The Fresh Loaf

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White sourdough 2nd try

Raluca's picture
Raluca

White sourdough 2nd try

 A couple of days ago I told you about my first white sourdough baked this year.

Today I am going to tell you about the second one. Still not perfect, but definitely improved. Baked all the way through, with a good oven spring due to preheating the oven and stone for much longer (1hr and 20 minutes to be exact) and a better crumb (potentially from the increased hydration – I went for a 67% hydration level for this one, compared to almost 65% for the first one).

I followed pretty much the same recipe and method as for the first boule, the only difference for the recipe was in the hydration level of the final dough.

So you still have the same time schedule, the same ingredients for the preferment and the same baker’s percentage for the preferment.

Here are the ingredients for the final bread and the baker’s percentages for this new formula.

Recipe for 1 loaf (67% hydration)

Ingredients for bread

Ingredient     Quantity   Baker's %
Preferment245gr72%
Strong white flour340gr100%
Water192gr56%
Salt8gr

2.30%

Final baker’s percentage (including preferment)

Ingredient  Quantity    Baker’s     %
Strong white flour455gr100%
Water307gr67.47%
Sourdough culture15gr3.29%
Salt8gr1.75%

For this bread I used the same strong organic white flour from Shipton Mill.

Method:

The method I used was the same, apart from pre-heating the oven and baking stone for 1h and 20 minutes rather than just 20 minutes.

The results are just amazing! When a loaf like this comes out of my oven I just wonder why I have ever bought bread from a shop, why? Why?

This time the bottom wasn’t cracked anymore, the bread was baked all the way through and the crumble was much better. As for the taste: divine!

What do you think? Better?

Comments

lumos's picture
lumos

I would've been very happy if my second sourdough were like this.  Very well done, Raluca.  Really great looking bread, both crumb and crust. :)

Raluca's picture
Raluca

Unfortunately I made this a couple more times and did not manage the same crust and oven spring...my scoring needs a lot of improvement..

lumos's picture
lumos

The consistency will come with practice. :)

Raluca's picture
Raluca

Will try another one tomorrow. Last two had nice crumb but bad scoring..

lumos's picture
lumos

It definitely will....though I'm a bit worried how much bread you've been eating lately....:p

 

Raluca's picture
Raluca

My husband eats it, I already need to lose lots of baby weight so no need to add more with eating tasty bread. Still I can bake for others to enjoy ;)

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

that high hydratuon isn't always the answer. Nice baking. I've been baking a long time and can't make bread like that.

Raluca's picture
Raluca

I think it was beginners luck really :)

TMStanton's picture
TMStanton

Hey,

That's good looking bread. If it tastes good to you - you're doing it right. Out of home oven - you got really nice color. Not sure what more you're be looking for because that is certainly an excellent example.

 

T

Raluca's picture
Raluca

That's awesome coming from you guys!

Unfortunately I need to learn consistency ;)

 

 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

In a sourdough?  I think something is mixed up.

A poolish is basically equal amounts of flour & water with a pinch of yeast set aside to ferment.

Raluca's picture
Raluca

I should call it preferment rather than poolish..my stupid mistake, thanks for pointing that out!

Wingnut's picture
Wingnut

If you already have a starter built up would I just add 15 g of it? Seems low, I get confused easily....

 

Wingnut

Raluca's picture
Raluca

Not sure what to answer really...That's the starter quantity the recipe I used called for..I assume you could use more but you will need to tweak the entire recipe..I am still learning so, sorry if I am not really helpful..

Just to be clear the starter is not the preferment I've built in this recipe, is the mother starter used for all my breads..