A Cheeky 11 Loaf Batch I Did For The Homeless (only 6 pictured)

To preface; bread has by far been my favorite baking challenge i’ve tackled in my 19 years of existence. It’s so rewarding to learn, make, and share it. Baking in general has saved my life; it’s a creative outlet that helps me cope with addiction and personal struggles.

The recipe I use is my own! this is for a single loaf but feel free to multiply it to fit your needs.
– 450g Sir Lancelot Bread Flour
– 315g Water (70% Hydration FYI)
– 50g Active Starter
– 7g Salt

Procedure
Step 1 – (MUST BE DONE) I’ve never had good results without an autolyse. it’s so important. An autolyse is when the flour and water are isolated and mixed; no starter, no salt. When it’s cohesive let it rest for 2 hours. it’s key to stretch and fold every 30 minutes. it’s very satisfying to see the dough go from a jagged, messy ball, to a smooth, extensible ball. It will pass the window pane test at this point

Step 2 – Mix in your 50g of active starter until it’s homogeneous. Let it rest for 30 mins

Step 3 – After it’s sat for 30mins add your salt. the reason i wait 30 minutes is to let the yeast multiply and turn into an army since salt kills yeast (im unsure if this is scientifically backed but i do it 🤷‍♂️). It’s going to be grainy but keep mixing until it’s dissolved fully.

Step 4 – (I use lightly greased buss bins as I typically make a LOT of sourdough at a time) Add your dough to whatever container you’re using and cover with press and seal to prevent your dough from drying and forming a weird skin on top. Let it rest for 4 hours in total. Do NOT skip stretch and folds. I do a fold every 30 mins to 1 Hour to really develop that gluten extensibility. I often forget to set a timer so sometimes I forget up to 2 hours later :p. after the 4 hours is up do one final set of stretch and folds and wait an additional 30 mins to loosen up the gluten

Step 5 – At this point it’s ready for bulk fermentation. Divide your dough into however many 820g pieces of dough you can get.

5a – My method of final shaping is to roll it into a cinnamon roll-esque shaped log. After this is done I do a 90 degree turn and roll it up again. This creates a very nice amount of tension which allows for a beautiful oven spring. I have a method of rolling a piece of dough into a perfect ball which is hard to describe over text but i’ll try.
Your dominant hand will stay on the countertop at all times; Don’t lift it. move your hand diagonally forward which pulls the dough underneath itself. with your non dominant hand grab the other side and do a tuck underneath.

(It’s so weird to explain, i will definitely make a video the next time i make dough to help out with my lack of description)

Step 6 – Place your tense, perfectly round dough ball into a rice flour or corn starch lined banneton.
I prefer corn starch as it gives the final product a beautiful white coating. Let it cold ferment in the fridge for 12 hours.

Step 7 – It’s time to bake it off now! i bake my loaves at 465 fahrenheit. preheat your dutch oven prior to baking for at least 30 mins. i have an infrared thermometer to tell when it’s done.

7a Place a strip of parchment on your counter and gently flip your banneton on top. be careful! it will deflate if you aren’t gentle. do whatever scoring your heart desires then pick up the parchment and place into your dutch oven. I use half an ice cube in my dutch oven to generate steam for a beautiful spring. prepare a thick, crumpled layer of foil and put it on a baking sheet. once your loaf has been in the oven for 20 mins put it on the foil-baking sheet rig then throw it back in and reduce the temperature to 450 fahrenheit. the whole idea is so we don’t burn the bottom. when I first started making sourdough the bottom would turn black 🙁

i never time the second half of baking. I wait for it to turn into a beautiful golden brown then take it out.

Step 8 – you did it!!!