Rev 0.20, last revised:
12-Nov-09
After growing up with it as a child, and falling in love with it as an adult, I have been searching for the perfect, German farmers bread (Baurenbrot) for my whole sourdough baking life. While not yet perfected, this is my current iteration of this bread so near and dear to both my roots and my heart.
Bread,
especially that from the farm hearths of my grandparents time, consisted of
flour,
water,
sourdough culture, and
salt. Bake at 400F, for 60-70 min.
1: 1/2c
2: 1/2c Rye, 1c BF, 1c water;
mix; ferment at room temperature ~2-4 hours [0700]
3: 1 cup Rye; mix; ferment at
room temperature ~2-4 hours
[1000]
In a fairly large bowl, whisk/stir/mix each of the indicated quantities of water, starter, and flour as directed, and in order. Cover (to prevent drying) and ferment for the indicated time at a room temperature of 70F (~65F - 75F) or so. Ferment longer if cooler, less if warmer--but don't exceed 95F! Why 3-steps?
1-Tablespoon
salt
2-cups Rye [1300]
an additional 1/2
cup or so of BF
(as needed to flour the work surface for kneading and handling)
Coarse cornmeal for sprinkling
on the stone or sheet
Dry
mix together the remaining flour and salt. Add the
sponge created earlier. Mix, turning it
out and using your hands as it thickens up. Allow to sit for 20-30 minutes or so. It takes time for the water to be absorbed by
the flour.
When
done, the
dough should just pull off the walls of the
bowl, and not stick to everything in sight. Flour your work surface and turn the dough
out. Do 6
Stretch & Fold
iterations.
Gently
shape into loaf, or if desired, loaves. Fold edges under and to center, overlapping and
pinching them shut as you go. The point
being to stretch the outer surface while wrapping the excess--being pulled
tight, under. This makes a round loaf. I prefer long loaves, as they make better
sandwiches.
Transfer
to a cornmeal dusted baking surface. Cover, put into COLD OVEN and let rise. The boule (round bread, pre-loaf) should have doubled or more in ~4-5
hours or so at ~72 (68-75)F. If your
culture is exceptionally active, it may rise in as little as 2-hours...
If you like,
you can
coupe your bread at this point. Next, pour 1/2 cup boiling water into a pan
or bowl at the bottom of the oven 10-15 min before baking.
Turn ON.
Bake: 400F, for 60-70 min. until crust is
very dark brown. Turn oven off, open
door. For a thinner crust remove
immediately. For a thicker crust let bread
remain in oven 5 - 15 minutes more
(NB: Let bread cool for easier slicing).