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Starterbread, Sourdough French

Source of Recipe

Internet and old friend


2 cup sourdough starter
6 cups unbleached hard wheat flour
3 cups water


Combine sourdough starter, flour and water in glass mixing bowl. Blend well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to sit out at room temperature for 30 hours. Sponge will be very thick and full of bubbles.

Add:

4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 T baking soda
3-5 C Flour, to make a workable consistency

Stir enough flour into the sponge to create a stiff dough. The amount of flour you will need will vary with weather and the kind of flour you are using. Knead until satiny, 10 to 12 minutes, adding flour as needed.

The “feel” of this dough after kneading in the flour is different than that of most yeast doughs. It will feel slightly tacky when lightly touched. Shape dough into four oblong or round loaves on a floured surface. Sprinkle top of loaf with extra flour and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise until nearly doubled in size.

Place pizza stone or a baking sheet on rack in middle of oven. Turn on oven to preheat to 400 degrees.

A few minutes before putting bread into the oven, place a shallow baking pan on the lowest rack in the oven, under the preheating pizza stone or baking sheet.

Sprinkle flour over loaf. Use very sharp paring knife or a razor blade to cut a 1/2-inch-deep X into the top of the round loaf or down the length of the oblong loaf. Carefully slide the loaf onto preheated clay pizza stone or baking sheet. Pour enough water into the pan on the lowest rack to a depth of 1/4-inch.

Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 40 to 60 minutes, or until richly browned, spraying the loaves with a fine mist of water about 4 times during baking. Loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom with finger. Slide loaf onto wire rack to cool. Makes 4 loaves.