Making Sourdough Bread

I decide to start making sourdough bread again.  Since I got rid of all my starter when we stopped eating bread about 2 years ago, I need to get some.  Luckily a friend at the town auction game me some of hers.  I also got online and bough some from ebay.  This starter is called 'Larry" since it came from the down defunct "Larry's Restaurant" near San Francisco.

Since Larry was dried flakes it took about a week to activate it by feeding it flour and water.  After a few days it came alive, and I have been using Larry for all my bread.  I gave my friend a jar of Larry in return for the starter that she gave me. I did use her for my first batch before larry awoke.

The process takes two days (overnight) and starts with creating enough starter for the recipe and enough left over to save.  You know when the starter is ready by taking a teaspoon of starter and placing it in a cup of water.  If it floats, it's ready.  Time to make the bread. All the ingredients must be weighed to get the correct proportions, using measuring cups is not sufficient due to the different densities of different flour.  I have used King Arthur's All Purpose, King Arthur's Bread Flour and Bob's Red Mill Artisan Flour all with equal success. I can't tell the difference, but I am sure a bread connoisseur could..

I start by mixing 700g of warm water with 200g of starter in a large bowl.  Next, I slowly add 1000g of flour, mixing and scraping until it is well mixed and forms a large heap of dough.  (Note: for rye bread mix 100g of rye flour first, then add 900g of regular flour).  The dough is not a large ball of dry dough at this point, in fact, it never becomes "dry" at anytime during the process.

After mixing and scraping, cover the bowl and let rest for 30-45 minutes.  After it has rested, add 20g of salt and 50g more of warm water and mix well.  You can used your hands, it will be "gooey" and have the consistency of 'slime".

"Gooey" dough reading for covered conatiner

 
 After it is well mixed place in a covered container for "proofing".  It's really just letting the dough rise. It's called "proofing" because you want o "prove" that the dough will rise when baked.

Ready for proofing

Every 45-60 minutes, stretch and fold the dough in the container.  You should do this for 4-5 times (4-5 hours).

This was over-proofed. We went shopping and saw this when we returned. No harm!

When the dough is "proofed" enough, dump the dough on the counter (we have granite otherwise use a bread board) and cut in half because you will making two loaves.  Form two round balls of dough.  Cover both balls of dough and let rest for 30 minutes.

After resting, fold the loafs at least 5 time and form loaves by pushing the dough under the loaf to create "tension" on the top.  This will be the top of the loaf and will be placed upside down in the baskets.   I use these proofing Rattan Basket with liners.  Using the liner really helps when trying to get the dough out of the basket without deforming the loaves.

Proofing baskets with liners

 Place the two loaves in the baskets with the top of the loaf in the bottom of the basket.  They will be flipped over prior to baking.  I place each loaf in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight for the final rise.  I do it overnight.

Loaves in proofing baskets after the overnight proofing

Baking

The loaves are baked in a covered cast iron Dutch oven or something similar.  I was lucky that I was able to buy Le Creust Doufeu #35 Oval Cast Iron Dutch Oven a few years back at our local aution for $25.  These sell for $500 on ebay, it is great for doing bread.

Place the Dutch Oven in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees.  While the oven is preheating, remove the loaves from the refrigerator.  When the oven reaches 500 degrees, place a small sheet of parchment paper on top of one of the loaves and flip it over onto a pizza peel. This will assist you in getting the loaf into the Dutch oven. (500 degrees is HOT!).

Slowly lift the basket & liner off of the loaf, the liner will invert and slowly peal off of the dough. using a razor blade or sharp knife, make a few slits in the top of the dough.   (The parchment paper goes in the oven with the dough.)

With Oven Mitts, Open the oven, remove the top of the dutch oven and using the pizza peel, carefully slide the dough into the dutch oven, replace the cover and bake for 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes, more or less, depending on your oven and dutch oven, the bread should be almost golden brown like the picture below.

Golden Brown after 25 minutes.

Remove the cover, lower the oven to 450 degrees and bake for 15-20 minutes longer until done.

Overdone, I forgot to lower oven to 450.

When done, remove bread and place on rack to cool.  They say you shouldn't cut it until it is room temperature as it continues to cook on the counter. Repeat with the other loaf.

If successful, you should end up with two loaves like this.