Starter

  • Store starter in fridge
  • Remove 100g of starter for leaven, or to feed starter every 2–3 days if not making bread
  • After removing 100g, add 50g flour and 50g water to feed the starter
  • Mix well, clean jar, and put back in the fridge

Leaven

  • 100g starter
  • 100g high protein flour < 10%
  • 100g water
  • Mix together, cover, and leave at room temperature for at least 5 hours

Dough

Add to leaven, depending on desired loaf size:

Large loaf

500g high protein flour (Whole meal loaf, 400g flour 100g wholemeal) 12–15g salt 285g water

Medium loaf

350g high protein flour (Whole meal loaf, 280g flour 70g wholemeal) 9–12g salt 185g water

Small loaf

200g high protein flour (Whole meal loaf, 150g flour 50g wholemeal) 7–10g salt 85g water

You can add other flour types for different flavours by replacing some of the high protein flour (by the same weight) with other flours, rye for example.

  • Mix flour, salt and water until all the flour is wet (it will have a shaggy look)
  • Cover and leave at room temperature
  • Every hour, wet your hands and pull dough from the side of the bowl up and over to the middle, cover, repeat at least 5 times, up to 8 times.
  • Put covered dough in the fridge over night

Cooking

  • Gently remove dough from bowl
  • Stretch dough to form a circle where the dough is about 15-20mm thick
  • Fold outside of dough all the way around towards the middle
  • Second fold, again, fold dough all the way around to the middle
  • Turn dough over (folded side to the bench)
  • Create tension on dough by pressing/rolling the sides under, towards the bottom middle, rotating dough at the same time

  • Dust with rice flour and place in proofing bowl tension side down (also with rice flour)

  • Turn oven on to 230°C (if using a dutch oven, place in oven to warm)

  • When oven is heated turn dough into cooking dish tension side up
  • Score top with a razor blade to control crust splitting while cooking
  • Place in oven with lid/cover on

Cooking times

  • Large loaf: 40 minutes then remove lid cover and cook for a further 15 minutes
  • Medium loaf: 36 minutes then remove lid cover and cook for a further 13 minutes
  • Small loaf: 33 minutes then remove lid cover and cook for a further 12 minutes

The removing of the lid/cover for the last part of the cook gives the loaf it’s crust. If you do not like a heavy crust leave lid cover on for the last part of the cook

Turn cooked loaf out on to a cooling rack

Do NOT cut until completely cold (this avoids a doughy texture)

Lastly, and most importantly, Enjoy!!!

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