back down over itself, essentially folding it in half. (Again, I like to do this with wet hands.) Next, turn the bowl 90 degrees or one quarter (so you can grab the dough from a different angle) and repeat the same process – gently pulling up on the dough and folding it half. Continue the process of stretching, folding, and turning until you’ve made your way all the way around the bowl – back to the starting position. This is considered one set of stretch and folds. The dough will be noticeably looser during the first stretch and get more taught and during the subsequent ones. Don’t force it or rip the dough! If you stretch past the point of resistance, it will tear (and maybe ruin) some of the developed gluten strands that contribute to the bread’s structure and rise! Repeat this process to complete 2 or 3 more sets of stretch and folds, about half an hour apart. Then cover the bowl again, and let the dough rest undisturbed for the remainder of bulk fermentation – about 2 hours after the last stretch and fold. The dough should be more loose, jiggly and have some air bubbles by then. 7) Shape the Loaf After bulk fermentation, it’s time to form your dough into the shape of a loaf. If you doubled the recipe, separate the dough into two even sections first, and then proceed to form each loaf individually. Place or gently dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. It’s probably quite loose at this point. To form a round (boule) loaf, I grab the sides of the dough from opposite ends, gently pull, fold, and pinch it together in the center as shown in the photos below. This is called “stitching” the dough. Rotate the dough and repeat the process from opposite sides a few times, working the dough into a round shape. For oval (batard) loaves, do a similar process but form the loaf into a longer shape, similar to folding and rolling it up like a burrito (and pinch the ends). Next, flip the dough ball over so it’s sitting on its pinched or seam side. Using your hands and/or dough scraper, pull and turn the dough ball towards you while pressing downwards slightly to create surface tension. Do this several times, turning the dough as you go. Finally, transfer the formed dough ball into a lightly floured banneton (proofing basket). I’ve found that dusting the banneton with rice flour is the best to prevent sticking! Most sourdough experts suggest placing the dough ball seam side up in the banneton, though we’ve placed it seam side down without issue for years too. Here is a video of someone forming sourdough loaves several different ways. There are many different methods and styles! Bench Rest (Optional) After pre-shaping the loaf, some bakers like to let the dough sit undisturbed to relax on the counter for about 10 to 20 minutes, referred to as “bench rest”. (I only do this when I have time to spare.) Then repeat the process of shaping and stitching the dough a final time before placing it in the banneton. Pulling, folding, pinching, and forming the loaf. Let it rest pinched side for 10 minutes, then repeat the process. 8) Cold Proof Cold proofing is the final stage where the shaped dough is placed in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours to slowly ferment and rise. Cold proofing helps to enhance bread flavor and shape, improve digestibility, and create a beautiful blistered crust. It’s also easier to score dough when it’s more firm and cold, and adds nice flexibility to your baking schedule. Once you tuck your formed loaf into its banneton, cover the banneton with a damp tea towel, beeswax wrap, or other cover to help prevent the dough from drying out. Place your dough and banneton in the refrigerator overnight. Cold proofing time isn’t exact. Our dough generally stays in the fridge for about 10 to 14 hours, though some bakers let theirs sit for 24, 48, or even 72 hours! The longer the dough slowly ferments, the more tangy, complex, and sour it will taste. If you’re in a rush, I suggest cold proofing for at least 5 to 6 hours. An herbed walnut loaf that has risen nicely after a cold proof in the fridge overnight 9) Preheat Dutch Oven It’s the next morning, your dough has proofed overnight… it’s finally time to bake! Preheat the oven to 475°F for an hour before baking. Place your cast iron comber cooker or Dutch oven inside the oven while it’s preheating for the entire hour! Preheating your baking vessel helps the bread begin to bake as soon as it hits the pan (instead of having time to spread out), leading to a better rise and “oven spring”. Leave your dough in the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Sometimes I even pop my dough in the freezer for about 15 minutes before baking, making it even easier to score. How to Bake Sourdough Bread without a Dutch Oven If you don’t have a Dutch oven or combo cooker, you can bake sourdough bread on a regular baking pan or pizza stone – referred to as an “open bake”. Yet to create valuable steam, I highly recommend adding a separate heavy-duty baking pan (e.g. broiler pan or cast iron skillet) with water in the bottom of your oven while the bread bakes. To do so, it’s best to pre-heat the pan inside the oven, and then add either boiling water OR ice to the hot pan at the same time the bread goes in. This releases a burst of steam that helps mimic the enclosed environment of a Dutch oven, and will help achieve a better rise and crust. 10) Score the Dough Once the oven is fully pre-heated, take your dough out of the refrigerator. Scoring is much easier when the dough is cold, so have your supplies ready and work quickly! To get the dough out of the proofing basket, place a piece of parchment paper (cut just larger than the basket) and a cutting board on top. Holding it all together, quickly flip the banneton and cutting board upside down. The dough should now be sitting on top of the cutting board and parchment paper. Gently lift the basket away. Though not required, I usually use a small stainless steel sifter to lightly dust the top of the dough with flour, and then rub it smooth with my hand. Next, use a bread lame (razor blade) to score the bread. Most bakers add one long deep score across the top of the bread, which helps control the direction of expansion and create a nice lip or “ear” on the bread crust. Try to score at a 45 degree angle, and about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. You can also use your bread lame to make smaller, shallow cuts to create pretty designs. I usually like to score little leaves or wheat stalks into mine, but you can make all sorts of creative patterns, flowers, words, and more! 11) Bake After scoring, try to get the dough into the oven as quickly as possible so it doesn’t have time to spread! Use the parchment paper (or bread mat with handles) to carefully transfer the dough into your pre-heated (hot) Dutch oven/combo cooker. I like to poise my cutting board near the edge of the pan and then carefully slide the whole thing into the combo cooker. Add the lid to your baking vessel and put it in the oven. Bake covered for 35 to 37 minutes on 475°F, and then carefully remove the lid and bake uncovered for a final 5 to 10 minutes. (I’ve found that 37 minutes covered and 5 to 6 minutes uncovered works best in our current oven – you’ll learn what works best for yours!) Once it’s finished baking, immediately transfer the loaf on to a cooling rack. Wait at least 2 to 3 hours for the bread to fully cool before cutting into it! I know it’s hard, but it’s worth the wait! Cutting fresh sourdough bread while it’s still hot will release precious moisture (steam), make the texture more gummy, and make your bread dry out faster. PRO TIP: To prevent burning the bottom of the loaf, I like to place an empty baking sheet on the empty oven rack or shelf below the bread pan. It absorbs and blocks extra heat from the bottom of the bread. Carefully ease the loaf into the hot combo cooker or dutch oven. I set the cutting board on the edge, and pull the parchment paper to slide it all in. The finished loaf. Move it to a cooling rack ASAP! NOTE: In my video tutorial (below), I mention baking for 30 minutes covered and 15 uncovered. However, we started to find that our loaf was browning too much on top so we adjusted the timing. Experiment and see what works best for your oven, as long as you get about 45 minutes of baking time total. Enjoy! Now it’s time to cut into your loaf and enjoy all that hard work! Get ready for the best bread of your life. How does the inside of your bread look? The pattern, structure, and holes inside the loaf of bread is referred to as the “crumb”. Some bakers pride themselves on a very airy, open crumb structure. Personally, I don’t think that bigger holes means better bread though! Big holes makes it much harder to hold avocado, hummus, peanut butter, jam or other goodies. I especially love to eat our homemade sourdough bread with butter and fresh eggs from our backyard chickens, homegrown apricot jam, avocado and garden tomatoes, dipped in homemade soup, and more. This looks like a pretty ideal crumb, IMHO! Tall and airy, but not full of huge holes. Storage and Shelf Life I’ve found the best way to store homemade sourdough bread is to wrap the loaf in a clean tea towel and then place that inside a brown paper bag. In a paper bag alone, the bread dries out quickly. In a sealed container or plastic bag, it tends to get soft, stale, and mold faster in my experience. Fresh sourdough bread is best consumed within 3 to 4 days, though it can stay good for up to week. Since it doesn’t have any preservatives (yay!) homemade bread will inevitably get a bit stale after a few days. Simply toast it to get crisp and delicious again! Can you freeze homemade sourdough? Yes! You can pre-slice and freeze your sourdough in an airtight freezer container, where it will stay good for several months. Adding a piece of parchment or wax paper between the slices makes it extra easy to pull out just a slice or two as needed. Toast to defrost and enjoy! And that’s how to make a basic loaf of sourdough bread. I realize this may not sound so simple at first… I was fairly confused and overwhelmed when we first started making sourdough years ago too. But just get in there, have fun, and give it your best shot! You’ll get the hang of it. And remember, perfection is not the goal. Here is an older video tutorial that shows you everything we just went over: Check out our YouTube channel for more videos by clicking here! I hope you found this helpful. If so, please leave a review below! And as always, feel free to ask questions. Don’t miss these related recipes: Easy Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe (Optional Cheese or Herbs) Simple Sourdough Focaccia Bread Recipe Healthy Sourdough Spiced Pumpkin Bread (or muffins) Easy Sourdough Pancakes Recipe (Discard or Active Starter) Delicious Sourdough Zucchini Bread (or muffins) Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies: Cinnamon Spiced & Salted Sourdough Ginger Molasses Cookies (Soft and Chewy) Print Easy No-Knead Sourdough Bread (Beginner Friendly) Let's make delicious, nutritious homemade sourdough! My easy no-knead sourdough bread recipe is perfect for beginners or experienced bakers alike. It has a crisp crust and soft, chewy center. All you need is 4 ingredients and a little time! Prep Time 20 minutes minutesCook Time 45 minutes minutesFerment & Proofing Time 16 hours hours Servings 1 loaf of bread EquipmentLarge mixing bowlLined banneton bread basket, for shaping and proofing doughKitchen scaleCast iron combo cooker or dutch ovenBread lame for scoring (optional) Ingredients100 grams active sourdough starter470 grams total flour. We use 310 grams of white bread flour, 140 grams of whole wheat, and 20 grams of rye flour – though you can use all bread flour or experiment with different ratios (though the more whole wheat you use, the more dense the loaf may become) EDIT: This recipe used to call for 455 grams of flour. We recently started using a tad more, but feel free to use the old recipe if you liked it better!350 grams filtered water (about 1.5 cups) – in very humid climates, start with 1.25 cups of water and add more as needed10 grams salt – sea salt, kosher salt, or Himalayan salt is preferred over iodized table salt InstructionsPrep – Feed StarterBefore making the dough, feed your sourdough starter (perhaps twice) and allow it to reach peak activity level.Peak activity is when the starter has at least doubled in size and is no longer rising, but before it starts to fall back down. This can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours, depending on the strength, activity and temperature of your starter.Make DoughWhen your starter is close to peak, make an autolyse: combine the flour and almost all of the water (reserve about 10-20% of the water for later) in a bowl with wet hands until thoroughly mixed. It will be a loose, sticky, shaggy dough at this stage. Do not add the salt or starter yet. Let it sit covered at room temperature (70-75 degrees is optimal) for about an hour.After an hour, add the active sourdough starter, salt, and remaining water until thoroughly combined. Mix with wet clean hands. Recommended: Lift the dough ball (which may be quite loose) out of bowl and on a clean counter use the “slap and fold” technique to tighten the dough.Bulk Ferment, Stretch and FoldsAfter mixing, let the dough sit for about 4 hours at room temperature in "bulk fermentation". Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel, plate, beeswax wrap, or similar. During this time you will do 3 to 4 sets of "stretch and folds", spaced about 30 minutes apart. After 30 minutes, do the first stretch and fold – gently lifting up on one side of the dough and folding it back over itself. Give the bowl a quarter turn and continue to stretch and fold the dough until it is taught and resists pulling. Avoid tearing the dough. Use wet hands to prevent sticking. Cover the bowl again, and let sit.Repeat the stretch and fold process every 30 minutes for a total of 3 or 4 rounds, then let the dough sit undisturbed (covered) for the last 2 hours of bulk ferment. Shaping the LoafAfter bulk ferment, set or gently dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pre-shape (fold and pinch) the loaf into a similar shape as your banneton, round or oval. *See shaping tips in Note 2 below. Next, flip the dough ball over so it’s sitting on its pinched or seam side. Using your hands and/or dough scraper, pull and turn the dough ball towards you while pressing downwards slightly to create surface tension. Do this several times, turning the dough as you go.  Place the dough seam-side up in banneton proofing basket that has been lightly dusted with flour (rice flour is ideal to prevent sticking). Bench Rest (optional)After pre-shaping the loaf, some bakers like to let the dough sit undisturbed to relax on the counter for about 10 to 20 minutes. (I only do this when I have time to spare.) After the rest, repeat the process of shaping and stitching the dough a final time before placing it in the banneton.Cold ProofCover the banneton with a damp towel (or other cover) and place it in the refrigerator to cold proof for 8 to 24 hours. We usually do this overnight for about 10-14 hours. Preheat and ScoreAfter cold-proofing in the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 475 F. Also place your dutch oven or combo cooker in the oven to preheat for one hour. Keep the dough in the refrigerator.Once the oven has preheated for an hour, it's time to quickly get the bread into the oven. To get the dough out of the banneton, place a piece of parchment paper and cutting board on top, and then flip it all over. Carefully lift the banneton away from the dough. Lightly dust the dough with flour (optional) and use a bread lame to score the cold dough. We usually do 1 deep score across the top of the bread to direct expansion (at a 45 degree angle) along with more shallow decorative scoring. Use the parchment paper or reusable silicone bread mat to quickly and carefully transfer the cold dough into the hot (pre-heated) combo cooker or Dutch oven. Bake and CoolBake the loaf covered for 35 to 37 minutes, and then remove the lid and bake uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes. (See Note 3 below for tips to prevent the bottom from burning)Once done, immediately transfer finished sourdough loaf onto a wire cooling rack. Let the bread cool at room temperature for several hours before cutting. Cutting it while it's hot will release valuable steam/moisture, make the texture more gummy, and make the bread dry out faster!Storage and Shelf LifeI've found the best way to store homemade sourdough bread is to wrap the loaf in a clean tea towel and then place that inside a brown paper bag. Homemade sourdough is the best quality if enjoyed with 3-4 days, though it can last up to a week. Toasting helps a lot if it gets stale!You can also pre-slice and freeze sourdough, where it will stay good for several months. Toast to defrost and enjoy. Notes To double this recipe, double all ingredients and follow the same steps until it is time to form the loaf and bench rest. At that time, split the larger dough into two equal balls. Form each loaf and allow each to bench rest, and then proceed with the instructions using two proofing baskets. Keep the spare loaf refrigerated while the other is baking, unless you have the ability to bake them at the same time. To form a round (boule) loaf, I grab the sides of the dough from opposite ends, gently pull, fold, and pinch it together. This is called “stitching” the dough. Rotate the dough and repeat the process from opposite sides a few times, working the dough into a round shape. For oval (batard) loaves, do a similar process but form loaf into a longer shape, similar to folding and rolling it up like a burrito (and pinch the ends).  To prevent the bottom of the bread from burning or browning too much: put an empty cookie sheet on the empty oven rack directly below your combo cooker or dutch oven to deflect some of the heat. Did you enjoy this article? Want to hear more? Stay in touch! Sign up below to receive weekly updates on new posts from Homestead and Chill. The post Easy No-Knead Sourdough Bread Recipe (Beginner Friendly) appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Read the original post "Traditional Colcannon Recipe" on A Modern Homestead. These classic Irish Mashed Potatoes are creamy and packed with flavor from the sautéed green cabbage. Perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day or as a pairing with any meal! As a lover of all types of potatoes, I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to try colcannon! It’s been on my list of recipes... Read More The post "Traditional Colcannon Recipe" appeared first on A Modern Homestead.

Read the original post "Guinness Chocolate Cake" on A Modern Homestead. This classic Guinness Chocolate Cake is moist, tender, and has a deep chocolate flavor highlighted by the beer. Topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting, this dessert might just be your new go-to for St. Patrick’s Day! Make this with all-purpose einkorn flour or any AP wheat. If you like chocolate cake, then this recipe... Read More The post "Guinness Chocolate Cake" appeared first on A Modern Homestead.

Come learn how to make a large, durable, inexpensive DIY gopher basket to protect your plants – including fruit trees, shrubs, or ornamental trees! This guide will explore the pros and cons between chicken wire and hardware cloth, the types of trees that are most prone to gopher damage, planting tips, and more. I’ve also included a demonstration video at the end of this article. We live and garden in an area where gophers are rampant. They’ve killed many of our fruit trees over the years – but never one that was planted in a DIY gopher basket we made ourselves! NOTE: This post was originally published in April 2021 but significantly updated since. “I want to eat your trees.” Disclosure: Homestead and Chill is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.  What is a Gopher Basket? A gopher basket (also known as a gopher cage) is a protective wire mesh enclosure designed to protect plant roots from underground pests like gophers, voles and moles. The basket is put in the planting hole first and then the tree or shrub is planted inside. Some roots can grow beyond the basket too. Gardeners can either make homemade gopher baskets, or purchase pre-made gopher baskets that come in a variety of sizes. Most pre-made gopher baskets are made from chicken wire, while I always recommend making DIY baskets from hardware cloth. (See the pros and cons of both options below.) A fig tree with gopher activity all around it. Gophers LOVE fig roots! What kind of fruit trees do gophers like to eat most? Gophers are particularly fond of young fruit trees with tender roots. Over the years, we’ve found that fig trees are their absolute favorite, followed by apples and avocados. They’ll also eat stone fruit (e.g. apricots, plums, nectarines, peaches, and cherries) along with pears, persimmons, loquats or other fruit trees when given the chance. Some gardeners occasionally report gopher damage to young citrus trees, though we’ve personally never had issues with ours. Citrus roots are bitter (especially as they mature) making them more naturally gopher-resistant than other fruit trees – though not guaranteed, especially if food resources are scarce. Pineapple guava (my favorite cold-hardy fruiting shrub) is another good gopher-resistant option. This young apple tree was looking wilted… gave it a wiggle and it easily pulled right up out of the ground. Gophers had eaten the entire root system down to a stub. Signs of Gopher Damage on Trees  Gophers use their long, sharp front teeth to chew through roots, vegetation, bark, and the base of tree trunks (aka the crown). They leave tell-tale dirt mounds and holes around their shallow burrows and tunnel systems. Depending on the age of the plant and the extent of chewing done, gopher damage can range from minor stress to deadly. Young plants and trees with small, tender root systems are the most vulnerable. Trees under attack by gophers may exhibit yellowing leaves, unseasonal leaf drop, or wilting. Less obvious symptoms include reduced vigor, especially for mature trees and plants. You may also see chew marks around the base of the tree trunk, above or just below the soil level. Gophers have killed several of our young fruit trees, chewing them down to nothing but a stump with no roots left at all. What’s left of the roots of a young apple tree that gophers just killed… not much. RELATED: Cages are just one way we battle gophers on our homestead – but never use poison! Come see 7 non-toxic ways to control gophers, including how to protect raised beds, traps, or other deterrents. We also try to choose plenty of gopher resistant plants in our landscape. DIY vs Pre-Made Baskets (Hardware Cloth vs Chicken Wire) I always plant our most susceptible fruit trees (like figs) in DIY hardware cloth gopher baskets. They’re basically foolproof! Yet sometimes we use quality pre-made chicken wire baskets like these 5-gallon baskets or the 15-gallon size too. However I do NOT recommend the thinner mesh “speed baskets”, especially for trees. Here are some factors (pros and cons) to consider between the two: Effectiveness: Dense and strong, hardware cloth offers the best protection against gophers. They also can’t fit through its tiny holes. In contrast, determined gophers can chew through chicken wire or other more flimsy mesh wire, and small gophers or voles may be able to fit through the holes in chicken wire too. Cost: If you need several gopher baskets, it’s typically more cost-effective to buy a roll hardware cloth and make your own compared to the cost of quality pre-made baskets. Time and Effort: It takes more time and effort to make DIY gopher baskets, so we’ll often use pre-made cages when we’re planting many plants at one time (particularly if they’re not gopher-favorites.) Durability: Galvanized hardware cloth will not rust or degrade over time, while chicken wire or other types of pre-made baskets will (sometimes within just a couple of years). Root Restriction: Hardware cloth gopher baskets may restrict root growth more than than chicken wire – explored more below. When we first moved to our new homestead, we planted dozens of new fruit trees. We used DIY hardware cloth baskets for many of them, but got lazy and planted others in pre-made chicken wire baskets. Four years later, gophers have killed at least 5 of the trees that were in chicken wire baskets – and this is what the baskets look like when we dug them up: chewed full of holes! Do Gopher Baskets Restrict Plant Roots? Gopher baskets may slightly restrict root growth or lead to root binding, depending on the type of tree, basket size, and wire material they’re made of.  Because it doesn’t degrade and has smaller holes, hardware cloth gopher baskets will restrict roots to a greater degree than chicken wire baskets, which will eventually break down and let the trees “break free” after a few years (but also leaves them more vulnerable to gophers). Note that it isn’t necessarily a bad thing! Personally, we gladly accept the trade-off of potentially smaller trees vs being destroyed by gophers. Plus we make generously-sized baskets, and grow many dwarf or semi-dwarf fruit tree varieties that more readily adapt to small spaces. A tree planted in the ground within a gopher basket will still be happier than those confined to a pot or container. Here’s the size basket I typically make for 5-gallon trees or pots – with plenty of room to grow! How to Make a Homemade Gopher Basket Materials and Supplies Wire mesh material of choice. Use galvanized hardware cloth with ¼” or ½” openings for durable, long-lasting protection. Gophers can fit through holes as small as one inch, potentially even ¾”. A two or three-foot tall roll of wire works perfectly. Stainless steel is another great option, though not as affordable. If you want the cage to break down as the tree matures (as discussed above) you can use chicken wire, though it isn’t recommended for areas with persistent and abundant gophers. Galvanized wire (16 to 20 gauge) and/or heavy-duty zip ties for securing the basket together  Wire snips or aviation snips  Work gloves – hardware cloth can be sharp and pokey to work with! DIY Gopher Basket Size Before getting started, take note of the tree pot size. The finished gopher basket should be several inches larger than the tree root ball in all directions, or about twice the size of the pot or rootball. In my experience, our DIY gopher baskets end up being about 24 to 30” wide and just under 2 feet deep for a 15-gallon pot. Scale down as needed for smaller plants.  The height of the finished gopher basket should also extend a few inches above the soil line for maximum protection! A DIY gopher basket for a 15 gallon pot Instructions 1) Make a Wire Cylinder Use metal snips to cut the hardware cloth into a cylinder of the desired size. I wrap the wire wide around the tree pot to get a good visual before I cut. Cut it a little larger than the final cage will be, allowing for a few inches of overlap where the two ends will meet.   Curl the wire into a cylinder shape (it won’t have a bottom at this point) and secure it together using cut pieces of galvanized wire, twisting the wire to secure it in place. You could also use strong zip ties but they could eventually break, so I recommend adding at least a few pieces of wire too. PRO TIP: Because it can be difficult to dig a planting hole with totally straight sides, I recommend overlapping the sides of the wire in a way that makes the basket slightly wider at the top and a few inches more narrow at the bottom. That way, the basket will fit nicely in your planting hole. Note how the hardware cloth is overlapped more at the bottom of the cage, making the opening wider at the top and more narrow at the bottom. I didn’t have a roll of wire handy when we made this particular basket, so I secured it with zip ties AND tucked a few loops of the hardware cloth around itself. 2) Form or Add a Bottom If you started with 3-foot tall hardware cloth, bend and fold the bottom 12” to 16” towards the center of the basket. This will leave you with a basket just under 2 feet tall. I find it easiest to fold a 4-6” wide section over at a time, moving around the rim of the basket to repeat the process until it has several folds that overlap and completely cover the bottom. If you started with 2-foot tall hardware cloth, follow the same process but only fold over about 3 or 4 inches of the bottom towards the center. Then, cut another piece of hardware cloth to cover the bottom hole (large enough to offer a few inches of overlap all around). I like to add the bottom to the inside the basket, pressing it down (or even standing on it) to make the hardware cloth catch and lock in place. Now pinch the bottom folds together, and make sure everything is nice and tight with no large gaps. To do so, I’ve found it’s easiest to stand inside the basket and use my weight and feet to push and squish everything into place. Then add several wire ties or zip ties to hold the bottom together. Focus on areas that seem prone to gapping.  It’s kind of hard to see, but I added a square piece inside the bottom to cover the hole (and then climbed inside to press it flat and into the sides). Done! Ready for planting. How to Plant a Tree in a Gopher Basket Dig a hole two to three times wider than the tree pot and root ball, and deep enough to fit the gopher basket Place the gopher basket to the planting hole, and check the height. The basket should extend a few inches above grade (also accounting for settling or mulch). Adjust the planting hole if needed, and try to keep the basket fairly level. Set the tree (still in the pot) inside the basket to evaluate the depth compared to the surrounding soil level. Then, take the tree back out and add enough soil to the bottom of the basket so that once the tree is inside, the crown (base of the trunk) will be just slightly above ground level. (Do not bury the trunk of the tree). Carefully remove the tree from its pot and place the root ball centered in the gopher basket. Backfill soil around the tree, taking care to keep it standing straight. If your DIY gopher basket is extra-tall, you can bend it inward slightly to create a dome over the top of the rootball. Thoroughly water the tree. Add 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch around the base of the tree, but not directly against the tree trunk. Stand back and admire your hard work! RELATED: For more details, come read our best practices for planting trees – or learn about the importance of thinning fruit trees to grow larger, more flavorful fruit! Here’s a video from our old urban homestead – making a gopher cage and planting a loquat tree. Check out minutes 2-13 to watch me sizing and making the homemade gopher basket, then installing it in the planting hole. The second half of the video is more focused on planting trees, how we amend the soil, etc. At the very end, you can see it all planted, mulched, and the cage just above the soil. And that is how to make a homemade gopher basket. These things have been a lifesaver in our garden, literally! If you also live in an area where pesky gophers rule the subterranean land, I highly recommend planting trees in gopher baskets too. Please let me know if you have any questions, and leave a review below if you found this post helpful. May your trees be happy, healthy, and safe from gophers! Don’t miss these related articles: How to Plant a Tree: Best Practices for Success Choosing the Best Fruit Trees for Your Garden How to Build a Raised Garden Bed How to Kill or Remove Grass, and Grow Food Not Lawns! Turn Your Yard into a Certified Wildlife Habitat Did you enjoy this article? Want to hear more? Stay in touch! Sign up below to receive weekly updates on new posts from Homestead and Chill. Print How to Make a DIY Gopher Basket Learn how to make a large, durable, inexpensive DIY gopher basket to protect your plants – including fruit trees, shrubs, or ornamental trees. I've also included tips for planting a tree in a gopher basket. EquipmentWire snips or aviation snips Work gloves (hardware cloth can be sharp and pokey) Ingredients1 roll wire mesh fencing. I recommend 2 or 3 foot tall galvanized hardware cloth with ½” openings for durable, long-lasting protection. Chicken wire will degrade with time, and voles or small gophers may be able to fit through the holes. (We've also had gophers chew through chicken wire).Galvanized wire (16 to 20 gauge) and/or heavy-duty zip ties for securing the basket together  InstructionsDIY Gopher Basket SizeBefore getting started, take note of the tree pot size. The finished gopher basket should be several inches larger than the tree root ball in all directions, or about twice the size of the pot or rootball. The height of the finished gopher basket should also extend a few inches above the soil line for maximum protection!Making the BasketCut the hardware cloth or wire mesh to the desired basket size, allowing for several inches of overlap where the ends will meet. (I wrap the wire wide around the tree pot to get a good visual before I cut.) Curl the wire into a cylinder shape (it won’t have a bottom yet) and secure it together using cut pieces of galvanized wire, twisting the wire to secure it in place. You could also use strong zip ties but they could eventually break, so I recommend adding at least a few pieces of wire too. Because it can be difficult to dig a planting hole with totally straight sides, I recommend overlapping the sides of the wire in a way that makes the basket slightly wider at the top and a few inches more narrow at the bottom. Depending on the height of wire you're using (2 vs 3 ft) and the desired height of your finished basket, either bend lower portion of the fencing inward to create a bottom, or cut out a separate piece of hardware cloth to cover the bottom. When using 2 foot tall hardware cloth, I usually bend a few inches of the bottom, and then press another peice of hardware cloth inside the basket to cover the bottom. Pinch the bottom folds together to ensure everything is tight with no large gaps. I’ve found it's best to stand inside the basket and use my weight and feet to push and squish everything into place. Then add several wire ties or zip ties to hold the bottom together. Focus on areas that seem prone to gapping.  Planting in a Gopher BasketDig a hole two to three times wider than the tree pot and root ball, large and deep enough to fit the gopher basket inside.Place the gopher basket to the planting hole and check the height. The basket should extend a few inches above grade (also accounting for settling or mulch).  Set the tree (still in the pot) inside the basket to evaluate the depth compared to the surrounding soil level. Then, take the tree back out and add enough soil to the bottom of the basket so that once the tree is inside, the crown (base of the trunk) will be just slightly above ground level. (Do not bury the trunk of the tree).Carefully remove the tree from its pot and place the root ball centered in the gopher basket. Backfill soil around the tree, taking care to keep it standing straight. If your homemade gopher basket is extra-tall, you can bend it inward slightly to create a dome over the top of the rootball.Thoroughly water the tree. Add 2-4″ of organic mulch around the base of the tree, but not directly against the tree trunk. The post How to Make a DIY Gopher Basket for Fruit Trees appeared first on Homestead and Chill.