Rustic (Sourdough) Bread

Here is the YouTube Video this recipe came from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mehXzl7yHA

It’s a good idea to watch the video so you see how he’s folding the dough. Then you can follow my recipe below. I give you links in the recipe that take you to the exact moment he is doing each part.

FYI I use method 3 in his video. Method 3 can take up to 4 hours until the bread is ready to eat.

Kitchen items you should have:

  • 5.5 quart dutch oven or something close to it

  • Two 9-12 inch bowls

  • Kitchen thermometer

  • Plastic/foil wrap or metal cover for your bowl

  • Oven mitts

  • Kitchen scale

 

Nice to have items:

  • 9 inch proofing basket

  • Scissors or a dough scorer (lame)

  • Flexible dough scraper

  • Cooling rack

  • Bench knife

 

You can use a POOLISH or a SOURDOUGH STARTER for this recipe. I recommend the starter.

 

POOLISH: A poolish is something called a preferment. Its a simple flour/water/yeast mixture you make the day before you intend to use it.

 

Watch this part of the video to see how to make it. https://youtu.be/5mehXzl7yHA?t=40

  • FLOUR 150g or ROUGHLY 1 C. AP or bread flour

  • WATER 150g or ROUGHLY 2/3C. (ROOM TEMP)

  • YEAST 1 small pinch

  • Mix all ingredients in a container and put a saran wrap top or the like on it.

  • let the poolish ripen on the counter for 12-24 hours, preferably at least 16.

-OR-

SOURDOUGH STARTER (if you are making one yourself this could take 1-2 weeks to get going): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHm1aKxAsIs

RECIPE:

Dough ingredients:  https://youtu.be/5mehXzl7yHA?t=94

  • KOSHER SALT 10g or roughly 1.5 TSP  or  0.353 oz

  • WATER 280g or 1 1/4C. (98F)

  • YEAST 2g or 1/2 TSP or 0.0705 oz

  • ALL OF THE POOLISH or STARTER (300g)

  • FLOUR 350g or 2 1/4 C. AP or bread FLOUR

  • WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR 50g or ROUGHLY 1/3 C.

  • DIASTATIC MALT POWDER – Optional 10g

Recipe: https://youtu.be/5mehXzl7yHA?t=94

  • Mix the Poolish or Starter with the water.

    • water(280g or 1 1/4C.WATER -98F). Stir it with a spoon until it’s dissolved in the water.

  • In another bowl combine all the dry ingredients. This includes 10g of salt,  the bread flour (350g), whole wheat flour (50g), dry yeast(2g) and optional malt powder(10g). Mix the dry ingredients until everything is evenly distributed.

  • Combine the wet and dry ingredients by stirring with a spoon until it gets hard to mix it.

  • Wet one hand well with cold water and mix the dough by squeezing it. Turn the bowl a little and squeeze again. Repeat for 90 seconds or until you know all the ingredients are completely mixed. You will need to re-wet your hand. Keep in mind to not add too much water to the dough from your hand.

  • Once its evenly mixed, cover it (use plastic wrap, foil or a lid) and let sit for 30 minutes.

  • After 30 minutes uncover the dough. Wet your hand again so the dough doesnt stick.

  • Pull the dough up as far as it will go and fold it over. Turn the bowl 45 degrees and repeat this 8-10 times https://youtu.be/5mehXzl7yHA?t=476 You will notice the dough starts to get strong. This means the dough won’t stretch like it did when you started.

  • (optional) Pick up the dough and drop it back in the bowl 7 times to start forming it into a ball. Turn 90° every time you do it. https://youtu.be/5mehXzl7yHA?t=209

  • Cover and wait another 30 minutes.

  • Repeat the stretching and folding process above.

  • Cover dough for 60 minutes.

  • Remove the dough from the bowl. Using a Flexible dough scraper will help.Put the dough on a well floured work-surface. I use rice flour for this part since it’s hydrophobic.

  • It’s a good idea you watch the video to see how he does the next few steps. Here is the link at the right time https://youtu.be/5mehXzl7yHA?t=475

  • Pull the dough from the outside to the opposite side every 45 degrees. Do this about 6 times.

  • Grab opposing sides and cross them over the top. You should be able to do this 3-4 times.

  • Flip the loaf over and round it off to create tension. https://youtu.be/5mehXzl7yHA?t=503

  • Put the loaf seam side up in a clean floured bowl or proofing basket. Leave it uncovered. https://youtu.be/5mehXzl7yHA?t=536

  • Let it sit for 30-50 minutes.

*This is a good time to preheat your oven and the dutch oven you are cooking the bread in.

POKE TEST: During the proofing stage you can test your dough to see if it’s ready. Poke the dough with your finger in about ½ inch and pull your finger out. Look at the indentation.

  • If the dough springs back quickly and your poke leaves no indentation, it’s underproofed. Wait 10 min and try again.

  • If it springs back slowly and leaves an indentation, it’s properly proofed and ready to bake.

  • If it never springs back, the dough is over proofed.

Baking:

  • Preheat your oven AND your dutch oven to 500 degrees for 30-60 minutes. *If your oven is big enough try to use a mid level oven rack. If the rack is too low the loaf can burn.

  • Pull the dutch oven out and put it on a heat safe surface.

  • Sprinkle some semolina flour in the bottom of the dutch oven.

  • Put the loaf in the pre-heated dutch oven. Be careful because it’s hot!

  • Score the top with a knife or scissors. You can see him do this in the video. https://youtu.be/5mehXzl7yHA?t=574 or learn more about scoring here https://www.thespruceeats.com/scoring-bread-dough-4799413

  • Put the top on the dutch oven

  • Lower the oven to 485 degrees Fahrenheit

  • Bake for 18 minutes covered at 485 degrees.

  • Remove the dutch oven top and bake at 475 to 485 uncovered for 20-30 minutes. The oven temperature varies depending on your oven. Start with 475 and see how it goes. Be careful because it’s easy to under-bake the bread and also burn the bottom. If you pull it out too early you will be missing out on some flavor. Bake it until it’s a deep brown color.

  • Let the bread rest for 15 minutes before you cut into the loaf.

  • Enjoy!

Quick Summary:

  1. Mix ingredients and let sit for 30 minutes

  2. Fold dough

  3. Wait 30 minutes OR put it in the refrigerator for about 12 hours.

  4. Fold dough

  5. Wait 60 min

  6. Final dough work for proofing(this includes two folding techniques)

    1. Preheat oven 500F

    2. then wait 30-50 min

  7. Sprinkle semolina flour in pan, put dough in pan, score bread & bake for 18 min at 475F

  8. Take the top off the dutch oven and rotate the bread in the oven.

  9. Bake another 15-30 min at 475F

  10.  Let the bread crust darken to a reddish brown color making sure not to burn the bottom.

  11. Let bread cool for at least 20 min