Extra-Tangy Sourdough Bread

🛒Ingredients (Grocery List)

Starter

• 1 cup cool to lukewarm water (90 degrees to 100 degrees)

• 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast or Instant Yeast

• 1 1/4 cups unbleached Bread Flour

• 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour

Dough

• All of the Starter (above)

• 1 cup lukewarm Water (100 degrees to 115 degrees)

• 3/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast or 1/2 tsp Instant Yeast

• 1/2 tbsp Granulated Sugar

• 3 3/4 to 4 cups Unbleached Bread Flour

• 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 tsp Salt to taste

🍴Serves: 2 loaves

⏰Prep Time: 15 min

💤Resting Time: 24 hours

⏱️Cook Time: 25 to 30 min

🥣Instructions

1. To make the Starter: Weigh your Flour: or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Stir all of the starter ingredients together to make a thick, pudding-like mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 12 hours. I let mine resting for 16 hours for a better flavor. If you plan on making the dough in a bread machine, place the sponge ingredients in the bucket, and turn the machine on for just a few seconds to mix the ingredients together. Turn the machine off and close the cover, then let the starter rest as directed above. The starter needs to rest at room temperature in a dark place.

2. To make the dough: Stir down the starter with a spoon and add the Water, Yeast, Sugar, 3 1/4 cups of the Flour, and the Salt. The dough will be a loose, messy mass. Let it rest for 12 to 15 minutes, then stir it again; it should become more cohesive and a bit smoother. Dough handles better once it’s had time for the Flour to absorb the Water while resting and relaxing. By using this method, you will tend to add less Flour, and have much bigger holes in your finished Bread.

3. Knead the dough, adding up to an additional 3/4 cup Flour (as necessary to make a soft dough), 10 to 12 minutes.

4. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or plastic container, cover with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let it rise until almost doubled (depending on the weather, this could be 1 to 2 hours).

5. If you are going out, or if you prefer, let the dough rise slowly in the refrigerator. If your dough has been refrigerated, allow it to come to room temperature before shaping; it will warm up and rise at the same time.

6. Deflate the dough gently, but don’t knock out all the air; this will create those “holes” so important to French Bread. For one large loaf, form the dough into a ball. For two loaves, divide the dough in half and shape into two balls.

7. Place a semolina or cornmeal dusted piece of parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Gently place the ball (s) of dough on the baking sheet, seam-side down.

8. Cover the Bread gently with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let it rise until it’s puffy and about 40 % to 50 % larger, anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes.

9. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees.

10. Slash or crosshatch the Bread with a sharp knife or lame. Dust it with a little Flour. Spritz Water into the oven with a clean plant mister and place the Bread in the oven. Reduce the heat to 425 degrees and spritz with Water every few minutes for the first 15 minutes of baking.

11. Bake the Bread for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until it’s a rich golden brown, and its interior temperature registers at least 190 degrees on a digital thermometer. The smaller loaves will bake more quickly, so keep your eye on them.

12. Remove the Bread from the oven and cool it on a rack. Store Bread, loosely wrapped in paper, for a couple of days at room temperature. Wrap it in plastic and freeze for longer storage.

💡Tips

• Want to bake your Bread on an outdoor grill? Preheat your grill to high. Place the Bread (on doubled-up baking sheets) on the grill and close the cover. Immediately reduce the heat to medium (400 degrees), and allow the Bread to bake for 25 minutes, or until it’s well-browned. Reduce the heat to low, and carefully place the Bread directly on the grill. Continue to bake until completely done, about 5 minutes.