Learning Objective
how to increase hydration
Makes: | 2 x 1kg boules |
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Level: | Advanced |
Created Over: | 3 days |
Kind of Bake: | Retarded overnight – San Francisco Style – mixed in the morning, retarded in the fridge overnight, baked at any point the next day |
Diversity Score: | 15 (if using Botanical Blend No. 2) |
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Suggested Botanical Blend: | Botanical Blend No. 2 – Meadow Blend |
As with all our Classic Sourdough boule recipes we always recommend that you bake the recipe several times, recording everything that you do with our Loaf Record forms so that you can assess every step you make.
Equipment
- Medium bowl, for mixing leaven
- Clean tea towel or wax cloth
- Large mixing bowl
- Dough whisk
- Dough scraper
- 2 x 1kg bannetons
- Lame
- Baking cloche
Suggested Starter
- white starter
Hydration
84%
DDT
25–27°C (77–81°F)
Flours
To Ferment Your Dough
- 40g starter
- 80g wholegrain flour or Botanical Blend No. 2
- 80g water at 30°C (86°F)
Baking Time
1 hour in a cloche or Dutch Oven, plus 5–10 minutes uncovered, depending on your preferences
Preheat Oven To
220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7
Bake At
200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6
Baking Tips - During/After Baking
- Everyone's oven is slightly different. Use the timings given here as a guide and always check your loaf towards the end of the baking time to see how much longer it needs.
Tutorials
Step | Timings |
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Refresh starter (first build) | Day 1, 10am |
Refresh starter (second build) | Day 1, 10pm |
Plan your bake | Day 2, 9am |
Make a leaven | Day 2, 10–11am |
Mix together the flours and 725g of the water | Day 2, 1pm |
Autolyse with leaven | Day 2, 1pm |
Bassinage with 100g water (mix in 4 x 25g additions) | Day 2, 1.30pm |
Add the salt and final 25g of water. Mix again, then start bulk | Day 2, 2pm |
Stretch and fold | Day 2, 2.30pm |
Bulk ends – now pre-shape | Day 2, 5pm |
Final shaping | Day 2, 5.30pm |
Put in fridge overnight at 5°C (41°F) | Day 2, 6pm |
Bake | Day 3, between 12–5pm |
Analyse & recalibrate | On eating |
Guidance, tips & techniques
RETARDED
This is the School’s classic higher-hydration sourdough formula. It is features in my book The Sourdough School (page 116), but with a little more water. I have used this formula for over a decade to teach slightly more advanced bakers. It is really important that you pay attention to the bassinage technique when adding more water. The key is to develop the gluten in the early stages using time and strong mixing, making sure you mix well and allow the dough to relax between each addition of water, while maintaining the DDT.
Learning Outcome
Adding more water opens up the crumb structure and increases the rate of fermentation - here you can learn how to add more water.