Ingredients:-

Leaven

• 100g starter (from above)
• 200g Sainsburys bread flour
• 200ml tepid water

DOUGH

• 600g ferment (from above)
• 800g White Bread Flour
• 300ml tepid water
• 2 tsp salt
• flour

Method:-

To make the starter

• On the first day, put one tablespoon of flour and one of water into a 500ml glass bowl and mix together.
• Wet a clean tea towel, wring it out well, lay it over the bowl and leave in a warm place for about 12 hours.
• After the 12 hours have passed, add another tablespoon of flour and another of water, mix together, cover with the damp tea towel and leave for another 12 hours.
• On day two (24 hours since beginning your starter), stir in a third tablespoon of flour and a third spoon of water, stir to mix, cover again with the damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for 12 hours.
• For the second feed of day two, add a tablespoon of flour and one of water, stir to mix, cover with the tea towel and leave in a warm place for 12 hours.
• For the first feed of day three (36 hours since beginning your starter), increase the feed by adding two tablespoons of flour and two of water, stir to mix. Re-damp the tea towel if necessary, lay it over the bowl and leave in a warm place for 12 hours.
• On the second feed of day three, add one tablespoon of flour and another of water, mix together, cover with the damp tea towel and leave for another 12 hours.
• At this point your starter should be bubbly and ready to create your ferment. If the starter is not showing bubbles, repeat the 12-hour feed and water routine, and ensure the starter is kept in a warm place.

Method:-

To make the Leaven

• Once your starter is bubbly, stir the starter and then measure 100g of the starter into a large mixing bowl.
• Add 200g flour and 200ml water, stir to make a paste, cover with an upturned mixing bowl and leave in a warm place for 4-12 hours until bubbles appear. When bubbly, your ferment is ready to use (you can either dispose of any unused starter after bread making or keep and feed it regularly until your next baking session).

1st Dough

• Add the white bread flour and water to the bowl of ferment and stir to mix.
• When roughly mixed, add the salt and stir until incorporated.
• Using your hands gather everything, gently pressing into a sticky ball of dough.
• Knead the dough in the bowl for 100 presses without adding flour.
• Turn another large mixing bowl upside down, place it over dough bowl and leave in a warm place until double in size which may take 4 – 12 hours.

2nd Dough

• Dust the inside of the banneton liberally with flour and sprinkle flour over a large oven tray.
• Knead the dough in the bowl for 100 presses without adding flour.
• Shape the dough into a ball and put it into the prepared banneton.
• Cover with an upturned mixing bowl and leave to double in size, 2 – 4 hours.

Pre-heat the oven.

• Remove the upturned bowl and very gently tip the dough onto the prepared oven tray.
• Using a very sharp knife or pair of scissors, quickly make a couple of snips into the top of the loaf.
• Bake for 40-60 minutes.
• Transfer the bread to a wire rack and leave to cool.