Red Fife Sourdough Bread

100g starter

• 320g warm water

• 450g white flour

• 50g red fife flour

• 20g honey

• 10g salt

Night before feed your starter; you will need 50g starter feed it 50g all-purpose flour+10g whole wheat flour or red fife flour and 60g of water. Stir it well so that it is nicely mixed with no dry flour showing. Cover it again and allow it to become active, during which time it will bloom and glow and become bubbly and textured.

Instructions

By using a stand mixer: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the warm water, starter, honey, flour and salt. Mix on low speed until combined 3-4 minutes. The dough will feel slightly sticky and elastic at this stage. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes. 

By hand: Whisk the starter and water in a large bowl. Add the flour, honey and salt . Squish everything together with your hands until all the flour is absorbed. The dough will look “shaggy” but will come together. Let rest (autolyze) for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, if preferred.

Feed you remaining starter after each use: 50g flour and 50g water.

• After an hour, uncover the bowl and do a series of four "stretch and folds". 

• Now the dough needs to rise. Cover the bowl and let rest in a warm spot to rise. The dough is ready when it no longer looks dense and has doubled in size. This can take anywhere from 4-8 hours depending on the temperature of your ingredients.

• At the end of bulk fermentation, the dough should have risen considerably in the bulk container. It will be bubbly, smooth, and elastic, showing signs of significant fermentation.

• Gently scrape the dough out of the bulk fermentation container and let rest for 30 minutes, uncovered.

• After the dough has rested and relaxed outward, shape as a boule, using your hands, gently cup the sides of the dough and rotate it, using quarter turns in a circular motion. You can also pull it towards you to even out the shape. Place the dough in the proofing basket seam-side-up.

• Place the banneton into the refrigerator overnight or leave proof on the counter for about 2 hours until a poke to the dough slowly springs back.

• Preheat your oven with the rack at the bottom third to 450°F (230°C). Place your Dutch oven inside.

• When your Dutch oven has preheated, score the top of your bread with a bread lame or razor.

• Take the Dutch oven out of the oven. Take the top off the Dutch oven and place the dough and parchment paper into the Dutch oven. Place the top back on the Dutch oven and close the oven door.

• Bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, take the top off the Dutch oven and continue baking for 25 more minutes. This will produce the crisp crust you are looking for.

• Pull your bread out of the oven. Wait to cut into it until your bread has cooled. 

Enjoy!