Sourdough Bread Class

I often get asked for silent auction prizes.  Sometimes I make crafts, other times I offer cooking classes.  For the recent silent auction to benefit the Carnegie Museum of Houghton, I donated a sourdough bread making class.  I've been making sourdough for over a year and sell a lot of it in the little bakery stand I have at the end of my driveway.   

I am creating this post for the auction winner, so she can see what she needs to get to make sourdough.   I will provide my very robust starter.  Here is a list of everything you need to make sourdough bread:

Must have:

• A scale - bread making measurement is all done by weight, not measuring cups.   A scale is required for bread baking success.   This is the one I have - very reliable and easy to use.   Highly recommened. 
• Large mixing bowl - any kind, it just needs to be big enough to hold your dough.  I like my vintage Pyrex 404s - that's 4 qt. size
• At least a 6 quart enameled cast iron dutch oven.   I have a Martha Stewart one that works great - I'd recommend this one.    I like the black color because it doesn't stain easily and makes great crust.  You can use it for a multitude of cooking projects - soups, stews, deep frying, roasts, etc.  It is a kitchen workhorse. 
• A banneton, or a similar sized bowl with a liner.   This is the one I have, but you could use a narrow bowl with a dishtowel in it, I suppose.  The dough needs a lot of support during it's cold ferment period.
• Parchment paper

Nice to have:

Dough whisk to mix up the dough.  This one comes with a dough scraper, which is also nice to have.

Bread sling to transport your loaf into your very hot dutch oven.   Much easier than using parchment paper and less risk of burning yourself. 

Bread lame - you can use a knife, but a bread lame is way easier!

Ove Gloves - making sourdough bread requires handling very hot pots.   These are wonderful!  I give them out for Christmas every year.  

Serrated bread knife - the best tool to cut your sourdough

Here is the recipe I use to make my sourdough bread

120g starter

400g water

480g King Arthur bread flour 

60g whole wheat flour

4 g diastatic malt * see note 

10 g sea salt

Note: Diastatic malt results in a faster, more robust rise, a richer flavor, and a deeper, darker crust in baked goods. It also helps create a smoother, more finely textured crumb

Mix all the dough ingredients except the salt with a wooden spoon or even better, a bread whisk.  Allow to rest for 30 minutes. It will look like a shaggy mass of unprocessed dough.  After 30 minutes, add the salt and mix it in by using the dough whisk or folding the dough over itself repeatedly until the salt is well-incorporated. Cover again and let rest for 30 minutes. 

Now, for the next 2-3 hours or so, you've got to stretch and fold your dough.  It's how sourdough bread is kneaded.  I recommend this video to show you how to do it. Some days, my dough is stiffer than this.   “Stretch and fold” is the way we build up the gluten structure.   After mix in the salt, I will try to stretch and fold it 3 more times, at 30- 45 min intervals.  At this point, the dough has been in process for about 3-4 hours.   When you make sourdough, plan on being with it this first part for that that time.   I find it easiest to do it right after dinner and do the next step over night.  

The next step is what they call bulk fermentation. Let it rise at room temp for at least 5 hours.   I find that during our cool Keweenaw weather, I can do this step overnight.   Lor an elastic, strong dough.  It should be smooth, elastic, with defined edges. When tugged, it should resist stretching, indicating elasticity.  Dough during bulk fermentation shows domed edge and bubbles. 

Before

After

The dough is now ready to shape. For the class, we will make a boule shape.  (round)  Watch these videos to see how to do it - round  and oval, or boule and batard, if you want to get all fancy French like.   Place the shaped dough in a banneton and  let the dough cold-proof in the overnight in the fridge.  The longer it cold proofs, the more sour the flavor, but if you go too long (days) your dough won't rise much. 

On bake day,  place your empty Dutch oven in a cold oven on the center rack and heat to 450° for 45 mins.   I put my pizza stone on a rack under it to make sure the bottom doesn't burn.   All ovens are different, you might not need this.   Upend the dough into a piece of parchment paper or the bread sling, carefully score the top with your lame, and place it in the Dutch oven, cover, then bake for 30 minutes. 

Remove the lid of the Dutch oven and control bake until your crust is a deep golden brown.   For my oven,. it's usually another 5-10 minutes.   Allow to cool fully before slicing.