Raccoon and Lobster

It’s been 11 days and there are three containers of sourdough in my fridge, two in the oven and one given away. I have dreamt about sourdough several times this week. My kitchen smells of sourdough. I smell of sourdough. There is a layer of flour covering everything I own. It is definitely time to make some damn bread.

This is using Minnie as a starter.

Basic Country White Loaf from Breads from the La Brea Bakery
Makes two 1.5lb boules

12 ounces starter
2 lb 2 oz white bread flour
1 lb 2 oz water 70° F
1/2 cup raw wheat germ
4 1/2 tsp salt
Vegetable oil

Adjust the water temperature up by 1° for every degree the room temperature is below 73° F. Combine water, starter and flour and knead 5-7 minutes until dough is elastic and takes on the shape of a boule. Cover for 20 minutes for autolyse, which is a fancy word for “upload pictures and post to your blog.”

Autolyse complete, you want to sprinkle the salt over the dough and knead again for 5-7 minutes until the dough resembles a baby’s buttocks. Additional description leads me to conclude that baby’s buttocks can be stretched, like tanuki testicles, until they are paper thin and see through. Creepy. Place into a large oiled glass or ceramic bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest in 70-75° room until double, about 3.5-4 hours. Realize belatedly that you have a very long night ahead of you.

After dough has risen, turn out and cut in half. Slap each piece around a little to deflate and make a rough loaf shape. Cover for 15 minutes. Rock loaves and wrap the dough into boule shapes with a smooth skin that stretches over the entire surface. Place into proofing baskets or onto a couche. Proof again for 1 hour. Too tired to make a couche/couch joke, go back to sleeping on the sofa until your hour is up.

When dough has increased in volume by 1/4, place in fridge for 8-12 hours for retarding. Finally stagger off to bed.

After you wake up, take out the boules and let them warm up and double in size for the final proof, approx 3 hours.  Preheat the oven to 500° approx 1 hour before baking. When the dough is ready, slash the boules and bake for approx 45 minutes at 450°.

Submitted to Yeastspotting