DNA's Sourdough Bread

Things you need:

1. Dehydrated starter: Link below to one I used.

   1. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YVE3076?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

   2. Once you establish a strong starter, you are ready to make bread. Generally 1 to 2 weeks depending on temperature of your environment and how often you feed.

2. Large mason jar (I like the wide mouth 4 pint), this is a good size for enough starter to rise and mix 4 loaves at a time. 

3. Dutch oven pot with lid for baking. 

   1. I'm sure any cast iron or even ceramic bakeware with a lid will work.

4. Sharp razor to pre-score bread so you control the "break-lines" as it rises.

5. A scale is much more precise, but not necessary. 

Hints:

• I find it's easier to establish one time a week for mixing the new loaves & feeding the starter. 

  1. For me that is generally Sunday afternoon.

• You want to use your starter when it is on the rise and bubbly.

  1. This can mean you pull it out of the fridge in the morning, to be mixed in the afternoon or the night before to be mixed in the morning... 

Recipe: 

This is for 1 loaf, but you can duplicate this easily. 

I have 3-4  separate bowls. 

I measure all ingredients in each bowl first. 

Then I go back and hand mix them all.

Ingredients

• 1. 250g Purified water

  2. 150g Active Starter (bubbly and pancake like texture)

  3. 25g olive oil 

  4. 425g non-bleached flour 

  5. 10g salt

  6. Parchment paper

1. Measure purified water (I like to warm it up a tad - lukewarm).

2. Add starter (you know it's good if it floats on the water). 

3. Add olive oil, flour then salt.

Now you mix the bread:

1. I use my clean hands to get a good mixing and even some kneading inside the bowl. 

   1. I'm sure you can use a mixer with dough hooks if you have them. 

2. Then cover them with a damp cloth, plastic wrap or if using Tupperware bowls like me, put the lids on. You don't want them drying out.

3. Set them in a warm place if you have one and set the timer for 20 minutes. 

4. Every 20 minutes stretch & fold the dough (4 x's).

   1. I hear the stretch & fold isn't critical, that you can skip it and just form the loaves, and put them straight to the fridge. But I've never tried that. 

   2. If you go an hour or more between stretch session, it doesn't matter. The idea is that it's getting rest and then the stretches strengthen the glutens.

5. Now form each loaf with an envelope fold and place on parchment paper if you are using a loaf pan to proof.

   1. I have proofing baskets, so I use coconut flour instead of parchment pp in the baskets because that doesn't stick like regular flour does. 

6. Cover your loaves and place in the fridge. 

7. Let them proof for at least 12 hours & no more than 5-7 days depending of the proofing pans you use.

Baking:

1. Preheat the oven to 450* with the cast iron pot and lid inside.

2. Once the oven is ready, pull out a loaf, and put on parchment paper if it isn't already.

3. Be delicate ... you don't want it to fall.

   1. It won't look like it has risen much but don't worry. The trick is the super hot oven.

4. Score the loaf and place on parchment paper. 

5. Pull the hot pot out of oven and place bread carefully inside. Replace the lid.

6. Put it in the oven for 20 minutes.

7. Once the timer goes off, remove the lid, add 20 more minutes.

8. That is it!!!

   1. When the second timer goes off, take it out and place on a cooling rack.

   2. You can knock on the bottom to see if it's done or check the inside with a thermometer (200*) if you're not sure.