Spelt Sourdough.
I have recently been experimenting with a lot of different sourdough recipes; being so content with the fact I now have a sourdough starter that produces beautiful loaves every time.
There are a few key tips when it comes to your sourdough starter and sourdough which I wish I knew earlier, and I want to share them with you so that you don’t produce flat stodgy rocks, which I did for quite a while!
You can never overfed your starter. If you’ve got 1/2 cup of sourdough starter to feed, never underfed her with less than 1/2 a cup! Don't be scant, and always do a little more just to be safe.
Never allow the dough to over-proof during the final rise, as it can cause your dough to collapse in the oven, resulting in a flat loaf with a dense crumb.
Preheating is crucial for achieving proper oven spring and crust development. Skipping this step can result in a flat loaf with a pale crust.
Proper shaping creates surface tension on the dough, which is crucial for supporting the dough's rise during the final proof and oven spring. This was huge for me!
Ingredients:
375g wholemeal spelt flour
150g organic bakers flour
100g active sourdough starter
325g warm water
5g Celtic sea salt
Method:
Feed your sourdough starter 4-12 hours before making the bread, to ensure it's active.
Mix warm water, flours, sourdough starter, and salt in a large bowl.
Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes.
Do 3 rounds of stretch and fold every 30 minutes, grabbing the edge of the dough firmly and pulling it upwards, stretching it.
Cover with a damp tea bowl, and let the dough bulk-ferment until it doubles in size (3-8 hours).
Shape the dough into a ball by spinning and pulling it towards you on a lightly floured surface, and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
Shape the dough again, pulling it to create tension in the dough, and transfer it to a floured banneton or bowl with a tea towel.
Proof the dough in the refrigerator overnight (12-15 hours).
Preheat a Dutch oven to 210c for 1 hour.
Take the dough out of the fridge directly before baking.
Score your dough as desired, then bake place directly into the Dutch oven for 20 minutes with the lid on, and then another 30 minutes with the lid off until golden brown.
Allow the bread to cool before slicing.
Enjoy!
