Hoegaarden Beer Bread

A small boule, perfect for 4 people, or two with leftovers... :-)

I could kick myself for not writing down the source, I had it in my computer as a text file, so I share with you  - I changed a few things, instead of kneading for 10 minutes I just used stretch and fold at 30 min,  1h, and 1h and 30 min.   First proofing 3 hours, shaped, rose for 90 minutes (should have been longer, but life got in the way). Baked at 450F covered  for 20 minutes, reducing the oven to 435F after, baking 15 min more.

For the sponge:

• 120 g 100% hydration sourdough starter
• 60 g white bread flour
• 45 ml Hoegaarden white beer

For the final dough:

• 235 g white bread flour
• 65 ml Hoegaarden white beer
• 40 ml lukewarm water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

Preparation:

Place the sponge, flour, beer and water in a salad bowl. Mix for a few minutes until combined, then add the salt. Knead for about 10 minutes, adding a little flour or water if necessary. Add the fennel seeds and rosemary, then knead again for a couple of minutes until well incorporated.

Shape in a ball, transfer to a lightly oiled container, cover with a damp towel and leave to ferment for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Shape the dough. Place on an oven tray lined with parchment paper or a non-stick mat. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to proof at room temperature for 90 minutes to a couple of hours.

Preheat the oven to 250°C. When ready to bake, place an small oven-proof dish filled with boiling water on the sole of the oven. Dust the loaf with a little flour and slash its surface with a knife. Place the tray in the middle of the oven. Throw a small quantity of cold water on the sole of the oven to generate steam and immediately close the oven door.

Bake with steam for about 15 minutes then remove the small oven-proof dish. Lower the temperature to about 225-230°C and continue baking for a further 15 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a rack for 2 hours before serving.