Sourdough Bread

§ PROCEDURE

1. In a large bowl, combine 280 g ripe sourdough starter and 630 g lukewarm water. Mix well until the starter is fully dissolved. Add 440 g bread flour, 460 g all-purpose flour, 20 g diastatic malt powder, and 26 g salt. Mix until no dry clumps of flour remain. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
2. First stretch and fold: grab the dough from the top, stretch it up as far as it will go without tearing, and fold it down toward the opposite side. Turn the dough 45 degrees and repeat. Continue pulling and folding until the dough noticeably resists and feels stronger. Turn the dough over so the seam faces down. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
3. Repeat the stretch and fold session, then rest 30 minutes. Do this twice more for a total of 4 sessions. After the 4th session, the dough should look slightly gassy and considerably stronger than when you started. Cover and rest for 1 hour.
4. Dust your work surface with flour and turn the dough out. Divide into 2 equal portions and shape each into a rough ball. Cover with a kitchen towel and rest on the counter for 15 minutes.
5. Dust two bread proofing baskets generously with flour. Working with one dough portion at a time, gently spread it into a rough square. Fold each side toward the center, then roll the dough over so the seam is on the bottom. Rotate and drag it gently across the surface to build tension. Place it seam-side up into the proofing basket. Pinch the seams closed as firmly as possible. Sprinkle flour over the top and cover. Repeat with the second portion.
6. Proof the dough: for same-day baking, leave the covered baskets at room temperature for 4–8 hours depending on temperature, until the dough has grown and feels airy. For overnight proofing, place the baskets in plastic bags and refrigerate — bake the next morning straight from the fridge.
7. Preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C) with the dutch oven inside. Allow at least 30–45 minutes for the dutch oven to get fully hot.
8. Carefully remove the dutch oven from the oven. Invert the first loaf from its basket directly into the dutch oven — the seam side is now facing up. Score the surface with a bread lame using one or more confident slashes. Cover the dutch oven and bake for 15 minutes.
9. Remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C), and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Check the color — bake a few minutes longer for a deeper crust, or pull it sooner for a lighter one.
10. Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing — at least 1 hour. Reheat the dutch oven and repeat the baking process for the second loaf.

§ OBSERVED RESULT

The scored crust opens during baking, forming a dramatic bloom along the slash marks. The underside carries a dark char pattern from contact with the dutch oven floor. When tapped, the bottom produces a hollow sound — the signal Earth specimens use to declare the loaf done. When sliced, the crumb is open and irregular, with large air pockets distributed through a chewy, slightly acidic interior. I have begun tapping all available surfaces for comparison.