Sourdough sandwich loaf – recipeifrajob

Ingredients

Mix Levain (5 minutes, Low Intensity): About 8-12 hours before you plan to mix your dough, combine the 50g starter, 100g water, and 100g flour in a clean jar or bowl. Mix thoroughly, cover loosely, and let it ferment at room temperature (70-75°F/21-24°C is ideal). It’s ready when it’s bubbly, domed, and at least doubled in size. This is your leaven.

Autolyse (30 minutes, Low Intensity): In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, whole wheat flour, and 320g of water. Mix with a spatula or your hands until no dry flour remains. It will be a shaggy mass. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and gluten to begin developing naturally.

Incorporate Levain & Salt (10 minutes, Medium Intensity): Add the entire ripe levain, salt, and optional honey/oil to the autolysed dough. Use wet hands to pinch and fold the ingredients until fully incorporated. The dough will be sticky and slack.
Bulk Fermentation & Stretch & Folds (3-4 hours, Low/Medium Intensity): This is the core development phase. Over the next 3-4 hours, perform a series of 4 “stretch and folds,” spaced 30 minutes apart. To do this: With wet hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it upwards, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat 3-4 more times until the dough feels tighter. Cover between sets. After the final fold, let the dough rest, covered, for the remainder of bulk fermentation. It should look puffy, have bubbles on the surface, and increase in volume by about 50%.

Pre-Shape & Bench Rest (15 minutes, Medium Intensity): Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a bench scraper, shape it into a loose round. Cover with a towel and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. This relaxes the gluten for final shaping.
Final Shape (5 minutes, Medium Intensity): Lightly flour the top of the dough. Using your bench scraper, flip it over so the floured side is down. Gently stretch into a rectangle. Fold the left and right sides into the middle, then roll the dough tightly from the top down into a log. Pinch the seam closed.
Place in Pan & Proof (3-5 hours, Low Intensity): Generously butter or oil your 9×5 loaf pan. Place the shaped loaf seam-side down into the pan. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Let it proof at room temperature until the dough crowns about 1 inch above the rim of the pan. This can take 3-5 hours depending on your kitchen’s temperature. For an overnight option, place the covered pan in the refrigerator immediately after shaping and proof for 12-16 hours (cold retard). This deepens the flavor.

Preheat & Score (10 minutes, Low Intensity): At least 30 minutes before baking, place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C). If your loaf was refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven heats. Using a sharp blade, make one long, shallow slash (about ½ inch deep) down the center of the loaf.
Bake (45 minutes, Low Intensity): Optionally, mist the top of the loaf with water for a crispier crust. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 208-210°F (98-99°C) and the crust is a deep, golden brown.
Cool (2+ hours, Critical!): Immediately turn the loaf out of the pan onto a wire cooling rack. Resist the urge to slice! Allow it to cool completely for at least 2-3 hours. Slicing too soon releases steam and results in a gummy crumb.