5 Day Sourdough Recipe Extended Edition
Hello my fellow bakers.
This post is made to provide more detail to a basic recipe we provide to customers who purchase Bannetons (also known as Proofing Baskets) from our bakery. With that purchase we include Carl Jr, our active sourdough starter, so that you can save yourself the time and effort of bringing a starter to life from scratch.
This recipe Makes 2 Loaves, so try different proofing, shaping and baking methods if you like, you can also bake one off and save the rest of the dough for the next day to see the difference. However you use, have fun and happy baking!
Day One: Feed Starter: 76g
This Sourdough Stater
should be fed at a ratio of 1:1 Water : Flour
The Quantity of this ratio is based on the recipe you are using. This the recipe calls for 76g of Starter so you will mix 38g of flour with 38g of cold water in a bowl, then add your starter (Carl jr.) and mix again. Place in a container large enough for the newly fed starter to double in size. Using an elastic band or a piece of tape, indicate the level of the newly fed starter so that you will know when it has doubled in size and is ready to use in your dough recipe. This typically takes 6-8 hours at room temperature, but can be placed in the fridge overnight. It is important that the starter doubles in size before continuing with the recipe. If you have left the starter too long it will double in size and then begin to recede in size. You can tell that the starter needs to be fed if you see a liquid forming on top of the mixture. This is called hooch and should be discarded before feeding again.
Day Two: Mix Stiffy:
This Stiff Starter should be mixed at a ratio of 1:2:4 Starter : Water : Flour
For this recipe combine: Starter 76g, Water 150g and Flour 300g This step can be done by hand but I recommend using a standing mixer for 8-10 minutes. Empty out the stiffy onto the table and form a single ball. Place the ball in a lightly greased bowl or container. Lightly cover the top of the Stiffy with oil and cover. Place in fridge overnight or on your counter for 6-8 hours.
Its very important to conserve the remaining stater once you have weighed out what you need and not scrape your container with your starter clean. And certainly don't toss it into soapy water! Unless you want to begin a new starter from scratch or go back to the bakery to ask for more starter, simply place the remaining starter in a covered container in the fridge for next time you make bread. This will last 1-2 weeks unfed, but keep an eye out for hooch and give it a small feeding in between baking batches if you don't bake bread too often.
Day 3: Mix Dough:
The Dough should be mixed at a ratio of 5:2:3 Stiffy : Water : Flour
Salt should be added at a ratio of approximately 10g per 1kg of dough
For this recipe : If mixing with a machine mixer Combine Stiffy 525g, Flour 325g, Water 232g Mix on a low speed for 10 minutes. Then add 10g of salt and let mix for another 3 minutes.
If mixing by hand: knead continuously until dough no longer sticks to your hands, roughly 10-14 minutes. Do not add flour or water. The dough will eventually form together, from there you can shape a uniform ball.
Dough that has been properly mixed or kneaded will develop two sides, what can be referred to as Top and Bottom. Top will appear smooth whereas Bottom appears porous. When forming a ball with the dough, as well as when forming loaves, it is important to keep the Top on the outside of the dough. This is easiest to do by keeping the top on the surface of the table and the Bottom facing up. By folding the dough from the edges into the middle, the result will be a ball of dough where only Top is visible.
Coat in oil and place in covered container overnight, the dough will double in size.
This stage is called Bulk Fermentation. The longer bulk fermentation takes the better the bread will taste and the easier it will be for your body to digest and break down the gluten and starches. Bulk fermentation can be slowed down by having the dough at a cooler temperature (in the fridge) or by adding acidity (such as vinegars) just be careful not to add too much acidity as it may kill the starter's natural yeast. Less is more. And once the dough has doubled in size its time to roll.
Day 4: Roll:
Divide dough into two equal parts and form into desired shape. Remember to keep the Top on the outside of your loaves. Place in bannetons, seam side up, cover and place in fridge overnight.
Day 5: Bake: Preheat
oven to 450 F/ 230C
Remove loaves from bannetons by turning them out directly, seam
side down, on a baking sheet with parchment paper and score before placing in
oven. Add moisture to oven using a bain-marie or spray bottle before closing the oven door.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. This is when the "Spring" happens, the loaf will increase in volume as the gases inside the loaf expand but are trapped within the loaf by the gluten strands. The moisture you have added to the oven ensures that the crust does not form before the Spring is complete. You should also notice colour beginning to appear. If you desire a darker crust leave the loaves longer at this higher temperature.
Next, reduce temperature to 220 F/105 C for another 40 minutes or until
internal temperature of the loaves reach 200-220 F/95-100 C
The goal at this point is for as much of the water to evaporate as possible, so that the interior is not gummy once cooled and will slice cleanly.
Once the loaves are out of the oven it is best to cool them on a wire rack so that air can pass under the loaves as well as the top and sides. The interior of the bread takes longer to cool than the exterior and remains in a gel state for a few hours until it reaches room temperature and is ready for slicing.
I hope this recipe works as well for you as it has for me. Please let us know how your loaves turn out, and send pictures!
Until next time Happy Baking,
Rusty Buckets
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