u/stewvanavich

Always something interesting happening in the garden.

390g water
200g active sourdough starter
15g olive oil
10g sugar
500 bread flour
10g salt

Mixed and did 3 coil folds spaced between 30 minutes each.

Let rise for 7 hours (78 degrees Fahrenheit)

Placed in baking pan and let rise again for 3 hours.

Poked holes with my fingers and added rosemary from the garden.

Put into pan and baked for 35 minutes at 450 degrees.

Let rest for 45 minutes before cutting and tasting.

For a first attempt I am happy, but will substitute the sugar for raw honey next time.

To a mixing bowl, I added 350g water (bottled Arrowhead) and 500g King Arthur Organic Bread Flour. Then hand mixed to a “shaggy” dough and let autolyse for 30 mins. 

Then added 140g starter (after a month of starter failure I broke down and bought the 233 year old San Francisco sourdough starter from Living Dough), 10/11g salt and hand mixed for about 6 minutes.

4 rounds of “slap and folds” spaced out 30 minutes each.

Left to bulk ferment at 78 degrees for 5.5-6 hours based on “The Sourdough Journey Temping Guide”. (Highly recommended for those who don’t know, this has help me so much)

Shaped the dough using the dough scrapper to create surface tension. And let rest in open-air for 30 minutes. Turned the dough over, lightly spread out the dough. I folded the left and right sides to the center and wrapped like a burrito. Pinched the sides. Floured and placed the dough seam-side-up into the oval banneton. Covered with a shower cap and into the fridge for the next 14 hours.

Preheated my cast iron bread loaf pan at 500 degrees and left to heat an extra hour. Plopped my cold dough onto parchment paper and scored the top. Carefully craned the dough into the hot cast iron. Sprayed the top with water (about 8 sprays), covered and placed into the oven.

Let bake for 24 minutes (Accidentally didn’t reduce the temp to 450, but turned into a happy accident). Removed the lid (it had risen more than ever before), turned the temp down to 450 and let bake for an additional 24 minutes. 

Internal temp was 209. Pulled it out and let rest on a cookie rack for 2 hours before cutting into it….This was by far my best loaf, but I would prefer a little less holes to use as sandwich bread. 

Thank you all who have posted your baking experiences, you have been great inspiration and encouragement! 

Sourdough is a reminder to “never give up” and “keep rolling with the punches”.