Sourdough Bread

Published on November 15, 2020 in Bakery By Vincenzo Prosperi

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How to Make Sourdough Bread

Sourdough bread is the absolute QUEEN of all breads. It’s crispy, light, fluffy and when made right, has the absolute perfect CRUNCH. In this episode of my baking masterclass, expert baker Anthony Silvio joins me to demonstrate the steps to making sourdough bread and it is easier than you might think! Create a delicious loaf of freshly made sourdough bread in your very own home – it really makes all the difference.

Watch How to Make SOURDOUGH BREAD Video Recipe:

How to Make SOURDOUGH BREAD like a Baker from Start to Finish

Anthony’s Top Tips To Make Sourdough Bread

TRY this test

To be certain the starter is ready, use the “float test”. If your starter doesn’t float to the top of the water once added, then it is likely under fermented

Make sure it’s not dry

If you touch the dough with dry hands, you will notice it is very sticky so get a small bowl of water and lightly dampen your hands before working the sourdough bread dough.

Follow this test

At each point of working the dough, follow the steps of the “Window Pane Test”. The dough should become stronger and by the third time, there should be no holes at all.

Sourdough Bread

Vincenzo's Plate

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Equipment

bowl
Bench or Wooden board
Dutch Oven
Banneton Basket Leftover ricotta basket

Ingredients

360 grams White bread 12.70oz. Bakers flour
40 grams Wholemeal flour
100 grams Sourdough starter
290 grams Water 1.22cups. Room temperature
8 grams Salt
2 Diastatic malt powder 0.07oz

Instructions

Sourdough bread is so nutritious and has hardly any ingredients, the first is water! Start by pouring 290g water into a bowl and add your sourdough starter.
Next add your flour, first plain then wholemeal flour and lastly, salt.
Mix these ingredients together using a spoon to get the flour hydrated – no need to do for too long!
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to rest for 3hr in total, with an important step to follow after every hour.
After one hour, take the dough out of the bowl and try the “Window pane test”: Stretch a piece of sourdough bread dough using a few fingers on each side, it should stretch well, but holes will appear.
Next, take the dough out of the bowl and place onto a bench.
To work the dough, stretch one side out while it is still on the bench, and fold it over, repeat on the other side then follow the same technique at the top and bottom too.
Roll the ball on the bench into a ball and tuck the sides in underneath so it smooths out.
Cover and rest for 1 more hour, then repeat steps 6-8. Do this one more time, so the sourdough bread dough has rested for a total of 3 hours.
Once you have shaped it this final time into a tight ball, place it on the bench for a moment.
Spread a kitchen towel inside a banneton basket (or leftover ricotta basket), covering the bottom and sprinkle flour over the top.
Put the dough ball in upside down, with the smooth side at the bottom.
Dust the sourdough bread ball with flour and cover it with the kitchen towel so there is no air inside.
Keep this in the fridge overnight/for a minimum of 12hr.
Once rested, remove from the fridge and leave to rest for 4-5hr.
One hour before the dough has finished resting, pre-heat your oven (using the conventional setting only) at 240°C/464°F, putting your empty dutch oven inside along with the lid.
HOW TO CHECK IF THE SOURDOUGH BREAD DOUGH IS FULLY PROOFED/READY TO BE BAKED?
Press the tips of a few fingers down on the dough and if it rises back up slowly, it is ready. If it bounces back quickly, it needs to rest more as the dough still has too much energy, so rest it for at least another ½hr.
Once the dough has rested, roll out some baking paper on your bench and turn the dough out on top.
Carefully score the top of your bread loaf using a tool you have at home (Ideally, using a baker bread lame tool and blade).
Using the edges of the baking paper, lift the sourdough bread dough and put it into the dutch oven – lid on!
Place in your oven for 20 minutes.
Now remove the lid and leave to bake for another 20 minutes or until the crust is dark and deep in colour.
E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!

Video

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How to serve Sourdough Bread

Although it’s very tempting to cut into it right away, you should let the dough rest for a couple of hours and then devour it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, your favourite cheese and cold meats…or however you like really!

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