Based on a Hollywood recipe but changed to allow first prove in the fridge overnight.
This was a nice bread but lacked the sour taste. It was the most similar to 'normal' bread of all the recipes to date. Julie's favourite to date but I preferred the long prove method.
Overall 1 hour bake - a lot of flour from the prove basket on the loaf.
Nice crumb but could do with more big holes. Taste lacking sourness of longer proven bread.
Ingredients:-
- 375g/13oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
- 250g/9oz sourdough starter
- 7.5g salt
- 130-175ml/4-6fl oz tepid water
- olive oil, for kneading
Method:-
The evening before baking:
- Combine the flour, starter and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the water, a little at a time, and mix with your hands to make a soft dough (you may not need all of the water).
- Coat a chopping board or work surface with olive oil, then tip the dough onto it and knead the dough for 10-15 minutes, or until the dough forms is smooth and elastic.
- Tip the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film.
- Leave to rise in a warm place for up to five hours, or until at least doubled in size - can place in the fridge overnight in the middle of this proving. I did an hour in the warm before fridge overnight and then a few hours in the warm again.
Breakfast on the day of baking
- Take out of the fridge and return to warm place for rest of proving.
Lunchtime on the day of baking:
- Knead the dough until it’s smooth, knocking the air out. Roll into a ball and dust with flour.
- Tip the dough into a well-floured round banneton or proving basket and leave to rise for 4-8 hours.
The bake:
- Use a Dutch Oven and heat the oven to Gas Mark 9.
- Cut the top of the loaf after gently rolling it into the Dutch Oven.
- Gently tip the risen dough onto a lined baking tray.
- Bake the loaf for 30 minutes at this heat, then reduce the heat to Gas Mark 8. Remove the lid from the Dutch Oven and bake for a further 15-30 minutes.
- I use a long bake to get the crust very dark brown.