San Joaquin Inspired Onion Sourdough Batard

  I've been meaning to make a version of Dave Snyder's famous San Joaquin bread.  I baked some baguettes last week using the modified formula below but without the onions and they tasted great.  For this bake I decided to add some grilled onions and shape some batards.

I used KAF French style flour in place of the AP flour in the original formula and increased the amount of rye and whole wheat also using fresh milled rye and fresh milled sprouted whole wheat.  I added some fresh milled Durum flour as well.

I used my standard 66% AP starter and added some extra water to compensate for the original formula using a 100% starter as the seed starter.

I have to say this bread is about as good as it gets.  The crumb was nice and moist and open and the onion flavor along with the mix of whole grains was amazing.

Formula

Download the BreadStorm File Here.

Levain Directions

Mix all the Levain ingredients together for about 1 minute and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it sit at room temperature for around 8-12 hours or until the starter is nice and bubbly.

Build 2: Add the flour and water as indicated and mix thoroughly.  Let it sit at room temperature for 7-8 hours plus or minus until starter has peaked.

Either use in the main dough immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 day before using.

 Main Dough Procedure

Mix the levain by dissolving the liquid starter in the water, then add the flours and mix well. Ferment at room temperature, covered tightly, until the surface is bubbly and wrinkled. (8-12 hours)

Dissolve the levain in the water, add the flours and mix to a shaggy mass. Cover and autolyse for 30 minutes.

Add the salt and onions and mix to incorporate for 3 minutes.  Transfer to a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly.

Bulk ferment for 3 hours with stretch and folds in the bowl every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours, then a stretch and fold on the board after 2.5 hours. The dough should have expanded by about 50% and be full of small bubbles.

Refrigerate the dough for 18-24 hours.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and transfer it to a lightly floured board.

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and pre-shape as a round.  Cover the dough and allow to rest for 60 minutes.

Shape as batards and proof for 45 minutes, covered.

Around 45 minutes before ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 550 degrees F. and prepare it for steam.  I have a heavy-duty baking pan on the bottom rack of my oven with 1 baking stone on above the pan and one on the top shelf.  I pour 1 cup of boiling water in the pan right after I place the dough in the oven.

Right before you are ready to put them in the oven, score as desired and then add 1 cup of boiling water to your steam pan or follow your own steam procedure.

After 1 minute lower the temperature to 500 degrees and after another 3 minutes lower it to 450 degrees.  Bake for 25-35 minutes until the crust is nice and brown and the internal temperature of the bread is 210 degrees.

Take the bread out of the oven when done and let it cool on a bakers rack before for at least 1 hour before eating.