NYE Loaf 31 December 2011

This is the best choice of crumb shots that Michelle from SugarVeil.com emailed on Sunday. It's a Pain de Campagne that I based on a recipe from Daniel Leader's "Local Breads". Usually, I'll include more WW or WWW and rye flours for my home use as a matter of personal taste but as I mentioned in an earlier post, folks were just slicing up the loaf and eating it without butter or honey. here's a skeletal outline of what made it work.

Starter
150g at 100% hydration
The starter was made in a two stage build. It's winter here in Kansas and my starter works much better that way.

Soaker
24g white whole wheat flour
24g whole rye flour
48g room temperature water
The soaker should be started in time to give it at least 4 hours in a covered bowl.

Dough
All of starter
All of Soaker
352g bread flour
218g water at 92F
9g kosher salt

1. Cut soaker into small chunks and place in mixer bowl. Add to starter and stir down to loosen up the starter. Pour half of starter-water mix into the mixing bowl. Add bread flour and then remaining half of starter-water mix over the flour. Using the dough hook, mix at low speed until you reach the shaggy mass stage, usually less than 1 minute.
2. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 25 minutes.
3. Sprinkle salt over the dough and mix at low speed for 3 minutes, adjusting dough with water or flour ONLY if needed. Mix at second speed for 4 minutes. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a ball and place into an oiled bowl or container for bulk fermentation.
4. Ferment for 3 hours with stretch and folds at 1 and 2 hours.
5. At 3 hours, turn out dough and preshape. Cover with the bowl and let the dough relax for 10-20 minutes.
6. Shape the dough for an overnight retarded fermentation in a refrigerator. Remove dough from refrigerator to room temperature for about 2 hours before baking to finish proof.
7. Preheat oven with baking stone to 450F for at least 30 minutes. If using cast iron skillet for steam, preheat skillet as well.
8. Add ice cubes to skillet 5 minutes before loading loaf. Place loaf on a peel or parchment paper and slash. Load the loaf.
9. Bake at 450F for 12 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 425F for 5 minutes. Remove parchment paper if you're using, and turn loaf around. Bake for at least 18 minutes or until the internal temperature is 205F.
10. Turn off the oven and leave the door cracked open with an oven mitt for 5 minutes. Cool the loaf for at least 3 hours on a wire rack before slicing.

That's not too detailed but if you've baked sourdough loaves before, you should be able to fill in the missing lines on your own. If you have any questions or comments or reports on your efforts at this style loaf, just remember that as always....

Comments, humor and questions are welcome.