Two-Loaf “Sourdough-Style” Yeasted Bread, 18 hours

Two-Loaf “Sourdough-Style” Yeasted Bread, 18 hours

Two-Loaf “Sourdough-Style” Yeasted Bread, 18 hours

30% Wholegrain · Hand-mixed · Cold-retarded

Total dough ≈ 1.9 kg → 2 × ~900 g baked loaves

Flour (1,600 g total = 100%)

  • Caputo Red (00/0): 1,120 g (70%)

  • Øland wheat, fresh milled: 336 g (21%)

  • Emmer, fresh milled: 144 g (9%)

Wholegrain total: 480 g (30%)

This ratio is deliberately conservative to protect oven spring at 20–21 °C.

Water (78% hydration = 1,248 g total)

  • Main mix: 1,040 g

  • Bassinage (held back): 208 g

Use cool tap water (≈18–20 °C).

Salt

  • 32 g (2%)

Fresh yeast

  • 2.4 g (0.15%)

This level is tuned for your room temperature and a 14–16 h cold retard.

Acid component (choose ONE)

Option A – Yogurt (recommended)

  • 40 g full-fat natural yogurt

Option B – Vinegar

  • 8 g apple cider vinegar

(Do not use both.)

Optional (recommended for crust & handling)

  • 16 g olive oil (1%)

Process (Adjusted for 20–21 °C kitchen)

Today

14:00 – Autolyse (60 minutes)

Mix until just combined:

  • All flour (1,600 g)

  • 1080 g of the water (from the 1,080 g main mix)

No salt, no yeast yet.

Cover and rest.

At your temperature, 60 minutes gives noticeably better extensibility with home-milled flour.

15:00 – Add remaining ingredients

Dissolve:

  • 2.4 g fresh yeast in 40 g of the reserved water

Add to dough:

  • Yeast water

  • Salt (32 g)

  • Yogurt or vinegar

  • Olive oil (if using)

Mix by hand until cohesive.

Gradually add remaining water (~168 g) as bassinage until dough is:

  • Elastic

  • Slightly tacky

  • Able to hold shape

Final dough temperature target: 23–24 °C

15:15–17:45 – Bulk fermentation (2.5 hours)

Perform 4 sets of folds:

  • 15:45 – Stretch & fold

  • 16:15 – Stretch & fold

  • 16:45 – Stretch & fold

  • 17:30 – Gentle coil fold

Dough should show:

  • Rounded edges

  • Visible bubbles at sides

  • ~40–50% volume increase (do not wait for doubling)

17:45 – Divide & pre-shape

  • Divide into 2 × ~940 g

  • Pre-shape into loose rounds

  • Bench rest 20 minutes

18:05 – Final shape

  • Shape into tight boules or batards

  • Place seam-up in well-floured bannetons

18:15 – Cold retard

  • Refrigerate at 3–4 °C

  • 14–16 hours

Tomorrow – Bake Day

07:00 – Preheat

  • Baking Steel at 270–280 °C

  • Lava rocks in tray

  • Preheat minimum 45–60 minutes

08:00 – Bake (one at a time if needed)

  • Load loaf

  • Immediately add boiling water to lava rocks

  • Close oven quickly

Bake profile

  • 10 min @ 270 °C with steam

  • Vent steam

  • Reduce to 230 °C

  • Bake 25–30 min more

Target internal temp: 96–98 °C

Optional:

  • Final 5 minutes with oven door cracked for darker crust

Expected result (if followed closely)

  • Confident oven spring

  • Clean ear or natural bloom

  • Open, even crumb (not gummy)

  • Dark, aromatic crust

  • Flavor approaching mild sourdough

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