Alaska Sourdough
Posted On May 26, 2020
Alaska Sourdough
Ingredients
- 260 grams vigorous sourdough starter @ 100% hydration
- 460 grams water
- 90 grams canned milk or milk that has been scalded and cooled
- 20 grams sea salt
- 900 grams flour (all purpose or white bread flour don't use whole grain flour)
Instructions
- In the afternoon around 1 - 2 pm: Mix the starter, water, milk (or use water for a substitute if you cannot consume milk), sea salt and then flour.
- Put the dough in a covered container and let it ferment at room temperature.
- After 2 hours fold the dough.
- After an additional 2 hours fold the dough again.
- After 5-6 hours (when dough is bubbly, soft and will pull a windowpane) divide dough into two pieces around 855 grams each.
- Do a first shaping of the dough. Let rest 20 minutes.
- Do a final shaping of the dough.
- Place dough into lined or floured baskets or bannetons.
- Cover with a plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.
- Next morning take out first loaf, remove plastic bag and place it somewhere warm around 80F/26C. (see lecture 11 for proofing box ideas)
- After 30 minutes take out your second loaf and proof in a warm place.
- Keep an eye on the loaves, they will take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours to proof (average around 2 hours).
- When your dough looks half proofed or after about an hour preheat your oven to 500F/260C with baking stone placed on middle rack in oven ( you might have to adjust the rack for your oven).
- When the dough is about ready to bake, place the roasting pan lid in oven to heat for about five minutes.
- Turn out first loaf onto a floured peel, press dough in the middle with thumb and slash
- Take out hot lid, place dough into oven, spray lightly (to preserve flour design) cover with lid, close oven and turn the oven down to 450F/232C for the bake. Set your timer for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, take off the lid and be careful the steam is VERY HOT! Turn loaf around in oven.
- Bake for another 15-20 minutes until nice dark color, hollow sounding when you knock it on the bottom or measures 200F/93C on your instant read thermometer.
- Using peel or oven mitts remove your bread and place it on a cooling grate.
- Place your roasting lid back into the over to preheat and turn your oven back up to 500F/260C. Let it heat for 5-10 minutes.
- Repeat for your next loaf.