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Seeded Shipton #4 and rye sourdough

Ingredients

Levain

175g
35g mature sourdough starter (just a little bit from your mother starter)
35g Shipton Mill Dark rye flour
35g Shipton Mill Organic white #4
70g room temperature water

Dough

604g Shipton Mill Organic white #4
275g Shipton Mill dark rye
590g (+ 60g for mixing) water 32C = 70% hydration
18g fine sea salt

Method

Feed starter about 10pm the night before 1:1:1 to create enough for the dough.

My kitchen temperature is usually about 18degrees and I find the starter is at it's peak to use the next morning at around 7am.

We have very hard water here in Bath so I tend to boil my tap water in the microwave and then let it cool to the required temperature. To speed this up I stand the jug in a bowl of iced water.

Autolyse dough - Mix flours in a large bowl then add water & mix by hand DON’T OVERMIX! Cover with cling film/shower cap & place in 25C (I have a fermentation station) for 1.5 - 2 hours.

Mix with levain - it is ready when the top is flat & it has been rising and bubbling and just beginning to fall. Pour levain over the dough mix. Sprinkle a bit of water from reserved water. Dimple into the dough & a tiny bit more water splashed in. Slap against the side of the bowl (rhubarb method) to mix for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Wet hands and slap and fold on un-floured surface for 3-5 minutes. Once the dough becomes smooth/not sticky place back in the bowl. Cover & rest for 25 mins @ 25C

Remove and add salt (I use good quality salt crystals or flakes and grind before adding) and a little water and dimple it with fingers then mix as before for about 30 seconds to a minute. Slap & fold for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Place back in bowl covered 25C for the:


Start of the bulk ferment
30 minutes in - First set of folds - stretch up as far as it will stretch then fold over itself to the other side and repeat at 90 degrees all around the perimeter of the dough tucking it under to create a rounded looking top. Cover and place back 25C
Stretch and fold every 30 minutes until you have completed
6 sets of folds then eave to rest for the remainder of bulk ferment (about 1.5 0 2 hours)
The dough should have risen to about 85% grand total.

Gently scrape out onto an un-floured work surface. Draw a line with a little sprinkling of flour across the middle and using a dampened bench scraper and dampened hands, cut in half. Split and pre-shape the dough by moving the outer edge around to push the sticky middle into the centre. Gently push away and round to create tension. Leave for 20 minutes uncovered.

Sprinkle a little flour over the top of the dough making sure the whole surface is covered by stroking your hand across the top. Then gently flip it over (being careful not to degas it) so the floured side is at the bottom. Using dampened fingers, fold the bottom (closest to you) up to the centre. Fold the left side ¾ over to the right. Then right over left. Stretch and fold the top (furthest away) up & down to the centre. Shoelace pattern stretch out the top corners out & back, crossing over each other into the middle. Do the same in the middle then lastly do the same at the bottom. Fold and roll from the bottom to the top the gently lightly seal it on the bottom pulling the dough back towards you. Create a little more tension with the bench scraper turn it, pushing away and bring back towards you. Lightly flour two banneton (proofing baskets) with rice flour. At this point I like to add a coating of seeds (multi seed, pumpkin, poppy or sunflower) onto the base of the bannetons. Cover the baskets with shower caps and leave in the fridge overnight. Cold proof for 12-14 hours (maybe as long as 16 hours but no longer as it will over-proof).


Next morning
Place the cold Dutch Oven inside oven and heat to hottest temperature for 30 minutes. Lightly flour the top of the dough and place a sheet of baking parchment over the banneton. Gently turn the banneton upside down so the dough drops into the centre of the parchment leaving the seeded side of the bread on top. Score at 45 degree angles with a blade. Carefully lower into the Dutch Oven. Bake with lid on for 23 minutes then turn heat down to 200C and remove the lid for the next 23 minutes. Once 1st loaf removed, turn the heat back up for 15 minutes with Dutch Oven back in before putting the 2nd loaf in to bake.