Description
Discover the art of making Farmgirl Sourdough Bread at home with our easy-to-follow recipe. Learn essential tips for perfect crust and flavor. Bake like a pro today!
Ingredients
Scale
- 400 grams unbleached bread flour (mix of unbleached bread flour, all-purpose and whole red wheat flour)
- 115 grams active sourdough starter
- 280 grams lukewarm water
- 8 grams sea salt
Instructions
- The evening before, refresh the starter and place it in a warm spot (around 78-80°F) to allow it to grow. It will form bubbles and double in volume. Once it reaches its peak or almost there, place it in the refrigerator overnight.
- On the day of preparation, remove the mature starter from the fridge and let it reach room temperature.
- In a spacious bowl or plastic container, combine the flour with the water. Use a dough whisk to blend as much as possible. If necessary, employ your hands to fully mix the ingredients due to the low moisture content.
- Stir until the flour is fully mixed in. The dough will appear dry and rough. Cover it and let it sit in a warm environment (78-80°F) for at least 1 hour, up to 3 hours.
- Layer the mature starter on the dough. Sprinkle salt over it. Use damp fingers to knead the starter and salt into the dough until well combined. Cover it with a moist cloth or plastic wrap and let it rest for an hour.
- Execute a series of stretch and folds. With slightly wet hands, grasp the dough, gently stretch it upwards, and fold it back over past the center. Turn the bowl slightly and repeat around the dough about six times until it begins to take form.
- Perform four sets of stretch and folds at intervals of 30 minutes to enhance gluten strength.
- If the dough is not taking shape, employ coil folds. Lift the dough from both sides, allowing it to fold under itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat. Rest the dough for 30 minutes between each coil fold.
- Allow the dough to rise and increase in size. At the end of bulk fermentation, it should have expanded by 40-70% with some bubbles visible. The edges should have a slight dome. This process may take 3-7 hours, depending on the temperature of your environment.
- To help the dough rise, use the oven with the proof bread setting or the light on. Monitor the temperature using a digital thermometer with a probe.
- When the dough is bubbly and has risen 40-70%, perform a pre-shape by turning the dough onto a lightly floured surface. It will be very sticky, which is desirable.
- Form the dough into round shapes. Push it away with your left hand, rotate slightly, and bring it back using a bench scraper, tucking the bottom under to create tension.
- Allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes without covering.
- Shape the dough into rounds. Flip over, stretch into a rectangle on a slightly floured surface, being cautious not to over-flour. Avoid adding flour on top.
- Fold the end toward you, then each side corner towards the center, pressing them together. Repeat along the length of the dough, similar to braiding, pressing down each time.
- From the top, roll and tuck the dough into itself until fully shaped. Tuck the ends using your fingers or a bench scraper.
- Place in rice-floured bannetons, cover with a plastic bag or inexpensive plastic shower caps to prevent drying during the cold proof.
- I recommend using a 7 to 8-inch banneton for this recipe.
- Refrigerate the bannetons of dough overnight, or up to 36 hours.
- Preheat the oven with the Dutch oven inside for 1 hour at 550°F.
- Remove the plastic cover from the dough, and either discard or thoroughly dry it for reuse.
- Dust the dough lightly with flour and cornmeal, place parchment paper over it, secure with your hand, and flip to release from the basket onto a surface.
- Brush off any hardened rice flour.
- Score the dough immediately before baking while still cold. Use a bread lame at a 45-degree angle for a deep cut (make this cut last).
- Use parchment paper to carefully place the dough into the preheated Dutch oven.
- Bake at 550°F with the lid on for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking uncovered at 450°F for 15 minutes. Place a pan under the Dutch oven to prevent the bottom from burning. Look for a golden color and an internal temperature of 200-205°F.
- Gently take the bread out of the pot and let it cool for at least 1-2 hours before slicing.
Notes
- Ensure the sourdough starter is lively and bubbly for optimal rise and flavornUse your hands if necessary to fully combine flour and water for proper hydrationnUse damp fingers to mix in salt and starter evenly and prevent sticking
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Calories: 250
- Fat: 12g
- Protein: 8g
Keywords: sourdough bread recipe, active sourdough starter, low hydration dough, stretch and fold technique, dutch oven baking, bread scoring tips
