Sourdough Artisan Bread

I have had very good success with this sourdough recipe.  If this is your first time making sourdough bread, I recommend watching a few videos to learn the techniques of making sourdough.  This bread is so good, I double the recipe when I make it.  I slice one loaf and then freeze it. That way I always have some on hand.

1 Loaf

325 g water

100 g active starter

485 g bread flour (or high protein all-purpose flour)

10 g salt

2 Loaves

650 g water

200 g active starter

970 g bread flour (or high protein all-purpose flour)

20 g salt

Mix water and starter together.  Add in flour and salt, mix until no dry spots remain.  I mix by hand using a dough whisk.

Cover bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and rest 1 hour.

Do three rounds of stretch and folds, resting 30 minutes between each.

Place dough, seam-side down, in the bowl and cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap.  Bulk ferment on the counter in a warm place for 4-6 hours or until jiggly with bubbles.

Shape dough into a ball and cover with a bowl.  Let rest on the counter for 20 minutes.

Place a banneton liner or a piece of paper towel in the banneton and sprinkle with flour.  Do a final shape and place dough, seam-side up, in the prepared banneton.  Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours.

Place either steel bread pans (for double pan baking) or a Dutch oven in the oven.  Preheat the oven to 450 F for 30 minutes if using bread pans or 45 minutes if using a Dutch oven.  (I do not use aluminum non-stick bread pans because I don't think they can handle the 450 F heat.)

Sprinkle the dough in the banneton with a little bit of flour (this will be the bottom of the loaf of bread).  Put a piece of parchment paper over the bottom of the dough and gently flip the banneton over and put the dough on the counter.  Score the dough about 1 inch deep to allow the dough to expand while baking.  

Double Loaf Pan Method:  Remove pans from oven and place one ice cube in the bottom and place dough on the parchment paper gently in the hot pan.  Place the second loaf pan on top and put in oven.  Bake covered for 35 minutes.  Remove top pan and bake an additional 5 minutes.  Remove bread from pan and remove parchment paper from the bottom.  Place bread on the oven rack and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 205 F.  Place on wire rack to cool completely before slicing, about 1 hour.

Dutch Oven Method:  Remove Dutch oven from oven and place one ice cube in the bottom and place dough on the parchment paper in the hot Dutch oven.  Place the lid on the Dutch oven and bake covered for 35 minutes.  Remove the lid and bake an additional 5 minutes.  Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and place bread on the oven rack and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 205 F.  Place bread on wire rack to cool completely before slicing, about 1 hour.

Source:  The Sourdoughhoe (Facebook)  (Make sure you try her bagel recipe!)

Kimberly