Julie's Sourdough
You need your own starter for this recipe. I made my own from organic raisins that I allowed to set and get all funky and gross, cut the little bit of mold away and strained the water off to make my first starter. It took months of refreshing and keeping before it made a decent batch of bread. You can order one or get a proven one from a friend. I like this technique and it creates a beautiful loaf every time.
You need your own starter for this recipe. I made my own from organic raisins that I allowed to set and get all funky and gross, cut the little bit of mold away and strained the water off to make my first starter. It took months of refreshing and keeping before it made a decent batch of bread. You can order one or get a proven one from a friend. I like this technique and it creates a beautiful loaf every time.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup starter proofed
- 1 1/2 cups water you may use much less
- 1 1/2 teaspoons malted barley flour optional (hard to find, order online)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil oil is just enough to coat the bowl
- varied flour for kneading dough
- varied cornmeal for bottom of cooking dish
- Carbohydrate 15.9676241876177 g
- Cholesterol 46.8429166788665 mg
- Fat 7.31571583580507 g
- Fiber 0.0414166661103566 g
- Protein 14.3359666891633 g
- Saturated Fat 4.48163600157437 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (363g)
- Sodium 8653.45994070357 mg
- Sugar 15.9262075215074 g
- Trans Fat 0.422036416724291 g
- Calories 188 calories
Step-by-step
- In a stand mixer combine flour, malted barley (if you have it), starter, butter and 3/4 cup of water. Knead with the hook on low for 3-4 minutes. Add a small amount of water and knead an additional minute if too dry (the dough should form a ball in the mixer. The secret to good sourdough is to get the water and flour ratio right. It shouldn't be too doughy but hold a semi-firm ball when it is correct).
- Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes (this allows the flour to absorb the water). Add salt and knead for an additional 2 minutes.
- Place the dough in a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place a dark towel over it. Let it rise until 2-3 times (up to about 12 hours)
- Take the dough out of the bowl and turn in on a floured surface. Knuckle out any large bubbles (this should take about 2 minutes), flip and repeat, knead it back into a small round circle and place it back in the oiled bowl for a second rise (2-4 hours).
- Put back on a floured surface, punch out and from dough into a ball. Sprinkle cornmeal on a baking dish to cook and allow it to rise one last time (2-4 hours). Use a very sharp oiled knife to place cuts on top of dough./
- Cook at 425 F (use convection setting if you have it) for 30 minutes (if you are using a clay sourdough oven you may need to increase the time by 10 minutes, bread should begin to brown) Also, you don't have to let the oven preheat before placing bread.
- Reduce heat to 375 F (remove clay bread lid at this time) and bake for 5-10 minutes more.
- Allow the bread to rest for 30 minutes before cutting and serving
Why does sourdough dough sometimes refuse to form a cohesive ball during mixing? Water absorption in bread baking is rarely instantaneous, which is why withholding salt during the initial flour-water incorporation prevents osmotic pressure from slowing down gluten network development. By letting the dough rest for five minutes after the first three minutes of low-speed kneading, native starches fully hydrate before sodium chloride tightens the protein strands.
Historically, artisan bakers relied on malted barley flour to augment enzymatic activity, converting starches into simple sugars that feed wild yeast strains and promote deeper crust browning at high heat. Incorporating one and a half teaspoons of malted barley introduces measurable amylase activity without requiring a complete grain bill overhaul.
Achieving optimal crust formation depends heavily on thermal management. Starting the loaf at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, preferably on the convection setting, drives rapid oven spring while the starches are pliable. Dropping the temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit during the final five to ten minutes sets the interior crumb structure without burning the exterior. Crucially, allowing the finished loaf to rest for a full thirty minutes before slicing prevents the interior moisture from escaping prematurely, preserving the gelatinized starch structure that gives artisanal bread its characteristic mouthfeel. If using a heavy clay baker, extending the initial baking duration by ten minutes compensates for thermal mass lag.
