I made my favourite bread again today, 5 grain with rye sourdough

Followed the recipe with the following alterations;

No yeast

Used SteveB's mixing instructions for double flour & water additions in KA, the soaker added with the 2nd flour addition, the last 4oz water kneaded in by hand

Bulk ferment was 5 hours @ 66F

Loaves were shaped, then retarded 8 hours in fridge & final proof 3 hours @ 66F

It was baked uncovered with steam & had the most astonishing ovenspring I have ever encoutered. The whole loaves expanded & ended up much bigger than usual. The multigrain loaves feel as light as French bread. I haven't cut into one yet to see the crumb.

Photos are at www.flickr.com/groups/thefreshloaf/ [1]

Steve's hypothesis is that the tiny bubbles formed during mixing act as  sites for the formation of larger CO2 bubbles produced during fermentation. It certainly seems to work, whether it's an improvement or not awaits the tasting?

Patsy