Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Set the bread prover to 26℃ (79℉)
Levain
- Mix starter, flour and water together until lump free. Transfer to the kilner jar and seal shut. Place into bread prover for 4 hours.2
Sourdough
- As soon as the levain is ready, dissolve it in the water and add to the flour. Mix until you have a scraggly dough. Cover with cling film (I use a shower cap) and into the prover for 30 minutes.3
1st Stretch & Fold
- Add the salt to the dough and mix thoroughly by squeezing the dough between your fingers for 2 minutes. Pinch a corner of the dough, stretch outwards and fold over onto itself to the centre of the dough. Continue to do this working your way around the dough to form a ball. Gently turn over so the folds are at the bottom, cover and back into the prover for 30 minutes.4
2nd, 3rd & 4th Stretch & Folds
- Repeat as you did for the first stretch & fold (minus the salt). Rest for 30 minutes between each stretch. You should fine the dough stretches easier each time. After the 4th stretch and fold leave the dough covered and in the prover for 1 hour.5
Preshaping
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough in half, as you did with the stretch and folds, form 2 balls. Lightly flour the tops and cover with a tea towel for 30 minutes.
Final Shaping
- Prepare a large bowl or plastic tub with rice flour. If using a loaf tin, line with a tea towel. With a Banneton light dust with rice flour using a sieve.
- Flip the the dough over and gently stretch the dough from the corners so you have a vertical rectangle. From the bottom (closest to you) lightly stretch and fold towards the centre, repeat for the sides, the dough should resemble an open tortilla wrap. Roll the dough from the bottom towards the open end, rotate 90° and roll again. Pinch the dough to create a seal where the dough meets and on the sides, you now have a doughrrito!6&7
- Gently roll the dough in rice flour and place into your banneton seem side up. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Cold Retard
- After 30 minutes have elapsed, check the dough, you may need to stitch the dough slightly if the seam has opened. Working from the bottom, up, pinch the dough just right of the centre line and stretch and seal left of centre. Work your way up alternating side so you create a cross stitch.
- Place the dough in the fridge uncovered for 12 hours.8&9
Next day, Bake.
- Preheat your oven to 230℃ (445℉) with a baking tray on the middle shelf and a deep roasting tray on the bottom. Boil water and have at the ready.
- Tear a piece off baking paper just slightly larger than the dough, place on a chopping board (this is going to make it easier to transfer the dough into the oven). Turn the dough out onto the paper. With a bread lame, just off centre either to the left or right score the dough half inch deep. Spritz the surface of the dough with water.10
- Transfer the dough on the baking tray in the oven and fill the bottom tray with the boiled water. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the water tray, turn oven down to 220℃ (430℉) bake for another 15 minutes.115 Minutes into the bake I like to go back in and score again under the ear of the loaf to guarantee a good expansion and get that prominent ear.
- Leave to cool on the tray for an hour or 2 before cutting into the dough. I know, it's going to be hard to resist cutting straight into it!
Notes
- The time frames indicated will vary depending on specific conditions, temperature, levain strength and humidity, they are merely a guideline. Through practice you will understand what to look for in each stage to know when to move to the next. I will give you my indications to give you a head start.
- Mark a line or with a rubber around the glass to know the level where the levain started. You are looking for the levain to have doubled in size and hit the peak. As the levain rises, the surface will be slightly domed and bubbly, when the surface is flat and you see it just start to collapse, levain has reached peak and ready to use.
- Shower caps are cheap and reusable, ideal for this recipe since we are going in and out of the mixing bowl.
- Keep a bowl of water with you to dip your fingers in when doing stretch and folds. Depending on hydration the dough will most likely be sticky, the water barrier on your finger will prevent clumps of dough sticking and tearing off.
- As you go through each stage of Stretch & Folds, you should see the dough volume increase and the elasticity improve. It is vital to turn the dough over after S&F's to trap the carbon dioxide gases produced and for the dough to rise.
- Each time you handle the dough you want to be gentle, understand the limitations of the dough at each stage and work along with it. When it comes to stretching the dough for final shape, stretch as far as the dough will allow. Don't force it, you will tear and knock all the air out.
- To get a good shape, as you roll, try to tuck the dough in on itself, you will feel it tighten and form smoother. You know you have shaped correctly when the the dough holds its shape free form and has a bouncy jiggle when you shake it.
- Leaving the dough uncovered will cause a skin to form, WE WANT THIS! The dough will continue to ferment in the fridge (at a slower rate) but the skin will keep that controlled and stop the dough from rising any more, trapping all the gases in. Plus allow for ease to handle when baking.
- The duration of cold retarding will contribute to the flavour of your dough. Minimum 12 hours is what I recommend to allow the dough to do exactly what it needs in order to get a good oven spring. The longer the dough ferments the more sour flavour is developed, I normally cold ferment 12-15 hours and get a good flavour and oven spring. I have tested up 24 hours and not had any issues. However, I have know for people to go as far as 48 hours and get great results, but oven spring is slightly compromised.
- Scoring the dough, you need a good sharp blade on the bread lame or knife. Slightly right or left of the centre line put the blade edge flat against the dough. Lift to a 45° angle so the first 1/4 of the blade tip is pressing into the dough. Confidently, drag down the loaf to create your score.
- Move quickly so as not to let the oven temperature drop too much.