Today's bake

Well I suppose there is nothing remarkable here except another batch of lovely sourdough for the coming week's consumption.  I have baked my own bread for 40 years or so but I'm a relatively recent convert to sourdough - I had always thought it was overly complicated and wouldn't fit into a busy life.  However, the 'conversion' was painless and indeed very rewarding - I am now a total convert.

This weeks bake is a blend of seeded and white with an overall hydration of just 62.5% with 3% fat (olive oil) and 1% LoSalt.  I have been steadily reducing the salt for health reasons and I have found 1% quite acceptable.  I do vary the hydration according to the flour but for this blend, a lower than normal hydration was required.

The process is a 4 stage build (dabrownman - no fuss, no muss technique) over a period of 12 hours, from 10g of Rye seed to a 50% preferment at 100% hydration which was left overnight in the fridge - the final water and flour being added the following morning.  Then 2 hours BF (with S&F during the first hour) and in this case a 4 hour prove.  The four 500g loaves were baked (seam side up - without slashing) together on two heavy duty baking sheets without any additional steam.  I have tried DOs and baking stones but prefer it my way.   I'm not a fan of big holes in the crumb for 'normal everyday' bread - unless of course, it's a ciabatta or similar

I am always experimenting with other baker's techniques/recipes which is why I find this forum so interesting.  Sometimes my efforts are a complete failure but gradually these have become less and less frequent - I must be learning something!!

Happy baking