Country Sourdough Recipe

This recipe uses the Folding Proofer to create a perfect rise and mild acidity in wild yeast-leavened bread.

This wonderful bread gets complex flavor and a mild, delicious tang from a little dark rye in the sourdough starter. It has enough whole wheat and rye to give it a robust, earthy flavor, yet still retains a moist and open crumb and has a bit of chew. Hearty and versatile, it’s sublime with butter and pairs well with everything from cheese to main courses.

Timing: Mix the starter the night before baking and plan on mixing the main dough about 12 hours after the starter.

Equipment

Sourdough Levain

*Ideally a mature, active white starter with 100% hydration.
**If dark rye flour is unavailable, medium rye, whole wheat or unbleached flour can be substituted.

Mix the Levain. Set the Proofer or the Sourdough Home to 72°F (22°C). Weigh or measure all the levain ingredients into a bowl and stir until smooth and well mixed. Transfer to a clean jar or container and cover. Ferment for 12 hours, until risen by 2.5 times to a volume of about 1⅛ cups.

Main Dough

Instructions

Set up the Proofer.  Set the proofer to 78°F (75°C)  and put the water tray in the middle of the warming plate. Pour ¼ cup (60 ml) water into the tray and place the rack on top of the tray. Warm the main dough water (281g) to about 84-90°F / 29-32°C (use cooler water if room temp is quite warm). Measure or weigh the flours into a bowl, add the water, and mix until all the flour is moistened. Make a well in the dough and add all the sourdough leaven from above. Without mixing the leaven into the dough, draw the sides of the dough up and over the top of the leaven to encase it. Let sit for about 30 minutes in the Proofer.

Autolyse.  Measure or weigh the flours into a bowl, add the water, and mix until all the flour is moistened. Make a well in the dough and add all the sourdough levain from above. Without mixing the levain into the dough, draw the sides of the dough up and over the top of the leaven to encase it. Let sit for about 30 minutes in the Proofer.

Levain fermenting in the Proofer

Stretch and Fold

Add the Salt. Sprinkle the salt over the main dough and mix until both the salt and the levain are fully incorporated. Transfer to a lightly oiled container with a volume of at least four cups (1 quart / 1 liter).

Ferment the Dough at 78°F (26°C). Set the dough in the Proofer and ferment for about 2.5 – 3.5 hours. During the first 90 minutes, give the dough three folds. For each fold, perform a four-way stretch and fold (all four sides get stretched and folded to the center), then stretch and fold the corners of the dough to the center as well. After the folds are complete, leave the dough undisturbed until it reaches a volume of 4 cups / 1 liter.

Pre-Shape the Dough. Gently stretch and fold four sides of the dough to create an even, square or rectangular shape, then cover and let rest for 15 minutes. While the dough is resting, prepare a sheet pan or proofing basket with baker’s linen or a well-floured kitchen towel.

Shaping the Dough into an Oval

Shape into an Oval. Place the dough seam side up on a lightly floured surface, then fold the square package in half with the seam at the long edge closest to you (see picture). Seal the seam by pressing down. Flip the loaf over with the seam centered and facing up, and place it on the linen-lined sheet pan.

Proof the Loaf. Place the loaf in the Proofer, still set to 78°F (26°C), for 2 – 2.5 hours, until visibly larger but still able to spring back slowly after making an indentation with a finger.

Preheat the oven. About 20 minutes before you are ready to bake, place the Bread Steel in the lower ⅓ of your oven and preheat to 475°F (232°C). The steel heats quickly, and when the oven is ready, the Bread Steel will be too. There is no need to preheat the Baking Shell.

Bake. When the oven is ready, turn the loaf out onto a well-floured bread peel or a piece of parchment paper. Gently invert the loaf onto parchment or a floured peel. Using a baker’s lame or sharp serrated knife, slash in one long line or two slightly angled lines.

Slide your loaf onto the hot steel and immediately cover it with the Baking Shell. After 20 minutes, remove the shell, and continue baking, uncovered, for another 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a rack to cool.

Slash the Loaf

Overall Bread Formula: