Step 1

Mix together ripe sourdough starter, bread flour and water. Set aside to ripen for 10-12 hours.Note: Ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter can be substituted for levain in this recipe if desired.

Step 2

Fermentolyse: Once the levain is peaked and active (bubbly, doubled in size, milky sweet smell), mix 200 grams levain with 700 grams of water in a large bowl. Warm the water if the ingredients are too cold and cool the water if ingredients are too warm. Add 900 grams bread flour and 100 grams whole wheat flour to the bowl and mix until incorporated and a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Mixing: After 30 minutes, add the reserved salt and 50 grams of water. Combine using your hands by squeezing the dough between your fingers, pinching chunks of dough and reincorporating together. The dough will break apart and then reform in the bowl through this process. Pick up one side of the dough and fold it over on itself. The dough will be sticky. Wet your hands as needed and continue to work with the dough until all the salt and water has been incorporated. Take the dough and continue working with it by slapping it against the side of the bowl and quickly pulling it back. This vigorous mixing helps strengthen the gluten strands quickly in the dough and will result in a stronger loaf with more oven spring. After about 3-5 minutes of mixing, the dough will feel more cohesive and strong. Place the dough back in the bowl or transfer to a clear plastic container or a glass bowl if desired. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.

Step 4

Bulk Fermentation: Perform 3-4 sets of "stretch and folds."To “stretch and fold,” wet your hand (so it doesn’t stick to the dough). Reach down to the bottom of the bowl of dough and pull the dough up and over the top of the dough. Turn the bowl 1/4 turn and repeat the stretch and fold. Turn another quarter turn and repeat. Perform one more 1/4 turn with stretching and folding the dough. Cover and set aside.Repeat the series of stretch and folds every 30 minutes over the course of two hours. Watch the process here.

Step 5

Finish Bulk Fermentation: Let the dough rest in a warm place, for the rest of bulk fermentation, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours at 78ºF. During this time the dough will puff up about 30-40%, become more aerated, start to pull away from the edges of the bowl, and have a few scattered bubbles around the edges/top of the dough. If your dough is not showing these signs, make sure it's warm enough and give it another half an hour or so until it is showing those signs that it's ready to shape.

Step 6

Divide: Tip the bowl upside down, allowing the dough to fall onto a clean counter surface. Be gentle to avoid cutting and degassing the dough as much as possible. Use a bench knife to cut the dough into two equal portions.

Step 7

Pre-Shape: Wet your hands and the bench knife. Push the bench knife under the dough while using your free hand to tuck the dough under itself. Repeat this process going around in a circle until you have a tight ball of dough. Repeat with the second loaf.

Step 8

Bench Rest: Let the dough rest uncovered for about 30 minutes at room temperature. The dough will flatten a bit during this period of time.

Step 9

Prepare the bowls: Prepare two bannetons or small bowls. Place a kitchen towel or hair net in each bowl bowl. Liberally flour each bowl.

Step 10

Shaping: After the dough has rested for about 30 minutes it is time to shape the bread into a round. Sprinkle flour on top of the dough. Using the bench knife, lift the dough up off the counter and place it on top of the countertop–floured side down. This ensures that the flour is staying mainly on the outside of the dough. Going around in a circle, pull the dough sideways towards you and then fold up to the top of the round. Move 90 degrees and repeat the same process pulling the dough sideways and then folding up to the top. As you continue this process around the dough, increase the tension as you pull. Gather the bread into a circle and use a bench knife to lift the bread and place into your lined bowl. Watch the process here.

Step 11

Stitch the Dough: Let the dough rest and the gluten relax for about 5 minutes before stitching up the dough if desired. This adds a last little bit of tension, but is completely optional.

Step 12

Cold Fermentation: Cover the dough with a shower cap, plastic wrap or a reusable cover and store the dough in the refrigerator overnight or for up to 12-24 hours. Alternatively you can let your dough rise outside the fridge for another 2-3 hours, keeping the dough at that 78º F temperature, and then bake your loaves the same day.

Step 13

Pre-heat the Oven: Put a dutch oven (top and all) into the oven and preheat to 500ºF for 30 minutes.

Step 14

Prepare Dough: Once preheated, pull your first loaf out of the refrigerator. Remove the cover (this is easy to do straight out of the refrigerator if the dough is chilled–not easy if the dough warms up) and place a piece of parchment paper on top of the bread dough. Flip the dough over so that the dough is now sitting on the parchment paper. Take off the bowl/banneton and kitchen towel.

Step 15

Scoring: Smooth the flour over the top of the dough (add a little extra for more contrast if desired). Use a very sharp knife or bread lame to score the dough. I use my bread lame to make any small decorative scores first that are just 1/4-inch deep. Then make one or two larger/longer slashes that go across the dough about 1-inch deep. Watch the process here.

Step 16

Bake: Carefully remove the dutch oven from the 500ºF oven with hot pads. Take the top off and place your bread into the dutch oven (including parchment paper–this helps with the transfer). Be very careful not to touch the sides of the dutch oven. Put your hot pads back on before you pick up the lid of the dutch oven and place it on top of the bread. Put the whole dutch oven back into your oven. Lower the temperature to 450ºF and bake for 25 minutes. Once 25 minutes are up, take the top off the dutch oven and continue baking for 20 minutes until the bread is a crackly deep brown. The loaf should register between 205-210℉ when it's finished baking.

Step 17

Remove the baked loaf from the Dutch oven and pre-heat the dutch oven again for 15-20 minutes. Score the second loaf and bake according to the same directions. Let cool and enjoy!