Sourdough Bread

I have always loved sourdough bread. Yet finding good sourdough is not so easy. Some of the grocery store bread tastes fake. Something missing. And others are crazy expensive. So I looked around and found some fairly easy looking methods. I usually look at a few ideas, then modify them to my own abilities. I have given this method to other family members with good results, so I thought I would share it.

This recipe makes two loaves.

Maybe one hour work and lots of resting time waiting.

For the ingredients: easy

150 gr Sourdough Starter

900 gr Bread Flour (or All Purpose)

18 gr Kosher Salt

Rice Flour for dusting

Tools:

Digital scale

Large bowl

Dough scraper (plastic)

Dough blade (metal)

Banneton (2)

Cheap shower caps

Enamel Round roasters or Dutch Ovens

Parchment paper

If you have some, great. If not you can make some at home. There are many instructions on how-to on the net.

You can also purchase some. Get some from a friend. There is an organization that gives it for free it you contact them.

Just do a bit of research and in no time you will have some. (Well maybe a few weeks)

It's well worth it!

I keep my starter in the refrigerator.

The morning before making the dough I take it out and feed it.

I just keep a bit in a jar, about 1/4 inch or so.

I add 60 gr water and 60 gr flour to the jar and stir.

I place the jar on a scale, zero out the scale, add the water, re-zero the scale and add the flour and stir.

When the starter has doubled (or almost) I take out most and add water and flour again.

This discard you can use for something else. You can also spread it thin on parchment paper to let it dry. After it is dry break it up and keep in a sandwich bag for re-making the starter if needed or giving to others.

When you are ready, pour or scrape the starter (about 150 gr) into a large bowl. Then add 675 gr water. Stir this together. Add 900 gr flour and top with the salt.

Re-cap and place the remaining starter back into the refrigerator for next time.

Now you mix this together making sure all the flour is wet. It will be shabby looking and sticky. Cover this (I use a cheap shower cap). A damp cloth also works. Let this rest for two hours.

After the two hours or so, start the folds. The first time I take a dough paddle and scrape under one side of the dough and fold over to the other side. Then rotate the bowl a bit and fold again. I do this a few circles. You will see and feel the dough getting smoother.

Cover and let rest for a hour.

You should do this four or so times. But here you may fit it into your schedule. If you do it every 45 minutes or so. Or have to wait a few hours, it shouldn't matter much. A few folds are enough, yet more is better?

When you go to bed let it rest on a table/countertop overnight. When you get up it should have risen quite a bit. If not give it more time. But if has risen noticeably, it should be good.

This is probably the trickiest step. But just go for it!

Scrape the dough out onto a wet surface. Instead of dusting with flour use water! I think my pics show dusted flour, the water seems to be a bit cleaner.

Wet your hands and pick-up the dough in the center of the lump. Fold it over and let it fall. Kinda like a knead/fold. Do this several times, wetting your hand if needed. Now use a metal dough blade to divide the dough into two halves. Fold these over and then, using the metal dough blade, slide the blade under a corner of the dough and slightly twist it taunt. This takes a bit of practice. basically you just want the dough to form a taunt surface. Don't worry too much about it.

Now dust a banneton (dough basket) with rice flour. Again, you may use flour.

Now with the dough blade flop the loaf into the banneton. Cover with a shower cap. Place in refrigerator and let rest for six to 10 hours.

After it's last rest we need to put the dough into the baking pans.

Preheat the oven to 450F Convection.

I form parchment paper inside a enamel coated metal dutch oven. Kinda like a cupcake paper.I then remove the shower cap, put the formed paper over the dough, put a plate over that, and flip it all over. Now pull up the banneton, grab the paper from four corners and lift the loaf into the dutch oven. Re-form the paper folds. Score the loafs with a sharp blade.

Fold additional paper under the outer rim so the lid will fit. I place three ice cubes between the paper and the dutch oven/baking pan. It makes a steam inside the pan which helps the crust. Cover the pans with the lids. Place into the hot oven and bake for 50 minutes.

Remove the lids, rotate and switch the pans. Let bake another 10 minutes.

When loaf is done remove the pans. Carefully grab the paper and lift the loaf out and onto a cooling rack. Pull the paper out and let the bread sit. Let it cool completely.

You now have wonderful sourdough bread.

One more thing. I had to get a better bread knife to cut these loaves. The crust can be difficult to cut. But well woth it.

ENJOY