Sourdough bread

Instructions

1. Combine the bakers flour, whole-wheat flour, rye flour and water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes, or until it forms a soft, smooth dough. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, cover and allow to rest for 45 minutes. Once the dough has rested, add the sourdough starter to the bowl and mix on low speed for 10 minutes, or until the dough begins to come away from the sides of the bowl. Add the salt and increase the speed to medium. Knead for 2 minutes further, or until the salt is fully absorbed by the dough. You shouldn’t be able to feel the grains of salt in the dough when you rub it between your fingers.
   
2. To ensure the gluten is well developed, carry out a windowpane test: Take a small amount of dough and stretch it between your fingers, until you achieve a thin film in the middle. If you can stretch it to the point that light passes through it without tearing, the dough is ready. If light does not pass through, continue mixing for another couple of minutes and then repeat the test. Transfer the dough to a large, greased bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
   
3. Before starting the first stretch and fold of your dough, moisten your hands with clean water to ensure the dough does not stick to your hands. Take hold of a large portion of the dough from the edge closest to you and stretch it upward. When you are unable to stretch it any further without tearing, let it fold down over itself in the bowl.
   
4. Repeat this 3 to 4 times—rotating the bowl, pulling the dough up from various sides, then stretching and folding it in the same direction—or until the dough has tightened up and it is no longer easy to stretch. Cover the bowl with the damp kitchen towel and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
   
5. The ideal room temperature is 25°C. If your room temperature is cooler than this, you will need to leave it to rest for longer. Your dough should have risen 10-15%, and you may see some small bubbles forming in the dough. If this is not the case, leave your dough to rest for longer, checking on it every 15 minutes.
   
6. Moisten your hands with clean water a second time, then lift the dough onto a clean working surface. Place your hands under the dough from both sides and lift it up from the middle, allowing the dough to hang down on both sides, with your hands supporting the dough in the centre (coil fold). Let the dough fold back down onto itself, then turn the dough 45 degrees and repeat the process three more times, or until the dough is no longer hanging enough on each side to be able to keep folding it.
   
7. Return your dough to the bowl, cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes. The dough should have risen 30% larger at this point. If not, complete a third set of coil folds and leave the dough covered in a bowl for an additional 30 minutes and repeat as necessary. The dough should be fluffy and airy, and you should be able to see bubbles on the surface before you proceed to the next stage.
   
8. Moisten your hands once more, then sprinkle the surface of your countertop with a little clean water. Tip the dough out of the bowl onto the damp surface. If the dough sticks to the bowl, dip a dough scraper in water and push the dough down on the sides.
   
9. Use a bread scraper (or your open hand, keeping your fingers together) and gently run it around your dough in a counter-clockwise direction (or clockwise if you are left-handed). Slowly turn the dough around and around, allowing the dough to stick and slightly tuck under at the edges. Continue until you see and feel tension in your dough; it should feel taut. When you touch the dough, it should feel smooth and firm. Dust your dough with flour and leave it on the countertop, cover it with a damp kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
   
10. Lightly flour your countertop. Use a bread scraper to pick up the dough and tip it onto the floured surface with the bottom of the dough facing up. Rub some flour between your hands and lightly dust the dough with flour. Press the dough down with your fingers to flatten slightly, then hold the bottom two corners of the dough and fold it over toward the middle.
    
11. Take hold of the bottom left and top left corners. Stretch the corners out slightly and fold the left side of the dough over toward the middle; then do the same with the right side. Take hold of the top of the dough and fold it up and over toward the middle.
    
12. To give the dough a little more strength and tension, carry out what is known as stitching. Using both hands and starting at the top of the dough, take hold of two small portions of dough on either side and bring them to the middle. Press down so that they hold and stick together where they meet. Grab two more portions of dough just below those and repeat the same motion, bringing them together at the middle. Repeat down the length of the dough, performing about four to five stitches total.
    
13. Finally, holding the bottom two corners of the stitched dough, roll the dough over itself to form a tight oval shape.
    
14. Use your bread scraper to lift and place the dough, seam-side up, in a banneton (oval 22 cm x 9 cm) dusted with a combination of semolina and light rye flour. You can also use a large mixing bowl or large container lined with a kitchen towel. Refrigerate for 8 hours to overnight.
    
15. When ready to bake, place a large, heavy-based saucepan into the oven. Preheat to 250°C (conventional). Cut a sheet of baking paper into a rectangle measuring approximately 20 cm × 30 cm. Take the banneton out of the refrigerator and dust the top with a little flour. Turn the dough out onto the prepared baking paper rectangle.
    
16. Score the dough with a bread lame, sharp knife or scissors. To do this, make a cut down the centre of the dough from one end of the dough to the other at a 45-degree angle. The cut should be approximately 3 mm deep. This will help your loaf to expand in the oven.
    
17. Use the baking paper rectangle to lift the dough and place it inside the pre-heated saucepan. Cover with a lid, then return to the oven. Reduce the temperature to 230°C and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for a further 5 minutes, or until golden.
    
18. Remove the bread to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, slice and serve with butter and mixed marinated olives.

• Make sure to allow your bread to cool before slicing it. If you cut into your bread too soon the crumb will become gummy and sticky due to the steam still inside the loaf. When you slice your bread, the interior crumb should be slightly moist and there should be uniform holes (a result of the folding being done correctly). If your dough was over-proofed it will result in a flatter loaf and possibly an air pocket at the top of the loaf. If your dough was underproofed it may result in an uneven shaped loaf, often flat on the sides with a lump in the middle and often a dense crumb with uneven-sized holes.