Classic sourdough

w th each stretch and fo d the do gh sho ld hav mo e air b b es

Spelt sourdough

This is when the magic of sourdough happens – the shaggy, lumpy dough will soon become smooth, shiny and stretchy. You need to encourage the dough with your hands but sourdough is a no-knead bread – when left to ferment, the gluten bonds will align themselves. Spelt is an ancient grain that contains less gluten than wheat but has a stronger flavour and is more nutritious.

6 HOURS + OVERNIGHT PROVING | MAKES 1 LOAF | EASY

water 380ml, warm to the touch

strong white bread flour 400g

wholewheat spelt flour 100g

levain (see recipe on p6) 100g

fine sea salt 12g

polenta for dusting

1 Start by putting 350ml of the warm water into a large mixing bowl with the flours. Mix really well with your hands until no lumps of dry flour remain and the texture is relatively uniform. You will learn most about the different stages of your bread by getting your hands on the dough. Even professional bakers, who mix dough in 50kg dough mixers, reach in and touch, stretch and feel the dough. Open up your fingers and use your hands like whisks to really mix the flour and water together well. Leave to rest for between 20 minutes to 1 hour, covering the bowl with a clean tea towel. This stage is called the autolyse and comes from the Greek for ‘self-digestion’. This is why sourdough doesn’t have to be kneaded, as the gluten structure forms itself, doing all the hard work. If you’re particularly short on time, even a 15-minute rest will make a difference.

2 Tip in the levain, salt (adding it after the autolyse ensures the dough develops better elasticity) and remaining 30ml of water, and, with wet hands, mix the dough really well. Breaking the gluten bonds now will allow them to reform even stronger. Adding the extra water at this stage is known as bassinage and allows the flour to absorb more water and results in a better crumb when baked.

3 The next step is called the bulk fermentation. Leave the dough covered with the tea towel and, every 15 minutes for the first hour, stretch and fold the dough. Wet your hands, take one side of the dough, stretch it up (being careful not to tear the dough) and fold it over on top of itself. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat, doing this four to six times. The dough will tighten and become less slack. Repeat this every 15 minutes for the first hour, then every 30 minutes for the second hour, then leave without any turns and folds for 1-2 hours. Every time the dough is turned it should have more air bubbles and, towards the end, feel lighter.

4 Next is the bench rest. This is when the dough can be encouraged into a regular shape, creating tension so that it has the strength to stay bread-shaped when baked, as opposed to going flat. Flour a clean worksurface really well and tip out the dough. Using a dough scraper, fold the dough up and over on itself. Do this four to six times, and again the dough will tighten and hold its shape better. Add more flour to the worksurface if the bread is sticking. The dough should be relatively round now, so rest it for 10-15 minutes – expect it to flatten a little.

5 In this method I use a cold proving technique, which means putting the loaf into the fridge overnight or for several hours. This increases flavour, as the acid production is still happening but with little gas creation, meaning a more stable loaf. The cold will also make the loaf set its shape in the banneton, giving a head start for a beautiful plump loaf once baked. Start by flouring the banneton or proving basket. Flour the top of the loaf, then flip it over onto a worksurface, so the floured surface of the loaf is in contact with the worksurface. Lightly shape the loaf into a rough rectangle and fold the edge furthest from you up and over the middle. Do the same with the left-hand edge, the right-hand edge and the edge nearest to you, really pulling the edges in to tighten it. Work quickly to keep the shape of the loaf. Lift up and put straight into the banneton, folds facing up, and into the fridge to chill. Again, if you’re short on time, just 1 hour will help the dough keep its shape better.

6 Heat the oven to as hot as it will go and put a lidded cast-iron pot in while it heats, for 45 minutes-1 hour – this will help to mimic the conditions of a baker’s oven. In the first part of cooking, bread needs steam because a moist environment means it will rise to its fullest and prevents the crust from forming on the loaf, so it can keep rising. Cooking the bread inside a lidded pot for the first part of cooking traps the naturally produced steam. The faster the loaf comes out of its banneton, is scored and in the oven, the better. So get prepared by having a clean chopping board or cake slider (in baking terms this is called a peel) in front of you, so you can score the loaf on this and then carefully slide it into the pot. Also have your scissors/knife/lame close to hand. The reason to score a loaf is to direct it where and how to rise. As the gasses expand inside the loaf, they will tear the outer structure – without scoring, the loaf will often tear on the side or near the bottom, which will ruin its look. Have a good pair of oven gloves and a bowl of polenta to hand. Scattering polenta on the chopping board allows the loaf to slide off easily into the pot. When fully heated, remove the pot from the oven and take off the lid. Turn down the oven to 260C/fan 240C/gas 9. Remove the loaf from the fridge and scatter polenta all over the chopping board, the bottom of the pot and the loaf. Turn the loaf out onto the chopping board (it may take a little coaxing) and score the top – I often just cut a square. Slide the loaf into the pot, put the lid back on and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and take off the lid. Return to the oven without the lid for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven again and tip out on to a wire rack to cool. Then enjoy your delicious sourdough creation, slathered with butter.