True sourdough discard loaf (no baker's yeast)
I freeze my sourdough discard. I defrosted 50g of it overnight then the next day added it to 250g wholegrain flour (home milled), 250g bread flour, 375g water and 10g salt after a 30 min autolyse.
For gluten development I performed one stretch and fold, lamination and 3 coil folds then left to bulk ferment at 28 celcius.
The total bulk fermentation time was 11 hours from when I added the starter to the autolyse. After the last coil fold I waited for the dough to rise 25%.
I also used an aliquot jar and the jar dough had doubled in 11 hours from when I added the starter to the auolyse.
With my active starter it takes 4.5 hours at this temperature, so the discard took a lot longer.
Then pre shaped, shaped and overnight proof in the fridge. Baked in Dutch oven for 50 mins at 220c with convection in a small oven.
I'm very happy with the rise and ear, most unexpected from defrosted frozen discard!
Comments
Proves that those beasties are a lot more resilient than we give them credit for! Awesome looking loaf!
Thank you! Yes, so true. After a 1mm rise in 9 hours I was really having my doubts but in the last 2 hours suddenly poof! The discard had been in the freezer quite a long time as well, at least a few weeks.
I used to use the discard with bakers yeast to make loaves but now I'll stick to this method, far better!
You can defrost more the 50gr and still get a fine loaf. A few years back I posted a Spent Fuel Boule that contained 58% prefermented flour from my discards resulting from slavishly following Ken Forkish in his profligate ways. I've learned a few things since then, but as you've seen, the principle still applies -- no reason that leftover starter should be treated as "waste".
Tom
Wow that's a lot of discard! I would have thought the bread would be too sour, that's why I stuck to 50g. Your recipe looks very interesting, I'll give it a go and use the semolina flour. I'd be interested to know what it is you've learnt since then.