sourdough bread

2023-12-19
Maurizio Leo
all recipes

Ingredients

levain

  • 30g medium-protein bread flour
  • 30g whole wheat flour
  • 60g water
  • 30g ripe sourdough starter

dough

  • 822g medium-protein bread flour
  • 64g whole wheat flour
  • 745g water
  • 17g salt
  • 151g ripe levain

Directions

levain (9:00 a.m.)

in a small container, mix the levain ingredients and keep at 78°f (25°c) for 5 hours.

autolyse (12:00 p.m)

  • in a medium mixing bowl, add 822g medium-protein bread flour, 64g whole wheat flour, 650g water, and mix until no dry bits remain.
  • cover the bowl and let rest for 2 hours.

mix (2:00 p.m.)

  • to the mixing bowl holding your dough, add 95g water (holding back any as necessary if the dough is too wet), 17g sea salt, and the ripe levain (from step 1).
  • pinch and mix all the ingredients together and do folds in the bowl for 2 to 3 minutes until the dough smooths and is cohesive.
  • transfer your dough to a bulk fermentation container and cover.

bulk fermentation (2:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.)

  • give the dough 6 sets of stretch and folds.
  • the first three sets are at 15-minute intervals, and the last three sets are at 30-minute intervals.

divide and preshape (6:15 p.m.)

  • lightly flour your work surface and scrape out your dough.
  • using your bench knife, divide the dough in half.
  • lightly shape each half into a round shape.
  • let the dough rest for 30 minutes, uncovered.

shape (6:45 p.m.)

  • shape the dough into a round (boule) or oval (batard) and place it in proofing baskets.
  • cover the baskets with a reusable plastic bag.

proof (7:25 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the next day)

  • cover proofing baskets with reusable plastic and seal them shut.
  • then, place both baskets into the refrigerator and proof overnight.

bake (preheat oven at 8:00 a.m., bake at 9:00 a.m.)

  • preheat your oven with a combo cooker or dutch oven inside to 450°f (230°c).
  • remove your dough from the fridge, score it, and transfer it to the preheated combo cooker.
  • place the cooker in the oven, cover with the lid, and bake for 20 minutes.
  • after this time, remove the lid (you can keep it in the oven or remove it) and continue to bake for 30 minutes longer.
  • when done, the internal temperature should be around 208°f (97°c).
  • let the loaves cool for 2 hours on a wire rack before slicing.