Fluffy Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread

1740 mins
Serves 1
https://peaktoplate.com/dutch-oven-sourdough-bread/

Directions

  1. 1Remove all but a couple of tablespoons of the starter from the jar.
  2. 2Add 150 g of all-purpose flour and 150 g of lukewarm water to the jar and stir until well combined to the consistency of thick pancake batter.
  3. 3Loosely place the lid on the jar and let the starter rise in a warm spot for 6-8 hours.
  4. 4To a large mixing bowl, add 125 g of active starter and 350 g of lukewarm water, then whisk until the starter is somewhat dispersed.
  5. 5Add 10 g of salt and 500 g of bread flour and stir with a dough whisk until a shaggy dough forms.
  6. 6Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
  7. 7Use a silicone bowl scraper to pull the dough away from the bowl edges, gently stretch the dough between your hands, fold it in half, and repeat 3-4 times until tight.
  8. 8Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
  9. 9Repeat the stretching, folding, and resting process 3 more times.
  10. 10Cover the dough and let it sit on the counter overnight for about 8-12 hours for bulk rise.
  11. 11In the morning, shape the dough into your desired shape (boule or batard) with a bench scraper and place it top-down in a floured banneton or cloth-lined bowl.
  12. 12Seal the bottom edges of the dough ball together.
  13. 13Cover the banneton and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours (3-4 hours for optimal crispy crust).
  14. 14Place the Dutch oven in a cold oven and preheat it to 500°F for at least 1 hour.
  15. 15Place the dough ball, seam side down, on a piece of parchment paper.
  16. 16Score the dough with a razor blade or bread lame with at least one big slash on the side, and add decorative scoring if desired.
  17. 17Place the dough on parchment paper in the preheated Dutch oven and cover with the lid.
  18. 18Reduce the oven heat to 450°F and bake for 23 minutes.
  19. 19Remove the lid and bake for an additional 12 minutes.
  20. 20Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely on a cooling rack.

Ingredients

  • 150 g all-purpose flour
  • 150 g lukewarm water
  • 125 g sourdough starter
  • 350 g lukewarm water
  • 10 g fine sea salt
  • 500 g bread flour

Equipment

Dutch ovenDigital ScaleParchment PaperLarge Mixing Bowllong silicone spatulaDough WhiskSilicone Bowl ScraperBench ScraperBanneton or Cloth-Lined BowlRazor Blade or Bread Lamebread knife

Tips

  • Use a shower cap to cover your bowl and banneton instead of plastic wrap to reduce waste.
  • Use a rubber band to mark the level of your starter when fed to easily see when it has doubled in volume.
  • The typical schedule for stretching and folding is 4 rounds over 2 hours, but rest times between stretches can vary from 15 minutes to an hour.
  • Rice flour can be used to flour the banneton to prevent dough from sticking.
  • Score the dough with at least one deep slash (½" deep) at a 45-degree angle to allow for steam release and expansion during baking.
  • Let the bread cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing to prevent gumminess.
  • To soften the crust for easier slicing, place the cooled bread in a zippered bag or airtight container.