Steam is essential for a fully risen loaf of bread that cracks open exactly where you score it.
The moist air allows for oven spring and its the last time your bread rises after all that proofing.
Without moisture, the bread will immediately develop a dry skin that impedes the oven spring.
The Dutch oven is like a baking stoneanda steam keeper all rolled into one.
(And if you don’t have one yet,here are some affordable options.)
A lot of rise is what were counting on, so you dont want the space to be cramped.
Then get to setting up your oven.
Set the oven to whatever temperature you need.
Ill set mine to 450F for the sourdough.
Check your brand to see to it.
If your lid isnt oven safe, use a baking sheet to cover the top.
Its not perfect but itll do.
Once the bread is ready to be baked, score the bread how youd like.
I’m partial to the square score.
Carefully take the Dutch oven out of the oven with mitts on.
Lift the bread up by the parchment paper corners and lower it into the pot.
Take the bread out of the pot carefully to cool on a wire rack.
Ingredients:
7 ounces room temperature water
4 ounces sourdough starter
10 ounces high-gluten flour
0.25 ounces salt
1.
Mix the water, starter, and flour together in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Let this rest for 15 minutes.
This short autolyse will help hydrate the flour and strengthen the gluten.
Set the dough hook and bowl onto the machine and start it on the first speed.
Sprinkle in the salt as its stirring.
Put the machine onto the second speed for three minutes, and the third speed for another three minutes.
The dough may stick a bit to the bottom at first and thats alrightitll gather up by the end.
Place this bowl in a warm area, or my favoritemug warmer proofing rig.
Every 45 minutes, fold the dough in half and flip it over.
Fold the dough in half to knock out the air.
Shape the dough into a square and lift the edges together to make a purse.
Dust away the flour and flip the purse over.
Use your hands to tighten the doughs skin and shape a ball.
Heres myvideo on dough shaping.
(Its very helpful, according to me.)
Let this proof for about 45 minutes, or until a fingerprint springs back halfway.
Heat the Dutch oven in the conventional oven during this proofing time.
When the bread is ready to bake, score the bread with a sharp serrated knife or a lame.
Take out the pot, grab the corners of the parchment paper and lower the loaf into the pot.
Cover the Dutch oven and put it into the oven to bake for 15 minutes.
Remove the lid and leave the bread in the oven to finish baking for another 10 minutes.
Cool the finished loaf on a wire cooling rack.
