I learnt to make sourdough using the Tartine book, but recently I’ve been making bread with a lower (70%) hydration dough. The lower hydration means you don’t need to do the turns during the bulk fermentation, because you can get away with less gluten formation. I think (?) you get less oven spring with lower hydration, so I’ve compensated by prooving until the dough really doubles in size, which takes a lot longer at home than the times in Tartine. Tartine assumes a 25C room temp, which we definitely don’t have in Manchester.
- 450g strong white flour
- 50g wholewheat flour
- 100g sourdough starter
- 10g salt
- 350g water
- Mix everything, till it comes together into a rough ball.
- Rest for 30 mins, then do a turn. This is just to hydrate any dry bits on the top of the dough.
- Rise until it’s doubled in size. The time this takes depends on the ambient temperature. I rise bread in an off oven with a pan of boiling water next to it for 6-8 hours.
- Turn it out, and shape it into a boule.
- Rise in a banneton for 2-4 hours until it’s doubled in size.
- Bake in cast iron for 40 mins at 220C, removing the lid for the last 20 mins.