Day 1: Sourdough Starter
- (eg. require 140g starter. Always make a bit extra)
- half feeding in morning (eg. 20S+20W+20BF)
- final half feeding in evening (eg. 50W+50BF)
- (to accelerate process, put in oven with lights on)
- feeding of active starter ratio 1S:2W:2BF
- measure and mix all dry ingredients in a bowl eg. all flour, salt and diastatic malt (optional)
- add distilled water and starter and mix to shaggy dough
- rest for 1 hr
- 3x stretch & fold every 30min (add additions at 2nd fold)
- check gluten development (window pane) if still not ready, do coil fold
- proof till size increase by 25% (total 3-8hrs or 12-24hrs if using unfed starter)
- transfer on working surface (divide if required) and gently round with scraper making a tight loaf
- rest 20min
- meanwhile lightly flour banetton with rice flour
- gently shape a tight dough and transfer to banetton
- cover with plastic and leave in fridge to cold retard for 8hr up to 48hr
Day 3: Bake
- pre-heat oven 240C no fan together with dutch oven for minimum for 45min to 1hr
- transfer dough into freezer for 30min to firm up and help with scoring
- transfer dough to parchment or silicon paper
- rub surface of dough with rice flour
- score deep enough for oven spring
- transfer into hot dutch oven and spray with water... quickly cover the dutch oven
- bake for 20min covered and lower oven to 230C and bake uncovered for another 15-20min till desired color
- *Internal temperature for cooked sourdough bread should be 96-98°C
- cool on rack for > 1hr before slicing
Optimal Sourdough Starter Preparation
Ratio 1:5:5
- divide required amount of starter by 2 eg. for 300g, use 150g BF: 150g W
- take 10% of 300g... so we need 30g starter
- use all sourdough starter once fully active or peaked
7min tips to get an Ear
- before baking, score bread as usual
- after 7min of baking, take out the bread and do a second score near the small "ear"
- continue baking
- ie. for a controlled scoring, score deeper at specific parts of bread after 5min of baking
Tips for better oven spring
- pre-heat dutch oven for 1hr
- immediately after putting in dutch oven+dough into the oven, turn off the oven for 20min
- turn on the oven 240C and continue baking for 20min or so and bake with open dutch oven till desired color
Click here for my go to regular recipe.
Foodnote: Usually I use prima unbleached bread flour. The above bread is baked with bob's mill unbleached bread flour.
