White Wild Yeast Sourdough Recipe
Also made with a wild yeast starter, given a slow cool rise and baked on a stone hearth.
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Ingredients
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Levain (starter build)
Dough
For baking
Method
Levain (starter build)
- 1
Mix and ferment
8–12 hours before mixing the dough (or the night before), combine 150 g active white starter, 150 g unbleached bread flour and 150 g water in a jar. Stir until smooth, cover loosely and leave at room temperature (20–25°C / 68–77°F) until bubbly and doubled, indicating it is ripe. Timing will vary with temperature; it should float in a water test when ripe.
Dough
- 2
Autolyse
In a large mixing bowl, combine 625 g bread flour, 75 g whole wheat flour and 450 g lukewarm water. Mix until there are no dry patches and the flour is hydrated (dough will be shaggy and sticky). Cover and rest for 30–45 minutes. This hydrates the flour and starts gluten development.
- 3
Mix levain and salt
After autolyse, add 375 g ripe levain to the dough. Mix by hand using pinch-and-fold or scooping motion until levain is incorporated. Sprinkle 15 g salt over the dough and mix thoroughly for 3–5 minutes until salt is evenly distributed and dough begins to feel more cohesive. If desired, add 1 tsp olive oil to lightly oil the bowl to prevent sticking during bulk fermentation.
- 4
Bulk fermentation with stretch-and-folds
Transfer dough to a lightly oiled container. Bulk ferment at room temperature (22–24°C / 72–75°F) for ~4 hours with a sequence of four stretch-and-folds during the first 2 hours: at 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. To stretch-and-fold: wet your hand, lift one side of the dough up and fold it over the center, rotate the bowl and repeat until you have folded all four sides. After the last fold, let the dough rest undisturbed for the remainder of bulk fermentation until it has risen ~20–40% and shows bubbles on the surface and sides.
- 5
Cold retard (slow cool rise)
After bulk fermentation, gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pre-shape into a loose round by folding edges to the center, rest 20 minutes covered. Final shape into a tight boule or bâtard, using tension-building movements on the countertop. Place seam-side up in a well-floured banneton or a bowl lined with a floured tea towel. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 12–18 hours (this slow cool rise develops flavor and improves crust and crumb).
Baking and finishing
- 6
Preheat oven and stone hearth
Place a baking stone or steel on the middle rack of the oven and a shallow metal pan on the bottom rack for steam. Preheat oven to 250°C (480°F) for at least 45 minutes to ensure the stone is thoroughly heated.
- 7
Score and load
Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Carefully invert the banneton onto a floured peel or an inverted baking sheet dusted with semolina or rice flour (2 tbs). Using a sharp lame or razor, score the dough as desired (a single long slash for an ear or a cross for decorative expansion).
- 8
Steam and bake
Slide the dough onto the preheated stone. Immediately pour 200 ml hot water into the shallow pan to create steam (close oven quickly). Bake at 250°C (480°F) for 15 minutes with steam, then reduce oven temperature to 230°C (450°F). Remove the steam pan (carefully) after 10–12 minutes if heavy steam is undesired, and continue baking for another 18–22 minutes until the crust is deeply golden-brown and the internal temperature reaches 98–99°C (208–210°F). Total bake time ~40–45 minutes.
- 9
Cool
Remove the loaf from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool at least 1.5–2 hours before slicing so the crumb sets and flavors develop.