Southern Sourdough

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Some of you may well be familiar with 'Henry's Bread Kitchen'. Henry Hunter is an artisan bread maker who runs a business in Blythewood, South Carolina.  (  https://henrysbreadkitchen.business.site/  )

I was particularly interested in the recipe for his Southern Sourdough, so I thought I'd give it a try. 

INGREDIENTS

602 gms bread flour

397 gms tepid filtered water

227 gms of freshly fed sourdough starter

18 gms sea salt (crushed)

A note about my take on Henry's ingredients

Flour - I'm using Canadian strong bread flour with a protein level of 13%.

Water - tepid filtered water 

Starter - I'm using my Canadian 1848 starter which has been fed with all-purpose / plain flour (low protein %) and a little sugar. 

Salt - I'm using Halen Môn, Welsh sea salt from the Isle of Anglesey, crushed in a pestle and mortar before adding. Note: I've weighed the salt as flakes and then crushed it. 

This recipe produces bread with a 71.3% hydration. 

METHOD

1. Mix the flour and the water until fully combined. 

2. Cover and leave to autolyse for 1 hour at room temperature.

3. Add the starter and then the salt. Mix thoroughly.

4. Knead, stretch and fold until it comes together into a smooth ball. 

5. Cover and leave for one hour at room temperature. 

6. At 30 minute intervals, complete four sets of stretch and folds. Total 4 x 30 minutes = 2 hours.

Leave to double in volume.....

7. Divide into bannetons, shape, cover and refrigerate overnight 

Next day...

8.  Preheat the oven and Dutch Ovens / baking containers to 240⁰C.

9. Gently invert the dough onto parchment paper or silicone slings. Score as desired. Gently place the dough into the Dutch Ovens and cover.

10. Bake for 30 minutes covered at 240C and 20 minutes uncovered at 230C. (internal temperature 99C)

11. Place the loaves on a rack and allow to thoroughly cool before cutting. (Allow at least one hour, preferably two)

Happy baking...