Weekday Sourdough Bread

A weekday sourdough bread recipe that follows the same schedule as my daily yeasted loaf except for an overnight preferment. The preferment is important for yeast vigor and taste. Because the dough isn’t left to ferment a long time at cold temperatures, the sourness is subdued and “rustic” might be a more appropriate descriptor. The recipe is dead simple to make during the week, it just assumes you already have a healthy sourdough starter.

Recipe summary (for two small loaves)

• 200g 100% hydrated sourdough starter
• 100g flour
• 100g water
• 500g flour
• 280g water
• 3 tsp salt

Process - the preferment

Combine starter with 100g water and 100g flour and beat until smooth. Do this around 12 hours prior to when you wish to start. I usually do this around 8pm to give the preferment about 12 hours to work.

• 200g sourdough starter
• 100g flour
• 100g water

Process - the stretch and fold

Around 8am, combine preferment with rest of the water, salt, and flour. Mix until difficult to mix. Dump on the counter and do some stretch and folds until the flour is worked in. The dough should be tacky but not impossible to work with. Let autolyze for 20 minutes. Stretch and fold at 20 minutes, every 20 minutes, 3 times.

• preferment
• 280g water
• 3tsp salt
• 500g flour

Process - the ferment

After the last stretch and fold, let the dough bulk ferment until it doubles in volume. This usually takes around 2 hours.

Process - the shaping

After the dough is fully fermented, it is turned onto the counter, divided into two loaves. I shape the two doughs, one as a boule and the other a batard, and each go into their respective benettons seam side up for proofing. I let these proof for about an hour.

Process - the baking

Around lunch it is time to flip the proofed loaves out of the bennetons, onto a sheet of parchment paper, and score the top of the loaves. I preheat the oven to 450F, transfer the loaves to the backing sheet on parchment paper, and cover the loaves for steaming. I leave the loaves covered for about 15 minutes, remove the covers and continue to bake at 450F for 25 minutes.

Process - the cooling

Take the loaves out of the oven, onto a cooling rack, and forget about it until after work.