Extra-Tangy Sourdough Bread

• Baking & Spices

  • 5 cups King arthur all-purpose flour, Unbleached
  • 2 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Sour salt
  • 1 tbsp Sugar

• Prepared

  • 1 cup Fed" sourdough starter

• Liquids

  • 1 1/2 cups Water

Found on kingarthurflour.com

Description

Ingredients

• 1 cup fed sourdough starter
• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
• 5 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon to 5/8 teaspoon sour salt (citric acid), optional, for extra-sour bread

Directions

• Combine the starter, water, and 3 cups of the flour. Beat vigorously for 1 minute. Cover, and let rest at room temperature for 4 hours. Refrigerate overnight, for about 12 hours. Add the remaining ingredients: 2 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and sour salt, if youre using it. Knead to form a smooth dough. Allow the dough to rise in a covered bowl until its relaxed, smoothed out, and risen. Depending on the vigor of your starter, it may become REALLY puffy, as pictured; or it may just rise a bit. This can take anywhere from 2 to 5 hours. Understand this: sourdough bread (especially sourdough without added yeast) is as much art as science; everyones timetable will be different. So please allow yourself to go with the flow, and not treat this as an exact, to-the-minute process. Gently divide the dough in half. Gently shape the dough into two oval loaves, and place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise until very puffy, about 2 to 4 hours. Dont worry if the loaves spread more than they rise; theyll pick up once they hit the ovens heat. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray the loaves with lukewarm water. Make two fairly deep diagonal slashes in each; a serrated bread knife, wielded firmly, works well here. Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes, until its a very deep golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Nutrition