Sourdough Bread

Summary
Day 1 :

• Feed starter and make leaven - 10 minute process

  • Feed (range: 6-15 hours)

Day 2 :

• Make dough - 20 minute process

  • Autolyse (range: 30-120 minutes)

• Add salt - 5 minute process

  • Bulk Ferment (until volume doubles - 4-6 hours depending on temp)

• Refrigerate (range: 2-24 hours)

Day 3 :

• Initial Shaping - 10 minute process

  • Bench Rest (range 20-30 minutes)

• Final Shaping - 10 minute process

  • Refrigerate (range: 0-12 hours)

• Bake - 1+ hour process

Detail

== Day 1, ~6 PM ==

Split and Feed

Starter

• • 40g Starter

  • 80g White Flour

  • 80g Water

Levain

• • 50g Starter

  • 50g White/Wheat Flour (50/50)

  • 50g Water

• Mix Starter in medium glass container, cover with breathable lid (upside down lid with slits and stocking to hold in place), store in dark cool location

• Mix Leaven in small glass container, cover and set out at room temperature overnight

== Day 2, Before ~2 PM ==

Dough

• Use large mixing bowl

• 700g Water (90 degrees)

• Add all Leaven (disburse in water)

• 50g Whole Wheat White Flour

• 100g Whole Wheat Flour

• 750g White Flour

• Hand mix thoroughly

• Cover

• Let dough set for 30 minutes - 3 hours

Autolyse Phase

• Spray olive oil to lightly coat plastic container

• Sprinkle 20g salt over dough

• Hand mix thoroughly, wetting hand multiple times to reduce sticking and increase hydration (up to 50g water)

• Move dough to plastic container and cover for Bulk Fermentation phase

Bulk Fermentation Phase

• Let dough set until it doubles in volume (about 6-8 hours)

• Move container to refrigerator (overnight)

== Day 3, Anytime ==

Initial Shaping

• Pull dough gently out of plastic container onto an un-floured surface using plastic dough spatula

• Lightly flour surface of the dough

• Cut dough into two equal pieces with metal bench knife

• Flip each half onto the floured side

• Fold each piece of dough onto itself so the floured surface is on the outside

• Use bench knife and one hand to work the dough into a round ball

Bench Rest

• Cover with towel or saran wrap

• Let the dough set covered on work surface for 30 minutes

Final Shaping

• Lightly flour top surface of both dough rounds

• Use bench knife to carefully flip the round upside down onto the floured side

• Stretch the front of the dough toward you and fold the front third over the middle third

• Stretch the dough to the right and fold the right third over center

• Stretch the dough to the left and fold the left third over the previous fold

• Stretch the back of the dough away from you and fold the back third toward you over the other folds

• Holding the last fold in place, grab the back of the dough round and roll it toward you moving all seams to the bottom

• Cup hands around the dough and pull it toward you dragging it against the surface to tighten the tension around the outer layer

• Let dough round set with seams on the bottom so they heal for a couple minutes

• Repeat steps to shape the other half

Proof

• Gently pick up shaped dough round with bench knife and flip into to floured basket and cover (50/50 rice and wheat flour)

• Refrigerate until bake time (minimum 2 hours preferably)

Bake

• Preheat oven to 525 degrees with bread dome inside

• Reduce oven to 475 degrees

• Pull dome base, allow to cool to 400 degrees

• Lightly flour top side of shaped dough in proofing basket (50/50 rice and wheat flour)

• Gently flip shaped dough into bread dome and score the top

• Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes with bread dome lid on

• Remove lid and bake for 20 more minutes

• Remove baked bread from dome and transfer to cooling rack (minimum 15 minutes preferably)

• Repeat steps for second loaf

**Links to Suggested Supplies**

• Bench Knife

• Dough Spatula

• Pyrex Dish (for Starter - 4 cup)

• Pyrex Dish (for Levain - 2 cup)

• Plastic Containers (for Dough)

• Reusable Plastic Food Covers

• Proofing Baskets

• Bread Dome

• Scoring Tool

• Cooling Racks

• Laser Thermometer

• Ove' Glove

• Cork Hot Pad