Sesame Seed Sourdough

Ingredients

• 25 g starter
• 50 g flour
• 50 g water
• 280 g warm water
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 400 g bread flour or a strong all-purpose flour with at least 11% protein
• 50 g sesame seeds*
• 80 g doubled starter
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix together the starter ingredients and tip into...: Mix together the starter ingredients and tip into a clean jar. Leave it to rise in a warm place for 4-6 hours to at least double (but not collapse).

2. 2

   When the starter has been rising for around...: When the starter has been rising for around 4 hours, in a large bowl, combine the water and honey and mix it well. Add in the flour and sesame seeds and mix it together into a rough dough. Ensure all the dough has been wet through. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and let the dough rest.

3. 3

   Once the starter has doubled, add 80g of...: Once the starter has doubled, add 80g of it to the dough along with the salt. Use wet hands to squish it all together until well combined. It's a bit messy and sticky but working quickly helps.

4. 4

   Over the next 3 hours, perform 6 sets...: Over the next 3 hours, perform 6 sets of stretch and folds, one every 30 minutes. You can choose to do a regular stretch and fold method, or a coil fold (see above post for details.)

5. 5

   After the folds are completed let the dough...: After the folds are completed let the dough rest in a warm spot until bulked out by 50%. It should look a lot puffier. How long this takes depends on the warmth of your room. You can create a warm spot by placing the dough next to a mug of boiled water in a turned off oven.Line a banneton basket or bowl with a towel and flour it well.

6. 6

   Tip your dough out on to floured work...: Tip your dough out on to floured work surface and gently form it into a rectangle. Take care at this shaping stage to not squash the dough too much and lose all the gases that have been forming.

7. 7

   Take the bottom third of the dough and...: Take the bottom third of the dough and fold it up so it meets the middle. Take the right side of the dough and fold it to meet the middle, then do the same with the left side.

8. 8

   Bring the top third of the dough down...: Bring the top third of the dough down to meet the bottom. Now you have a sort of ball shape.

9. 9

   Stitch this ball together by grabbing a little...: Stitch this ball together by grabbing a little bit of dough from the top left and a little from the top right and bring them together to meet in the middle.

10. 10

    Carry on doing this down the length of...: Carry on doing this down the length of the dough. When you get to the bottom, grab a flap of dough and carry it up over the top of the stitched dough to meet at the top. This will again create a sort of ball.

11. 11

    Gently grab this ball and roll it gently...: Gently grab this ball and roll it gently towards you on the bench. This will create some surface tension. All the while, take care not to de-gas your dough too much. Place in the floured bowl or basket, smooth side down.

12. 12

    Cover with a floured tea towel and place...: Cover with a floured tea towel and place in the refrigerator for 8-20 hours.

13. 13

    Preheat the oven to 482°F/250°C as well as...: Preheat the oven to 482°F/250°C as well as the cast-iron dutch oven. Let them preheat for at least 30 minutes until very hot. If you have no dutch oven, you can preheat an oven tray instead and later add ice cubes or water for steam.

14. 14

    Once hot, remove the dutch oven from the...: Once hot, remove the dutch oven from the oven and flour the bottom pan well. Remove the sourdough loaf from the fridge and gently tip it into the pan so the smooth side of the loaf is showing.Use a razor blade or sharp knife to score gashes into the loaf. This gives the steam a place to escape from when the bread bakes.

15. 15

    Add on the lid of the dutch oven...: Add on the lid of the dutch oven and place it in the oven. Bake covered for around 20 minutes.

16. 16

    Remove the lid then bake uncovered for a...: Remove the lid then bake uncovered for a further 15-20 minutes until browned to your liking.

17. 17

    Let the loaf cool for 2 hours before...: Let the loaf cool for 2 hours before slicing.