Hearth Sourdough Bread

This is a special month. Not only is November a month for thanks and giving, November 17th is National Homemade Bread Day. Since we're #BreadBakers, we just had to celebrate! Our usual posts are themed, but for this one we we let our individuality shine through.

There's a little bit of everything from bagels to rolls to buns to muffins and quick breads. We've got a pretty diverse line-up for you! I hope you enjoy and are inspired to bake some homemade bread today! 

For this event, I decided to bake a bread that represents the reason and inspiration for my baking bread in the first place. Sourdough.

Baking bread, especially sourdough, is not like any other baking. There is nothing precise about it. It is affected by the weather, the activeness of the starter, and many other factors. You have to use your instincts to understand the dough. You have to have a tolerance for ambiguity and the ability to adjust to the feel and behavior of the dough in your hands.

There is something about about baking sourdough bread that has captivated me, fed my soul, and sustained me through some difficult times. That is why I chose this recipe for this particular day.

Hearth Sourdough

Ingredients

Preferment

15 g sourdough starter (My original starter came from King Arthur Flour about five years ago. There are also lots of resources on the interwebs for growing your own)

1/2 C water

105 g (3/4) whole wheat flour

Final dough

All of the starter

240 g (1 C) lukewarm water

375 g (2 1/2 C) bread flour

12 g (2 tsp) fine sea salt

Instructions

1. The night before baking the bread, mix the preferment ingredients in a medium bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit or 12 hours. 
2. Mix all of the final dough ingredients in a very large bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
3. After 30 minutes, stretch and fold the dough from all four "sides." Repeat the "stretch and fold" two more times at 30 minute intervals. 
4. Cover the dough and let it rise until almost doubled, about 2 hours. 
5. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. 
6. Flour a banneton or towel lined bowl with a mixture of wheat and rice flour. 
7. Shape the dough into a boule by folding the dough over itself. Lift the dough up like it is a water balloon and let the outer skin stretch over the bottom (future top) of the dough. Pinch the top of the "balloon" together. Plop it into the banneton or lined bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. 
8. Let it rise for about 2 to 3 hours, until it is puffy. 
9. Place a Dutch oven in your oven and preheat it to 475 degrees F. 
10. Place a parchment lined plate over the banneton or bowl, and turn the contraption over so that the banneton is upside down. 
11. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. 
12. Score the dough, and lift it, parchment and all, into the Dutch oven. Cover and place into the oven. 
13. Bake for 20 minute. Remove the lid, and bake for another 15 minutes. The bread will be done when the interior temperature reaches about 205 degrees F and the crust is a deep golden brown.
14. Cool completely on a wire rack.

This recipe has been adapted from Josey Baker Bread, the perfect book for the bread beginner. 

I hope you enjoy our love of bread just as much as we do on this National Homemade Bread Day as you browse through these new recipes!

• Pumpkin Bagels by Sophie at Sweet Cinnamon & Honey 
• Pain Tordu by Carola at En la Cocina de Caro 
• Almond Bread by Rocio at Kidsandchic  
• White Cranberry Nut Bread by Cindy at Cindy's Recipes and Writings  
• Hadrian's Bread by Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla  
• Hearth Sourdough by Karen at Karen's Kitchen Stories  
• Homemade English Muffins by Stacy at Food Lust People Love  

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme.  Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

Sharing with Yeastspotting