Sourdough Bread With Cheddar, Oregano And Smoked Paprika

Step 1

The night before you should feed your starter so it is super active the next morning

Step 2

Mix all the ingredients for the levain. Put in a see-through container, preferable with straight sides. Put an elastic band around the container so you can monitor the growth.

Step 3

Mix all the flour, oregano and smoked paprika. Add the water (reserve 50 grams for later) and mix it thoroughly. Do not knead the dough, just make sure all the flour is hydrated.

Step 4

Leave the autolysed flour under a cloth until the levain has grown to the double size.

Step 5

Sprinkle the salt over the autolysed flour. Dissolve the salt with the reserved water.

Step 6

Add 400 grams of the levain.

Step 7

Mix thoroughly so that both salt and levain is evenly distributed in the dough. Let the dough rest covered for 30 minutes.

Step 8

Perform three stretches and folds spaced out by 30 minutes. Mix the cheddar in during the second stretch and fold.

Step 9

After the last stretch and fold, you need to do a windowpane test. Stretch the dough slowly with your fingers, if you can make a thin membrane without the dough breaking, you have great gluten development. Not sure how? Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-Q3gEaZX6Y

Step 10

Let the dough rest until it's doubled (about 90 minutes)

Step 11

Divide the dough into two equal sized pieces. I usually measure, but you can eyeball it.

Step 12

Grab a piece of dough. Grab the bottom part of the dough, stretch it and fold about 2/3 up towards the top.

Step 13

Grab the top of the dough, stretch it and fold it down towards yourself.

Step 14

Continue with the left and the right side.

Step 15

Grab your bench scraper and flip the dough upside down, so that the taut surface you've just created is now facing up.

Step 16

Now you need to make a ball, using your bench scraper.

Step 17

Put the scraper behind the dough and pull it towards yourself. Use your other hand to control the dough.

Step 18

When you can't get any further, put the scraper in front of the ball and push it back while turning it around so that the scraper gets behind the ball again.

Step 19

Keep going until you have a taut surface on the ball.

Step 20

Continue with the other ball of dough. When you've shaped them both let me rest under a dish cloth for 30 minutes.

Step 21

Flour your bannetons with rice flour.

Step 22

Now you are going to be shaping a bâtard. A long bread. Not as long or thin as a baguette, but you know what I mean, right?

Step 23

Take one of the dough balls and flip it over with your bench scraper.

Step 24

Stretch the dough out out into a rectangle by pulling the corners.

Step 25

You now need to fold the dough like you'd lace a shoe.

Step 26

Grab the left side of the dough. Stretch it downwards and to the right side. Repeat in the right side a little bit further down.

Step 27

Move down a bit and repeat. Keep going until the how bread has been laced.

Step 28

Flip the bread into the banneton so that the top is facing downwards. Sprinkle liberally with rice flour.

Step 29

Put the banneton in a plastic bag and put it on the kitchen counter.

Step 30

Continue with the other dough ball.

Step 31

Let the dough rise for about 3 hours, but check it once an hour.

Step 32

Poke one of the breads lightly with your index finger.

Step 33

If the indentation fills out completely, you need to proof for longer.

Step 34

If the indentation fills slowly and leaves a small indentation, the dough is about ready to bake.

Step 35

If the indentation stays the dough has been overproofed, and you need to get it in the oven pronto.

Step 36

Turn on your oven to 260°C/500°F. Put a baking steel in the oven and a small pan at the bottom. Do not use fan assisted.

Step 37

Boil an electric kettle full of water.

Step 38

Roll a towel small enough to be able to fit into the pan, put it in the oven and pour over boiling water. Close the oven.

Step 39

Turn both breads out onto a peel with parchment paper on. Score the breads how you want and put them into the oven directly on the baking steel.

Step 40

Spray about 8-10 times onto the side of the oven with a spray bottle and close the oven door.

Step 41

Bake for about 20 minutes. Open the oven and remove the pan.

Step 42

Turn the oven down to 230°C/450°F and bake for 20 minutes more.

Step 43

Open the oven, dust of any excess rice flour. Put the cheese on top and bake for 5 more minutes.

Step 44

Take the breads out of the oven and place them on a wire rack.

Step 45

Let the breads cool to room temperature before you cut into them.