[2017-08] Hearth Pan Loaf

I'm falling behind on posting. Still baking, but I have a backlog of photos and posts to do. Trying to catch up.

Here's a loaf to change things up a bit. My wife is actually not super fond of "artisan" bread. She'll eat it, but she prefers softer bread, and always cuts the crust off regardless of what kind of bread it is. This is, needless to say, a bit of a sore point in our household.

I thought I'd experiment with some alternative forms to at least get closer to a loaf she would like. This one is just my standard sourdough method, but baked in a large "hearth pan". It's a big loaf.

Recipe as follows:

• 900g KA bread flour
• 630g water (73°) (overshot and poured too much)
• 300g starter (70% hydration)
• 25g kosher salt

Irregular turns for ~4 hours. I didn't form a loaf on this one, just put the dough into the hearth pan (after spraying with a light olive oil). Proofed overnight for ~8 hours on the countertop in a cool kitchen. 

Egg wash applied right before baking. Baked 20 minutes @ 450°, then 45 minutes @ 350°.