Sourdough bread

I credit this recipe to Joshua Weissman. This is a long but satisfying odyssey. The recipe below makes two loaves, so you can always use half of the ingredients for the dough (not the starter). I didn’t use a banneton or dutch oven, so my recipe is slightly different than his. Shoutout to TreacyG for giving me his COVID-19 bread tips as well. Check out this link to see how Joshua makes it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eod5cUxAHRM&t=690s

Ingredients for the whole recipe (starter+dough):

  • 845g all-purpose flour + more for dusting surfaces and your proofing bag
  • 220g whole-wheat flour
  • 273g unbleached bread flour
  • 400g stone-ground rye flour

Schedule for the starter

Day 1:

Record the weight of your jar In the jar, add the following:

  • 100g stone-ground rye flour
  • 150g water at 30°C

Day 2:

In your jar:

  • 70g of the previous day’s starter
  • 50g stone-ground rye flour
  • 50g unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 115g water at 30°C

Day 3:

Same as “Day 2”

Day 4:

In your jar:

  • 70g of the previous day’s starter
  • 50g stone-ground rye flour
  • 50g unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 100g water at 30°C

Day 5:

Same as “Day 4”

Day 6:

In your jar:

  • 50g mature starter
  • 50g stone-ground rye flour
  • 50g unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 100g water at 30°C

Day 7:

This is your maintenance feeding, your starter should be ready to be used.

  • 25g mature starter
  • 50g stone-ground rye flour
  • 50g unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 100g water at room temperature

Directions for making your sourdough bread (this is a two-day long process)

Ingredients:

Levain:

  • 45 mature starter
  • 45g unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 45g stone-ground whole-wheat flour
  • 90g filtered water at room temperature

Dough: You can use half of the quantities below if you want to make one loaf only

  • 273g unbleached bread flour
  • 500g all-purpose flour
  • 175g stone-ground whole-wheat flour
  • 660g filtered water at 35°C

Directions

9am: Making the levain

Combine Levain ingredients in a glass bowl, mix, and set aside in an oven with the light on (no heat) or in any warm room until 15:00

14:25: Autolyse

Mix the “dough” ingredients together to hydrate the flour. Let it sit for 30mn covered.

15:00:

Add 18g of fine sea salt and the levain to your dough. Don’t knead, use the Rhubaud method to mix. Cover and let it sit for 1.5 hour to begin bulk fermentation.

16:30: 1st fold

16:45: 2nd fold

17:15: 3rd fold

19:00 Pre-shaping

Scoop the dough on a non-floured surface. Paint a flour line in the middle of the dough and divide in two loaves. Using a floured bench scraper, make little balls then cover with overturned bowl for 15mn. Remove bowls and let the balls sit uncovered for 10mn.

19:25: Shape your loaves.

This is the most technical part, I suggest you watch YouTube videos for that part. Place your loaves in bowls that are lined with floured kitchen towel. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight.

9:00am the next day:

Heat a LODGE cast-iron in your oven at 260°C for an hour

10:00am:

Remove the cast-iron pan from the oven and dust it with flour. Place your dough on it, score it and cover with aluminium. Bake in oven for 20mn with a tray of water at the bottom. After 20mn, remove the aluminium and the tray from the oven and bake for another 25mn at 242°C.

That’s it, you’ve made your own sourdough bread! Enjoy with butter and sea salt (or whatever your heart desires).