Information

Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 7 hours & 20 minutes
Serves: 16
Nutrition Per Serving(Cals/Fat/Protein/Carbs): 191/0g/8g/42g
Total Cost/Cost Per Serving: $1.62/$0.10

Ingredients

Note: For optimal results, measure all dry ingredients by weight using a food scale
605 grams bread flour
86 grams sprouted or whole wheat flour
455 grams ripe, fed sourdough starter (100% hydration, or equal volume water & flour)
1 cup lukewarm water (about 110º)
14 grams (1 tbsp) kosher salt
Olive oil, for greasing bowl/folds

Equipment

Stand Mixer or Large Mixing Bowl
Dough Hook or Wooden Spoon
Large Bowl
Plastic Wrap
Floursack or Tea Towel
Proofing Basket
Dutch Oven w/Oven-Safe Lid (5qts. is ideal size)
Sifter or Metal Sieve
Oven
Lame or Sharp Knife for Scoring

Instructions

1. Combine 605g bread flour, 86 grams sprouted wheat flour, 455 grams of sourdough starter at 100% hydration, and 1 cup lukewarm (100-110º) water in large mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer.

2. Mix on low speed or with handle end of wooden spoon until ingredients just come together, about 2 minutes. Cover bowl with a clean towel and allow to rest for 20 minutes. This autolysing period allows the flour to absorb the water and for the naturally occuring yeast to activate further in the warm water. This process allows for a stretchier, more resilient dough.

3. After dough has rested, continue to mix with wooden spoon or stand mixer. If dough seems dry or is sticking to sides of bowl, add a bit of water, 1 tbsp at a time. Once dough comes together as one mass, either turn it out on a floured workspace or return to stand mixer with dough hook. Add 1 tbsp of Kosher salt. Knead dough until smooth and shiny, about 10-12 minutes by hand or 7-10 minutes in the stand mixer.

4. Grease a large bowl, preferrably glass, and place dough inside. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, then place a tea towel or floursack over top of bowl. Place bowl in a warm spot in your kitchen and allow to rise.

4. After 1 hour, uncover the bowl. Dip your hands in a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking and place hands at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock position on the dough. Lift dough up and allow top and bottom to stretch and fold underneath. Turn bowl 90º and repeat fold in this direction. Re-cover bowl and place back in a warm place.

5. After about 90 more minutes, repeat folding process. Use a clean tea towel or floursack to line a basket for the final proof. Use a mesh sifter to flour the towel insside of the basket. Using oiled hands, carefully form dough into a ball by tucking outside ends up underneath the center. Place dough seam side up in basket, dust with flour. Cover and place in a warm place.

6. Allow dough to proof until very puffy, about 1.5-2 hours. Near the end of the proof, pre-heat oven to 450º. Place the dutch oven inside, without the lid, to pre-heat for at least 45 minutes.

7. When ready to bake, carefully remove pre-heated dutch oven from the oven and place on a heat-safe surface. Uncover dough in proofing basket and carefully invert basket in center of dutch oven. Be sure to avoid touching the sides, they will be extremely hot.

8. Using lame or sharp kitchen knife, carefully score the bread in a cresent moon shape following the curve of the loaf. If you would like, you may make multiple scores to form a pattern, or use small scores to create beautiful designs. Each time you make this bread, try to score it in a new way. The more trial and error you go through, the more beautiful your loaves will become.

9. Cover dutch oven with oven safe lid and place in oven. Allow to bake for 30-35 minutes, until crust is an even golden brown. Remove lid and allow to bake for 5-8 more minutes. If you are using a thermometer to check for completion, aim for 204º in the center of the bread.

10. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Carefully remove bread from pot and allow to cool on a rack completely.

Pairs With

Literally Everything
Grass-Fed Butter
Ripe Brie