Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread (No-Knead)

 

Makes 2 smaller loaves or one large if you have a large loaf pan

Ingredients

• ½ cup sourdough starter, bubbly and active (fed within 12-24 hours)
• 2 cups warm water, filtered (95º to 100º F)
• ⅜ cup (56 grams) granulated sugar
• 5 ¼ -6 (600 grams) cups bread flour 
• 2  tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 teaspoons salt

Instructions

1.           Add the starter to a large bowl. Mix in warm water and sugar, stirring until dissolved. Add bread flour, oil, and salt. Stir, dough will be shaggy. 

2.           Finish mixing dough by hand.  Cover with a warm, damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30- 45 minutes.

3.          Then do a stretch and fold the dough by stretching 4 inches then pushing it down the middle and turning 1/4 until you make a circle. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp towel, repeat once per hour for 4 fours then let rise at room temperature overnight (at least 8-10 hours) until double in size. Do not refrigerate dough.

4.           In the morning, gently stretching it into a rectangle. Roll up dough into a log shape. Cover and let the dough rest 10 minutes. 

5.           Spray bread pan with cooking spray. Tighten the dough log by gently pulling it towards you along the counter top for 5-8". Place it in TWO loaf pan, seam side down. Cover and let rise for 1-2 hours, until dough has doubled in size. Press the corner edge of the dough in 1/2" and if the indentation remains, it's ready to bake.

6.           Preheat your oven to 375º. Bake in the center of the oven for 40 minutes. The top of the loaf should be golden in color. After 10 minutes, tilt the pan to remove the bread to cool on a cooling rack. Wait at least 1 hour before cutting (to prevent the loaf from deflating).

Notes

 

Storing

Let bread cool for at least one hour before cutting.

Store bread in a bag at room temperature for up to 5 days. 

To make chocolate dough add

• Use ¼ cup (50 grams) packed brown sugar instead of white sugar
• ½ cup  Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
• ½ cup  chocolate chips
• Proceed with directions above

No Knead Bread/ Regular and Sourdough

• 3 cups unbleached bread flour  (I use 2 cups Whole Wheat 1 cup bread flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast 
• 1 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 Tablespoons honey (This will NOT make the bread sweet at all, but it will taste terrific!)
• 6-8 quart dutch oven. Does not need to be the enamel-coated kind. A regular, camping style dutch oven works great as well

Directions

1. Stir together ingredients until flour is moistened and shaggy looking.  Cover with plastic wrap and rise at room temperature for 14-20 hours 
2. Lightly flour a work surface and with floured hands, fold the dough over itself twice.  Cover loosely with plastic & rest for 20 minutes. Then shape the risen dough into a tight ball and place it on the center of a large piece of parchment strip, cover loosely with a tea towel and rest for 2 hours. 
3. A half-hour before baking, preheat the oven and a 6 to 8-quart Dutch oven to 450F. 
4. When ready remove the lid from the dutch oven (careful, it will be very hot) and carefully lower the bread dough with the parchment paper into the dutch oven and return the cover.  
5. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake another 5-10 minutes until well browned.
6. Cool before slicing with a serrated knife.

***
SOURDough No knead 

•3 ½ cups/425 grams bread flour

•1.5 teaspoons salt

•¾ cup/180 grams sourdough starter 

•2 tablespoons sesame seeds (It's okay to kipped this or add different nuts!)

PREPARATION

1.In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.

2.In a small mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/4 cups lukewarm tap water with the sourdough starter, then pour the mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a tea towel and leave it to rise overnight about 10 to 24 hours.

3. The next day, dust a clean kitchen surface with flour. Scoop out the dough and place it on the surface, then dust with more flour. Gently fold the edges of the dough from the outside in, to form a round loaf. Place on a sheet of parchment paper the seam side down, then cover and allow to double in size, about 2 hours.

4. Meanwhile, heat the oven to between 450 degrees. Place a covered enamel Dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid into the oven and allow it to heat for 30 minutes or so. Remove the pot from the oven, take off its top, and carefully invert the risen dough with the parchment paper into it. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, then put the top back on the pot and return it to the oven.

5. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, then take the top off the pot and allow it to continue to cook until it is brown and crusty all over, an additional 5-10 minutes or so. Put the loaf on a rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.