Sour Dough - starter and bread.

 After a sour dough baking period a few years ago I decided to give it another try. This time I have watched lots of videos and read all about it. It's far more sucessful now I understand more. The next step is to get other whānau members making it from scratch!

It bakes best with a well fed starter which has had a few days of feeds...however a wee mistake using discard still made an ok loaf...it just ook longer to proof.

The best recipe for me comes from - The Real Sourdough Mom https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Real-Sourdough-Mom-61555299431119/

It suits me because I can fit it in with my lifestyle. I make it up to the cold ferment stage, then leave it overnight or for a few days on the fridge before baking.

Getting the oven to temp takes about an hour.

Sour Dough Feeding

Feed about every 12 hours. Mix water and starter before adding water. Use warm water if you want to speed up process.

30 g starter

125 g warm water

140g high grade flour

Sour Dough Bread Baking

Ingredients

250g active sourdough starter  (it should have at least doubled in size after last feed, the top should be slightly domed to show it is fully risen)

725g warm filtered water 

1000g high grade flour 

25g salt

Method

Prepare Dough: 

1. In a large mixing bowl, place 250g of active sourdough starter. 

2. Zero out the scale and add 725g of warm filtered water. Mix until the starter is dissolved. 

3. Add 1000g of flour and 25g of salt. Mix with hand until the dough is the same consistency and there are no pockets of dry flour remaining. Stretch and Folds: 

4. Cover the dough and let it rest for one hour. 

5. Perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes for four rounds. Bulk Fermentation: 

6. After the fourth round, cover the dough and let it bulk ferment on the counter for two hours until it increases by 50%-75% in size. (This step may take longer than 2 hours.) Shaping: 

7. Lightly flour the counter. Split the dough in half. 

8. Shape the dough into a large rectangle, then fold one side toward the middle, and repeat with the other side. Roll up your dough into a ball shape. Shape it into a round ball by pushing your dough out in a circular motion and pulling in about 3-4 times (tucking in the underside). Let rest for 20 minutes. 

9. Perform the final shaping by repeating the steps you did in the first shape. Place your dough upside down (seam side up) into a floured banneton. 

Proofing: 

10. Cover your dough with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and cold-proof in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to 48 hours. Baking: 

11. Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) with a Dutch oven inside. 

12. Once proofed, flip the dough onto parchment paper. Score the dough. 

13. Place the dough with parchment paper into the preheated Dutch oven. 

14. Bake covered at 500°F (260°C) for 35 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10 minutes at 425°F (220°C). 

15. Remove from the oven and cool for at least one hour before slicing.