2018-12-22

Based on

2018-11-29 recipe

Influences

https://www.seriouseats.com/2011/06/the-food-lab-the-science-of-no-knead-dough.html

Ingredients

* Ischia Island (Italy) sourdough starter at 100% hydration

Total hydration: (325+(360/2))/(540+(360/2)) = 70.1%

Flour protein content: 12.7%

Process

Feed starter and allow to ferment at room temperature until it forms lots of decent-sized bubbles.

Mix all ingredients and stir with a spoon until combined (but do not knead).

Transfer to a container with top, cover, and allow to rise at room temperature for 6 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit with a cast iron skillet on top of a baking stone on the bottom rack.

Flour work surface. Add lots of flour if needed to form a workable dough. Flour both the dough and banneton generously, place dough in banneton and cover. Allow to proof until they pass the poke test–around 30-60 minutes.

Transfer loaf from banneton to parchment paper. Flour the top of the loaves and score with a sharp knife at a 30 degree angle.

Place loaves and parchment paper in hot cast iron skillet, spray with filtered water, place top (an inverted stock pot works well) on skillet, and spray sides of oven with water. Close oven door immediately.

Lower temperature to 410 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake with top on the cast iron skillet for the first 25 minutes, then remove top, turn 180 degrees and spray top of loaf and sides of oven again with filtered water. Close oven door immediately.

After internal temperature reaches 207 degrees Fahrenheit, increase temperature to 450 dgrees Fahrenheit and bake for another 4 minutes.

Rest on a wire rack for at least two hours before cutting.

Notes

Salt content was decent but could still go a little higher, and might help bring out the sourness of the sourdough a bit better.

Oven spring was decent, could have been a little better.

Crust was good. I’d really like it to be a little thinner so it’s crispy as opposed to crusty.

Crumb was good, but had the structured feel of a loaf that’s all bread flour–slightly tougher vs the pillowy crumb I’m looking for.

Scoring a square on top worked well. The pattern was certainly recognizable but it also allowed the bread to expand without ripping the crust.

Images

Autolysing

After bulk ferment

Proofing

After scoring

Top

Side

Ears

Crumb

Upcoming experiments

Add a little more salt.

Try leaving the bread covered a bit longer in the oven to get a really thin and crispy crust (as opposed to a rustic, crusty crust).

Try using 50% all purpose flour to soften the crumb a bit.

Try using some rye or whole wheat flour to improve the flavor.

Consider trying the Tangzhong technique to increase hydration of the bread.

Consider using a proofing bag to keep more humidity in during proofing.

Try baking in a real cast iron dutch oven.

Consider making the dough a bit drier for the bulk fermentation stage. Some articles mention that a drier starter makes a more sour bread. Might extend to the bulk fermentation phase as well. This bread was 70.0+% hydration during bulk ferment; maybe try to get below 68% (or lower) and see how it goes.