Pandemic Baking: Sourdough #36, #37, #38

Ric Ric is coming into town. He will be tasting our sourdough breads for the first time.

All three loaves followed thePerfectLoaf all-purpose flour recipe.

The day of Ric Ric's arrival, we started the mix at 6:45AM. Five folds happened at 7AM, 7:15AM, 7:45AM, 8:15AM, and 8:45AM. Pre-shaped was at 10:30AM, final shaping at 10:50AM, and the dough went into the bannetons for proofing at 11:00AM.

Of note, Sourdough #37 was built using the revived starter from dehydrated starter flakes, as a test.

The revived started was fed and tripled in size the night before, so it came back stronger than before.

Revived starter from dehydrated flakes on the left; regularly maintained starter on the right

 

Sourdough #36 was baked on the same day, while Sourdough #37 and #38 were retarded overnight and baked the next day.

Sourdough #36 baking time:

1. 12:30PM: preheat Dutch oven to 500 deg F (reading 460 deg F)

2. 1:30PM: score and bake

3. Lid on for 20 minutes (rotate at 10 min)

4. Lid off for 30 minutes (rotate at 15 min)

5. Convection at 475 deg F and on bare racks for 3 minutes (rotate at 1.5 min)

Final post-bake weight of Sourdough #36: 728g

Sourdough #36: same day baking

Sourdough #36 cross section

Sourdough #36 first slice

Very nice airy crumb; crust was not crunchy, rather a little chewy; not hard to the bite.

Ric Ric was very impressed.

Sourdough #37 baking time:

1. 8:53AM: preheat Dutch oven to 500 deg F and take banneton out of fridge

2. 10:00AM: score and bake

3. Lid on for 20 minutes (rotate at 20)

4. Lid off for 30 minutes

Final post-bake weight of Sourdough #37 (using revived starter): 729g

Sourdough #37 using revived starter, proofed overnight before baking

Sourdough #37 cross section

Sourdough #37 slice

Special bread for Ric Ric came out very beautiful and tasty.

Note that this bread was made using the revived starter from dehydrated flakes, so our reviving method worked well.

Sourdough #38 baking time:

1. 2:06PM: preheat Dutch oven to 500 deg F and take banneton out of fridge

2. 3:00PM: score and bake

3. Lid on for 20 minutes (rotate at 20)

4. Lid off for 30 minutes

Final post-bake weight of Sourdough #38: 728g

Sourdough #38 using regularly maintained starter, proofed overnight before baking

Sourdough #38 cross section

Sourdough #38 slice

New scoring design for this loaf: it came out beautifully.

Same airy crumb, and very nice crust; could be a little crunchier, it was a bit more chewy than crunchy.

All three loaves came out pretty much the same, using thePerfectLoaf recipe to the T.

Very good, that is.