SOURDOUGH BREAD

Joshua Weissman traveled alllllll the way to the big apple, just to show me how to make bread! I mean, I'm sure he did other things while he was in town.

Special Equipment List

Dutch oven

Ingredients

For the levain

  • 35 grams bread flour

  • 35 grams whole wheat flour

  • 35 grams mature starter

  • 70 grams filtered water

For the dough

  • 810 grams bread flour

  • 90 grams whole wheat flour

  • 680 grams filtered water (at 90℉)

  • 18 grams fine sea salt


Method

  1. Mix levain ingredients and rest in a warm area (70-80℉) for 5 hours.

  2. One hour before your levain is done, mix together your bread flour and whole wheat flour. Add 580g of your water to the flour mixture (keeping 100g to the side for mixing later).

  3. Mix just until your dough comes together. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm area (same as your starter) for 1 hour.

  4. Mix your dough and levain together using a little of your separated water to help incorporate. Rest 20 minutes.

  5. Add your sea salt and the rest of your separated water and mix until incorporated. Slap and fold for 2-4 minutes or until your dough is smooth and begins to catch some air. Rest 15 minutes in the same warm area you placed your starter.

  6. Perform 6 sets of stretch and folds spaced out by 15 minutes for the first 3, then 30 minutes for the next 3. Make sure to place your dough back in the warm area for each rest.

  7. Let your dough rest for a remainder of 1.5 hours, for a grand total of 4 hours.

  8. Dump out and divide your dough into 2 even pieces. Preshape each piece into a light boule and rest 5-10 minutes.

  9. Shape your dough into 2 batards and place into bannetons dusted with either rice flour or all purpose flour.

  10. Chill in the fridge overnight.

  11. Preheat a cast iron combo cooker in your oven from cold to 500℉ for 1 hour.

  12. Carefully place a dusted loaf into the hot pan, score the top, place the larger lid on top, and bake for 20 minutes.

  13. Remove the top from the combo cooker and lower the oven temperature to 450℉. Bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until the loaf is deep brown.

  14. Remove and cool on a wire rack until room temperature. Repeat with the other loaf.

Sample Schedule for Breadmaking

9am: Mix levain
1pm: Autolyse dough
2pm: Mix dough and levain
2:15pm: Mix in salt
2:30pm: Fold #1
2:45pm: Fold #2
3:00pm: Fold #3
3:30pm: Fold #4
4:00pm: Fold #5
4:30pm: Fold #6, rest for 1.5 hours
6pm: Shape dough and place in fridge overnight
Next morning: Preheat oven as guided and bake!

 
Emilija Saxesourdough, sourdough bread