Challenge - 123 bread
I needed an easy levain-based dough that I could use as a base for testing various flour combinations, add-ins, methods, etc. and 123 bread seems to fit the bill - 1 part fresh levain, 2 parts water and 3 parts flour, with 2% salt. I've used this to test two different starters to see which one is more active, and I also use it when I'm traveling and want fresh bread without a lot of fuss.
It occurred to me that this would also be an excellent challenge for a couple of reasons
- It controls the basics while still allowing for a lot of creativity, and
- the resulting recipes would be an awesome primer for newby sourdough bakers!
So, in the spirit of the second point, here is your challenge:
- 100 grams of 100% hydration wheat (can be AP, bread flour and/or whole wheat flour) levain
- 200 grams of water or other liquid of your choice
- 300 grams of whatever flour or combination you come up with. The control is that it should be fairly easy to obtain and be easy for a sourdough novice to work with (so, off-the-shelf stuff rather than home-sprouted, hand-milled einkorn, for example)
- Any spices or other dry(ish) add-ins that you wish, or wet add-ins that don't substantially increase the hydration and make it harder to handle
- To keep a level playing field, follow this method generally:
- Mix flour(s), water (or other liquid) and levain and let sit for 30 minutes
- Add salt and other add-ins; mix by whatever method you prefer (but again, make sure it's fairly easy for newbies to follow)
- Develop dough, then bulk ferment (short, long or retard)
- Pre-shape, rest, then shape and proof (short, long or retard)
I've done a few of these lately. Here is the basic 123 dough with a little whole wheat flour:
And for my latest 123 bread, check out my blog post here [1]. Fig Nut 123 Levain!
So, whatcha got?