Sourdough

2021-12-29

I started making sourdough in January 2020 (before everyone got a lockdown hobby). For all of 2020 and most of 2021 (until the 110deg summer), i made a loaf of sourdough every week.

This isn’t a guide or anything, it’s just a brief summary of what i do.

Baking

Ingredients

~3 cup flour
2 cup water
Levain
Salt optional and doesn’t seem to do anything.

Sometimes topped with nuts, oats, or herbs. Brushing with butter makes it too "brown", and doesn’t add flavor.

Bake

Total time: ~14 hours

Levain: 4hrs
Stretch and folds: ~2hrs (3 iterations separated by ~45min)
Bulk fermentation: 5hr
Refridgerate for 30min before shaping and scoring
Bake: 45min at 450deg (20 with lid, 25 with no lid)
Cool: 1hr

Alternate shapes, such as baguettes, might not be able to use a cast iron pot with a lid. In that case, bake for 30min and check.