Don’t need to Preheat oven for 1 hour to achieve that ear

100g Starter

500g White Bakers Flour 12.5% protein

330g Room temperature filtered Water

10g Salt

1 hour autolyse of flour, water and salt. Starter had been in the fridge from my last 1:1:1 top up a few days earlier so I gave it an hour or so outside the fridge to wake up and finish doubling. I mixed everything together and left it in a cupboard with lid on bowl where my security camera NVR resides which has a temperature of 26-28C (78-82F). Getting a little cold here in Sydney and room temperature is around 22C (71F) and that would have extend the BF and I wanted it in the fridge by 7pm, Was going out.

Total of 4 Stretch and folds every 30 minutes. Then bulk ferment in same cupboard till it doubles which was about 5 hours plus the 2 hours of stretch and fold (total 7 hours of BF from when starter was added). I just check on it every hour or so and wait for it to almost double, bubble on top/bottom and dome around the bowl. I've tried the float test before but don't find it reliable. Even after a 9 hour BF with the float test, it still sinks. I know you can also mark the bowl or place a small piece of dough in a smaller container to see when it doubles but I found eyeballing it and looking for the signs works for me.

Flour work bench, flip bowl over and let dough blob onto floured surface. Gently stretch dough into large square and fold four times at each side and then gently shape it to a boule. Let sit uncovered for 30 minutes then flour dough surface, flip then perform another stretch but much smaller and gentle square than before. Fold left side then right side then roll into a roll and reshape into boule again. I sprinkle rice flour on boule and banneton, place boule into banneton smooth side down and leave in fridge covered overnight (I did 14 hours this time but you can do more or less). I decided to bake it when I got up because I had plans and wanted to have it baked before I left so it meant it was in the fridge for that long.

Now, I have read so many post about my fellow sourdounians struggling to get a decent ear and others suggesting to preheat to oven for at least one hour. I only preheat the oven along with my dutch oven for as long as it takes my oven to beep when it reaches 250C (480F) which is around 15 minutes. I've always done it this way since I started making sourdough and never had an issue with developing a good ear.

Placed soughdough on silicone baking mat (or parchment paper if you don't have one), score and put in dutch oven with lid on for 30 minutes (at 250C). After 30 minutes removed lid from dutch oven, reduce temperature to 220 (430F) and bake for another 15 minutes (spin the dutch oven 180 degress at the 7 minute mark to even out the browning) or until I was satisfied with the colour. Mine usually looks good after 15 minutes but today gave it an extra 3 minutes so total of 18 with the lid off. Sat on a cooling rack for 4-5 hours before I cut it. So good. End of the day it comes down to trial and error and what suits you. I've tried many methods and I am happy with my current method. My kids and I like the taste of 100% white bread so I don't add any other type of flour. If I add inclusions like olives, thyme, rosemary or cheese, I do it during the large stretch after BF. Hope it helps.