Sourdough Bread

Making bread with a sourdough starter, or levain, allows the fermentation to occur slowly, which is ideal if you want to let your dough rise overnight. You could mix the dough on a Friday evening, leave it to rise overnight, then shape and proof the dough before baking in the morning. This way the bread can easily be ready for a Saturday lunch or even a late brunch. To shorten the proofing time in the morning, this bread contains a small amount of dried yeast. Although it is only 1/4 tsp for two loaves, it really shortens the proofing time, but you still have the slightly sour tang from the levain. It makes 2 loaves.

Ingredients

1 cup ripe sourdough starter (186g)

3 cups water (665g)

1/4 tsp dried yeast

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup plain yogurt (67g)

10 1/3 cups flour (1135g) (you can use a 1:1 mix of all purpose flour and white whole wheat flour)

Instructions

Mix the sourdough starter with the water, dried yeast, and salt.

Add the flour and mix with a large, sturdy spoon until all the flour is incorporated, but the dough still looks very shaggy.

Leave on the bench for 30 minutes.

Mix the dough again with the spoon a few times. The dough should now look much smoother and adhere in a ball.

Cover and leave at room temperature overnight.

The following morning, turn the dough out onto a floured board, cut in half, and shape each half to put in a loaf tin. Alternatively, make it into a ball to rise in a well-floured banneton basket.

Leave to proof for about 1 hour in a warm, humid place. You could use the oven with a bowl of hot water placed underneath.

Bake for 40 minutes at 375F.