IMPORTANT: Prepare a batch of sourdough starter from matured starter to keep in the fridge before preparing the set for baking
Starter Ratio 1 : 5 : 4
10g mature starter
50g bread flour
40g cold drinkable water (distill, tap or bottled)
Directions
- remove starter from fridge and allow starter to grow till it's peak
- feed repeatedly till starter can triple in height
- use immediately
NOTE: microbial activity is best between 24-28°C. Keep starter at this temperate for optimal growth. Eg. starter in cooler bag with ice pack. Do not place starter in the fridge during this process.
Sourdough Recipe
280g bread flour
35g bread or wholemeal flour
220g water
63g starter at it's peak
6.3g salt
= 604g dough weight, 28°C desired temperature
Directions
- Preparation: have a large bowl with water for wetting finger and cleaning hand
- Autolyse: in a large mixing bowl add flour and water. Use dough whisk and stir till no lump or dry flour left. Use hand to squish when it is difficult to use whisk. Can also use mixer at lowest speed till flour is fully hydrated
- wet a scraper and scrape the sides clean... rest for 20-60min
- Mixing: add and smear starter at peak into bowl and sprinkle salt. Dimple and squeeze dough till salt is fully dissolved
- scrape sides with wet scraper and rest for 30min
- pinch some dough in a measuring cup to gauge how much dough rises before resting
- Slap & Fold: lightly wet working surface, loosen dough from sides and overturn the bowl. With moist hand, pick up top and bottom of the dough, rotate, slap on the counter and fold over to form layers. Repeat till dough is tight and smooth. Round the dough
- if double portion, split the dough into 2 here... do slap and fold till dough is tight, round and rest
- spray container lightly with oil and place dough in to rest for 30min
- Laminate or Dimple Fold: to laminate, drop dough on lightly wet work surface. Stretch starting from the centre and a thin rectangular shape is formed. Add inclusions here if any. Fold in third and form a round dough. For dimple fold, work in the bowl itself. Sprinkle inclusions on the dough. Dimple the inclusions so that it will stick to the dough. Pick top part of dough and fold dough to a third. Fold bottom to cover the dough. Repeat to right and left side. Round the dough and rest for 30min
- Bench/Coil Fold: transfer dough on lightly wet surface. Stretch into thirds top, bottom, left and right till a tight dough is formed. Another option is to stretch the dough and roll from front to back and roll again from left to right. Form a round dough and place in a tall container with markings.
- Bench rest: allow dough to rest and ferment till 50% growth
- Final Shaping: lightly dust work surface with flour evenly. Dust hand and scraper as well. Remove dough to fall onto the dusted surface. Using scraper, loosen edges and form a square. Stretch each corner and stick to the middle. Lift 2 sides to form a hotdog shape. Overlap and pinch the dough. Then stretch, tuck and roll forward to create surface tension. Tuck the edges to the bottom. Squeeze using the scraper to create more tension. Tuck and pinch the open top and bottom dough and seal it.
- Overnight Cold Retard: transfer to a banetton and leave in fridge (4°C) for 8-24hrs. Leave the banetton uncovered.
- Score and Bake: pre-heat oven at 250°C for 40min. (for better scoring, leave the dough in the freezer for 40-60min). Bake for 20min covered
- remove from dutch oven and place on oven tray... bake for another 20min at 230°C till crust is deep dark brown.
Foodnote: Sign up for basic sourdough bread course from Bespoke Bread. Learn some new interesting tips and skill. So I summed up what I learn here and also my first trial bake on 13 Sep. Did some mistake when I left the dough in the fridge at the cooler part haizz... it still turns up ok. Will do better next time because it still comes out good. Below is the summary of schedule and I started Day 1 on a Wednesday.
SUMMARY
Day 1
- 10pm take starter out from fridge
Day 2
- 5am feed 1:5:4- leave at counter top (24-28°C)- let it triple size- approx 10pm feed again 1:5:4 (double portion if necessary)
Day 3
- 9am mix flour+water to autolyse- 10am prep new batch of starter to keep- add starter + salt, dimple and mix till no more salt granule - 10:30am slap & fold - take some dough into container to check rise- split dough into 2 portions, slap & fold into separate lightly oiled bowls- 11:15am laminate with inclusion- 12:15am bench or coil fold- rest till rise 50%- approx 5pm shape dough and keep in fridge
Day 4
- 5am (8 to 24hr) pre-heat oven together with dutch oven at 250°C
- same time place bread into freezer
- 1hr later score and bake bread in dutch oven
- 20min later reduce oven temp to 230°C and remove bread from dutch oven into baking tray
- bake for another 20min
- remove from oven onto grill to let bread cool down for at least 2hr before cutting
Recipe for 2 loaves
630g bread flour
440g water
126g starter at it’s peak
13g salt
each dough approx. 600g