Finally a sourdough I can share!
So, my scale finally arrived, and I got a banneton for proofing as well. I've been experimenting a bit, and I think I finally got it. Since all the folks here were so helpful, I figured I could contribute by sharing my results. Would really love to hear your comments too! You can see the final product in the photo above.
The recipe:
In the morning, take starter from the fridge and feed it 1:1:1, i.e. equal amounts of starter, water, and flour. Cover and let it sit in a warm place for 6-8 hrs.
Ingredients:
Levain (100% hydration) - 50g starter, 50g warm water, 50g KA WW four, mixed in the morning and put in warm place.
Water - 300g
Flour - 450g KA BF
Salt - 10g
Baker's math:
Flour - 100%
Water - 71.5%
Salt - 1.9%
Mix everything, except salt, until all flour is absorbed. Cover and let stand for 60 min, then add salt and mix for 4-5 min. I use stand mixer, but you can use anything you like.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, let rest for 30 min. Take it out on a lightly-floured surface and stretch and fold from 4 sides, then put it back in the bowl. Repeat rest and stretch and fold 3 times (4 times total, cover during rest). BF for 2 hrs. On lightly-floured surface pre-shape, let rest 10-15 min, then final shape.
Flour the banneton, and the surface of the dough (lightly), place the dough into the banneton and cold proof overnight (10-12 hrs). Next morning, take the dough out of the fridge and let warm up on the counter for 1.5-2 hrs. (EDIT: I later found this step to be completely unnecessary; you can bake straight from the fridge, and is scores this way easier too!). Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500F, then drop the temp to 475F. I baked at first under a "dome". I have this old cast-aluminum pot, which I preheat in the oven and then invert and cover the dough with it to create hot and steamy environment, similar to a Dutch oven or Cloche. It looks like this:
I am baking right on a cookie sheet, lightly covered with corn meal to prevent dough sticking. Take the dough out of the banneton, dust off any excess flour, and score the bread. I scored at a shallow angle, trying to create an "ear". I think I succeeded.
Bake under the dome for 20 min at 475F, then drop temp to 460F and bake uncovered for 20 min more, rotating once in the middle. I waited for about 2 hrs before slicing the loaf, and I must admit that was torture! :-) (EDIT: It's actually better to wait much longer, 3-4 hrs). The crumb looks fine, although I would prefer it a bit more airy. The taste was wonderful, and the crust was the crunchiest I ever achieved!
Hope this helps someone too!
Comments
You nailed it. Congratulations!
:-)
Very nice!
for having this great site!
brea. Well done and happu baking
That is a great looking loaf. Love the oven spring you got on it. Well done!!!
It looks really good and I like the crumb texture which is exactly what I am getting most of the time. I bet it tastes great as well.
Happy Easter holidays Cooper,
Joze
Well done!
A little advice and guidance from the TFL crew applied to what you already knew. A beautiful boule. Congratulations.
alan
blogging it, in detail, with instructions and those of-so-scrumptious pics!
There are a lot of other newbies (like me) who will be very inspired to try and follow your example.
Cheers!
for your kind words! It was definitely the abundance of advice and encouragement from everyone here that helped me improve. Happy holidays!
I want ro try this out!
What does KA flour stand for?
When you initially put your dough in the mixer, what speed setting is it on?
Thanks!
KA is "King Arthur" brand flour. I always start on speed 1, and don't go higher for the initial mix. After autolyze phase, I start on 1, and then switch to 2 for about 1 min towards the end. You really don't need to go higher; the goal is to ensure that everything is well-integrated, not to work the dough extensively.
I just baked another loaf using this recipe. Every time it gets better, probably because I am getting more practice in doing stretch/fold and in shaping the loaf. I don't even flour the table now when I do the stretches; I just wet the hands and the scraper periodically, as someone suggested elsewhere on this site, and the dough [almost] doesn't stick. I use a bit of flour towards the end, when I need to form the boule before I put it into the banneton for overnight fridge proofing.
Here's today's loaf: