Sourdough bread no knead recipe

Hi
Here's my latest sourdough bread recipe. I'm getting better and better at making the bread. My first attempts were very average. My husband told me I was wasting my time and asked me why we couldn't just buy a loaf. Never mind he's happy now.

NO KNEAD SOURDOUGH BREAD

INGREDIENTS	WEIGHT
100gm rye flour/ 50gm wholewheat flour/ 250gm white bakers flour - this is the mix I prefer (or White baker’s flour)	400gm
Tap water or filtered water – cold only	256ml
*Poolish starter - see below	160gm
Salt	8gm

NOTE: I double this recipe so that I'm not making bread every second day. I have also increased it by 10% to make it a better size for sandwiches.

METHOD

1.      Mix everything except salt roughly in a big bowl. (Dough should cling but not be too wet.) Add more water/flour if needed now. Cover bowl with clean towel after each step.

2.     Make well in centre of dough and sprinkle salt over the mixed dough. Spray with a little water. Cover bowl with a towel. Let rest for 30 min. (Feed your starter now too)

3.      To stop the salt from falling out when you turn it out of the bowl, fold it in with a spatula. Turn dough onto a clean surface. Wet hands (so dough doesn't stick) and stretch and fold dough, without breaking the gluten strands, and press down for a minute until salt is mixed, then place dough into a clean bowl. Cover and rest 20 mins.

4.      Stretch and fold another 2-3 times every 20-40 mins.

5.      Cover the bowl with a towel. Let it rest for 2-4 hours or until almost doubled.

6.      Sprinkle bench with flour and shape dough carefully; room temp for 2-3 hrs or in fridge 12-16hrs. (I do not do this step. Instead I shape dough and put into a rectangular baking tin lined with baking paper, size: approx 13 cm x 21 cm. If making a double quantity, this is when you will need to split the dough for two tins. I use scales for this. Sprinkle flour on top. Just a thin layer. Slash dough across the top about ¼ inch deep about 3 times. This will stop the bread rising out of the sides because the slashing allows it breathing space and it will rise here.) Allow to rise 2-6 hrs.

7.      Pre-heat oven to 240ºC for at least 15 mins. The oven must be hot because when you open the door, heat will escape. Put a tray of water into the oven to steam the bread.

8.      When you put the bread into the oven, spray oven with a little water. The burst of steam helps to form a good crust and keep the bread moist. Keep the oven on high for the first 10 mins (this also helps form a nice crust). Then turn the oven down to 200ºC. Bake the bread for a total of 40-50 mins depending on your oven. Tap the bread on the bottom and it should sound hollow. Or test with a skewer. It may be a little sticky but if very sticky, cook a little more.

9.      Allow to cool on a cake rack.

BAKES ONE LOAF.  THIS BREAD LASTS FOR 5 DAYS IF WRAPPED IN A TEA TOWEL AND PLACED IN THE PANTRY UNSLICED. OTHERWISE, SLICE WHEN COLD AND FREEZE.

First rising Note: I have doubled the quantity for 2 loaves

Stretch dough taking care not to tear the gluten strands. Note: wet hands first.

Fold dough with the use of a spatula. Then press down. Note: wet hands first.

After resting for 3-4 hrs.

After resting for 3-4 hrs

After resting 3-4 hrs

After separating dough it's a mess but that's okay. Spread it out gently with wet fingers to fit the tin. Now allow to rise until it is almost to the top. I have sprinkled white bakers flour over the top. Note the slashing across the top.

Still rising.

This is the second loaf. 

Still rising

Baked loaf

*STARTING YOUR POOLISH STARTER (double this if making two loaves)

½ cup wheat flour

¼ cup rye flour

¾ cup tap water or raisin water

(these are equal parts of flour and water by volume)

METHOD

1. Mix all ingredients together in a glass container/jar and stir to a paste. Let sit at room temp covered lightly with a wet paper towel secured with an elastic band.
2. After 2-3 days, double the mixture as per the starting ingredients.
3. After another 1-2 days, you should see activity in the form of bubbles. Tip out ½ of the mixture and top it up as per the starting ingredients.

RASIN WATER: Soak 1 part organic raisins or sultanas in 2 parts water overnight. Drain off the water and use it instead of tap water to boost your starter.

CARING FOR THE POOLISH

Refresh the poolish 8-12 hrs before you make a loaf. When not baking, refresh it every day at room temp, or every 3-4 days in the fridge. Refresh by discarding half, then adding ingredients as per the starting formula. You only need 160g for a loaf + enough left over to refresh and keep the starter alive.

Poolish can be frozen. The polish will survive up to a week in the fridge without refreshment, but you will need to refresh it a few times before using it to make bread. Wait about 24 hrs between these refreshments. Look for healthy bubbling.

You can use all wheat flour, but rye adds flavour and life. Using rye flour, however, you may collect a clear liquid on the polish – this is just alcohol, nicknamed hooch. Pour the hooch off before using or refreshing the starter.

The starter can be started and maintained using only wheat flour but it may be less active.

NOTE: KEEP POOLISH IN A GLASS CONTAINER (it will react with metal or plastic). COVER WITH AN UNBLEACHED WET/DAMP PAPER TOWEL SECURED WITH AN ELASTIC BAND. NOT A SCREW TOP LID. IF KEEPING POOLISH IN THE FRIDGE, PLACE THE LID OVER THE PAPER TOWEL BUT DO NOT SEAL. IF KEPT PROPERLY POOLISH WILL NOT GO OFF AS THE ALCOHOL ON TOP WILL PREVENT THIS.

Please let me know how you go with this recipe. If you have any questions just email me.Olga