Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- First mix the active sourdough starter with the water until it's dissolved in the water. Add the water mixture to the flour (and gluten flour if using) and using a danish dough whisk, dough scraper, or your hands combine it until there is no dry flour left.
- Cover and let that fermentolyse for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour add in the salt and hand knead for 3 minutes. Then rest for 15 minutes.
- Perform the 1st stretch and fold, cover, and let rest 30 minutes.
- Perform the 2nd stretch and fold, cover, and let rest 30 minutes.
- Perform the 3rd stretch and fold, cover, and let rest 30 minutes.
- Perform the 4th stretch and fold, cover, and let rest 15 minutes.
- Pre-Shape and rest 15 minutes.
- Final Shape, place in a floured Banneton, cover Banneton with a plastic wrap, shower cap or something similar and put in the fridge for a cold proof up to 24 hours. *See note 1
- When ready to bake preheat your oven with the dutch oven to 500℉. (Leave your dough in the fridge until the very last minute - placing a cold dough into a hot oven will give you a better "spring".)
- When oven is preheated take your dough out of the fridge and gently invert it onto parchment paper. *See not 2
- Score your dough with a lame, clean razor, or sharp knife. The main score should be between 1/4-1/2" deep and if you are doing decorative scoring it will be closer to 1/4". Keep in mind you will get better with practice.
- Using the parchment as a "handle" lift your scored dough and carefully place it in your preheated dutch oven. Using a spray bottle do a few spritzes of water before putting the lid on.Turn the oven temperature down to 450℉ and bake for 30 minutes. *Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to "shield" the dutch oven so your crust doesn't over-bake or burn.
- Remove the dutch oven lid, turn oven down to 400℉ and bake for another 25 minutes. For even browning turn the bread half way through the last 25 minutes. If checking the internal temperature it should be around 205-210°F.
- Remove from oven and place bread on a cooling rack. Cool COMPLETELY before slicing. *If you cut into it while it's warm it will be gummy.
If Baking Same Day
- Follow steps 1-8 and Final Shape, place in a floured Banneton, cover Banneton with a plastic wrap, shower cap or something similar and let bulk ferment on the counter at room temperature 4-6 hours until dough has risen by 70-80%. This time will vary based on the temperature of your home.
- You can check your dough with a poke test. *See note 3
- Bake as directed above in steps 10-15. Disregard any mention of the refrigerator in those steps.
Notes
Note 1: This may seem different without a bulk fermentation step, but the bulk fermentation technically starts when the starter is added to the flour and water. So the bulk fermentation in this recipe starts right away and goes through the folds. It still is bulk fermenting in the fridge until it completely cools down to the fridge temperature.
Note 2: I use pre-cut round parchment sheets and while the dough is in the banneton I place the parchment over it and then a small cutting board to flip it over for scoring. You can find the parchment rounds in the 'Shop This Post' section above the recipe. I do use 2 per loaf to support the loaf when moving it.
Note 3: How to perform the poke test
1.Lightly flour your finger or the top of the dough
2.Gently press your finger into the dough
3. Observe how the dough springs back
What the poke test results mean:
-Springs back quickly: The dough is underproofed and needs more time.
-Springs back slowly: The dough is ready to bake.
-Doesn't spring back: The dough is overproofed and should be baked immediately. Can turn into focaccia bread at this point.