The Sourdough Boule

Ingredients

-350 grams of all purpose or bread flour
-125 grams of whole wheat flour
-20 grams of course kosher salt
315 grams of room temperature water
-250 grams of sourdough starter

Recipe

1. Around breakfast time, "feed" the sourdough starter with 1/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 cup of rye flour, and 1/3 cup water. Mix until even.

2. Around mid-day, when the starter is active and bubbly, add all the above ingredients together in a bowl and mix them with a the dough whisk until it comes together.

3. Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.

4. Stretch and fold the dough. With wet hands, pull one section of the dough as far up as it will go without tearing, then fold it over onto the middle of the loaf. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and stretch and fold again. Repeat 3-4 times or until the dough resists stretching.

5. Cover the dough and let it rest for roughly 20 minutes. Then complete another round of stretch and folds. Repeat this process 5-10 times, or as many as you are able. Stop the stretch and folds by 3pm at the latest, in order to give yourself enough time for the first rise before the end of day.

6. Let the dough rise until evening. I usually give it at least 4 hours. But 4-6 is acceptable. In the winter time, when it's cold in our house, I place the bowl in a temperature controlled proofing box.

7. At the end of your nights, do one last round of stretch and folds to "punch down" the dough.

8. Line your banneton with a layer of all purpose flour and then a layer of rye flour.

9. Transfer the dough to the banneton, seam side up.

10. Cover with a kitchen towel and refrigerate overnight.

11. In the morning, preheat the oven to 475 with a dutch oven inside (mine is cast iron, which I think has an effect on the crust). When the oven is finished preheating, remove the dutch oven and place it on your stovetop.

12. Flip the banneton/dough over onto a square of parchment paper (or on one of my silicone bread slings LINK) and remove the banneton from the loaf. Score the bread with a large, deep X on top. Grab all four corners of the parchment paper and transfer the loaf to the dutch oven quickly and carefully.

13. Place the lid on the dutch oven and return it to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes. Then transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool. Bread should be warm but not hot to the touch before slicing.

14. Enjoy with butter!