BC20 Festive Sourdough Loaf
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I learnt very early on in my Baking Journey that keeping it simple was the key. Too often, home bakers try to complicate their bread by adding too many inclusions. The bread gets lost among a plethora of unnecessary tastes and textures.
The first time I heard the old adage of KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) was when I worked in a small bakery in the beautiful town of Beaumaris/ Biwmaris on the Isle of Anglesey/Ynys Môn in North Wales. The Head Baker told me, "It's never more apt than when baking bread". A Festive Sourdough Loaf really doesn't want to be a three-course meal, including gravy, sprouts, turkey and mince pies.
This is mine. A BreadClub20 Festive Sourdough Loaf. The festive notes evoke holiday spices without overpowering the tangy sourdough crumb.
The formula makes TWO loaves
INGREDIENTS
1 kg gms strong white bread flour
150 gms active sourdough starter
700 gms tepid water
20 gms fine sea salt
10 gms ground cinnamon
150 gms dried cranberries
aest of two large oranges (diced)
If you only want to bake ONE loaf, then we can halve the ingredients:
500 gms strong white bread flour
75 gms active sourdough starter
350 gms tepid water
5 gms ground cinnamon
75 gms dried cranberries
zest of one large orange (diced)
Either way, the process is the same until shaping and dividing into bannetons.
Hydration is 72% overall.
METHOD
Mix the starter into the water until it is all dispersed.
Add the flour, cinnamon and orange zest. Mix to a sticky dough.
Rest the dough for 15 minutes and then add the salt, working it well into the dough and kneading it in for about 5 minutes.
Leave covered at room temperature for 45 minutes and then stretch and fold the dough. Re-cover and wait for another 45 minutes.
After the 45 minutes have passed, mist a work surface with water and tip the dough out onto it. Stretch the dough out in all directions as much as you can without it splitting too much.
Sprinkle the cranberries evenly over the surface.
Now bring the longest side of your sourdough in two-thirds of the way over the dough and then the opposite side over to make a letter. Repeat with the shorter side so that you have a neat parcel.
Return the dough to the bowl, cover and wait a further 45 minutes.
After the 45 minutes have passed, stretch and fold the dough a few times and then transfer the dough to your bulk fermentation container. Note the level it reaches.
If your fermentation environment is about 20⁰C (68⁰F), then you're going to let the dough double.
If your fermentation environment is about 23⁰C (73⁰F), then you're going to let the dough increase by 80%
If your fermentation environment is about 25⁰C (77⁰F), then you're goig to let the dough increase by 70%
Any warmer, and consider stopping your fermentation at 50% - 60%.
(You may wish to divide your dough into two at this stage, especially if you are using 8 inch bannetons)
Pre-shape the dough into boules, cover and rest for 10 minutes.
Now, prepare your bannetons and shape the dough to fit.
Wrap the banneton in plastic and place on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
Preheat your oven to 240⁰C (465⁰F) and preheat your baking container, pizza stone or baking steel.
If you are using a baking stone or steel, you will need to add steam (water tray) at this stage. If you are using a Dutch oven, casserole or terracotta dish, then you will not need additional ice or water or steam.
Bake for 30 minutes (covered if using a container) and then for a further 15 minutes at 230⁰C (446⁰F) with the lid removed (and also with the source of steam removed if applicable)
Remove and cool on a rack for at least two hours before slicing.
Season's Greetings! Cyfarchion y tymor!
And the taste-testers?
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