Baking - Sourdough Bread - Overnight Cold Bulk Method

 

Starter:

• 600 g active 100% hydration starter. That means that the starter is equal parts of water and flour by weight.

If it loses a little weight during rising, that’s normal. Dough Mix:

• 700 g flour.
• 430 g water.
• 20 g salt.

Mix until combined. I do use a dough hook on my KitchenAid mixer. Add extra water until the dough is sticky enough that you need wet hands to handle it and it mostly comes clean off the dough hook. Dough should feel loose, sticky, and hydrated. Bulk Fermentation: Let the dough rest at room temperature for about 3 hours. Look for a 30 to 50 percent rise, visible bubbles, and a jiggly surface. Do not break the big bubbles. Cold Bulk:

• Cover and refrigerate overnight. It’s OK to just cover this with wax paper.
• If you want to preserve hydration, then put a tight lid on it
  

Next Day – Divide and Shape:

• Turn the cold dough out onto a floured board.
• Use two bench scrapers to turn and tighten the dough with minimal extra flour.

Total dough weight today was 1766 g after cold bulk. Split into one large loaf (about 1000 g) and one smaller loaf (about 766 g). Shape each into a tight ball (as best as you can because it’s very hydrated and sticky). Let rest on the counter for about 20 minutes. Place into floured bowls and refrigerate again to firm up. Preheat oven to 500 F with Dutch ovens inside for 45 to 60 minutes. Bake:

• Dust the bottom of each dough ball with semolina (not the Dutch oven).
• Do a quick hand‑shape to tighten the surface.
• Drop dough into the hot Dutch oven.
• Score immediately with a shallow angled cut.
• Bake covered at 500 F for 15 minutes.
• Lower to 450 F and bake covered 5 more minutes.
• Uncover and bake 15 to 25 minutes depending on loaf size until deep golden brown.

Cool completely before slicing. JUST KIDDING - nobody does that.