Sourdough Bread - Testing

Useful sourdough tips
https://breadtopia.com/sourdough-starter-management/

Sourdough recipe

https://www.nutmegnanny.com/no-yeast-sourdough-bread/
https://anoregoncottage.com/easy-sourdough-artisan-bread/

1 - I should take pictures. I baked the first batch in the usual covered casserole I use for the Commons Bread for one loaf, and just on a cookie sheet for the other. Neither had the amount of loft I'd like, but the dough was very sticky and separating it into two loaves didn't go well and it was next to impossible to do it 'gently'. Paying more attention to this part might make all the difference. ANYwayyy, the one in the 'cocotte' rose most and browned nicely, but was still a bit dense. The one on the cookie sheet looked like a slightly puffy facaccia. I'm curious about using a bread pan for this second one, instead. I have another batch rising now, that's what I'll do with that one. Over all, the flavor was good, and the texture was ok; I just want more bigger bubbles (so good when it's toasted)!
2 - A complete re-write of the recipe, and it worked. Because there are several differences from the original I'm uncertain which new element made the difference or if it was a combination. Nonetheless, the loaf is vastly improved; it rose nicely and didn't have an overly pronounced sour flavor.
3 - I think I have it! I still have to make it twice more, but I think I have it. Simplified, as well. And again, it was an accident. Once I'd mixed all the ingredients, I was supposed to leave it for 15 minutes before kneading it; I forgot it and it rose for 3 hours. And it was glorious! Hopefully it'll work again.
4 - Once again, an alteration. This time, I really think I've got it! The rise and handling of the dough is essentially like the boule, although this first attempt resulted in a very sticky and wet dough in the for the final rise. Next time, I'd like to try using less water, reducing by increments of 25 grams, maybe? To see until what point it isn't enough for a proper loaf; These loaves, while much better, still seemed a tad too moist inside.

5 - I've been making this bread with all sorts of different results, sometimes amazing, sometimes not so much. Even, once, Ben said it was like the Commons Bread, which is his favorite; this seemed like a good sign. There are all sorts of little tips and tricks that it really gets confusing. However, I just watched https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnvhhxQZQ14 where among other useful tips, he explains hydration. I've therefore altered my recipe to try his 90% hydration. All that means is that if you use 100g for flour, you use 90 grams of water. But this apparently all depends on the flour. When trying this, when I pull at my dough and it just tears, there isn't enough gluten formation and too much water.

Now that I've tried adding more water, I realize that I have to do the hydration test he makes in the video - it was way, way too wet, I ended up adding more flour for its second rise! The loaf turned out edible but too dense. After doing a hydration test, I'll know how much water my flour can take.

6 - I've been slacking for quite a while now, making bread that I'm not 100% satisfied with. With the Xmas season approaching, I have found some energy to return to figuring out my perfect bread, and I've been enjoying it! I'm starting to follow more closely the advise given by the Bread Code on YouTube and I'm already starting to see results. Currently I'm still working on figuring out hydration, but I've also followed more closely the kneading timing and frequency. I'm going to stop keeping record of the changes in the recipe with the formatting and put it in as a narrative in this section instead. But first, on the starter. Essentially, it's incredibly resilient. According to the Bread Code you can rinse out your container (with water, not soap and not sterilized), but in water and flour, and get your starter going again just with the invisible residue of yeasts in the container. Amazing. Generally though, he uses a 1 to 5 to 5 ratio. So if I need 415gr of starter and want some leftover to save, I could aim for a total of 500gr, and put in 45gr of starter and add 250gr of flour and 250gr of water. In terms of bread baking, on the Bread Code he uses 14% protein bread flour. I use 10% all purpose. The question remains if I can use this kind of flour to good effect. The high hydration ratio I last tried was 350gr water to 500gr of flour per loaf, so a total of 700gr to 1000gr. The dough was quite sticky. I would like to try the overnight autolyze method to see what kind of difference it makes. 

5:00

1 to 5 to 5 ratio (10gr 50gr 50gr or 45 250 250)

last feeding, same ratio of 1 to 5 to 5

350gr water 500gr flour

overnight autolyse

small jar hack

Makes 2 loaves
600gr water at no less than 105F and no more than 110F
415 g of 'fed' sourdough starter
2 Tbsps honey (35-40gr)
3 tsps salt (21gr)
1kg flour, + more for kneading

1. Whisk together the water and flour and mix together by hand until combined, then knead lightly for about 5 minutes. The dough should be wet and shaggy. 
2. Allow to rest in a warm, dark place covered by a damp dish towel overnight.
3. Also feed your starter and leave on the counter until morning.
4. Next day, test the starter by dropping a tsp of it into a glass of water - if it floats it's read to use. Into the ball of autolyzed flour mix in the starter, honey and salt, kneading until everything is evenly incorporated. You should not see any pockets of starter in your dough. Allow to rest for about 15 minutes in a warm spot, covered by the damp towel.
5. Keep a bowl of water on the counter to dip your hands or your dough blade  in so that the dough doesn't stick to them. On an unfloured surface, stretch and fold the dough use your scraping blade to unstick the ball of dough from the work surface.
6. Next, continuing with no flour, pull the dough open into a sheet by pulling from equidistant points around the ball (ie. North East South West) then fold it back onto itself. You'll likely need your dough blade to scrape up the dough. Hopefully you only have to do this once. Divide your dough into two pieces. Your dough should now have enough strength to hold its shape when you form the two sections into balls.
7. Oil two large bowls and a ball inside each. Cover with the damp towel and allow to rise for (1hour? 2hours? or is there a marker I should be looking for?)
8. Turn out your risen dough onto a flour surface, very gently fold again into a ball. If you don't have bannetons, generously flour a tea towel, set the newly form ball of dough in the middle and loosely fold over. Allow the bread to rise another two hours then, with a floured finger, test it by gently poking it. If the dough bounces back quickly, it hasn't proofed long enough. Only when the dough's resistance means it bounces back slowly is it ready.
9. There are two options for the next step:
1. Cover and put in the refrigerator for 8 hours. This means the fermentation stops, the gasses get trapped, and you get more oven spring when you bake it from cold. This may depend on a refrigerator that is exactly at 4C.
2. Bake it right away. (I'll test this by baking one and holding one back.)
10. When ready to bake, put two dutch ovens or deep casserole dishes with lids in the oven and preheat to 450F.
11. When the oven reaches temperature, take out the baking dishes and carefully dump in the balls of dough. Remove as much flour as possible then, with a very sharp knife using a lame, safety razor blade, or a serrated knife for a clean cut (this lets out steam for an even bake, otherwise the steam builds up inside and bursts the crust willy-nilly).
12. Put the hot lid on and pop back into the oven with the dough.
13. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until it is light brown, then remove the lid and bake another 10-15, or until the top crust browns nicely.

OLD RECIPE Makes 2 loaves

1 cup (227g) "fed" sourdough starter
1-1/2 cups (340g) lukewarm water
5 cups (602g) all-purpose flour, divided (361g and 240g)
1 Tbsps sugar
2-1/4 tsps salt

1. In a large bowl combine the starter, water and 3 cups of the flour. Beat vigorously for 1 minute.
2. Cover, and let rest at room temperature for 4 hours.
3. Refrigerate overnight, for about 12 hours.
4. After refrigeration, add the remaining 2 cups flour, sugar, and kosher salt.
5. Knead to form a smooth dough.
6. FIRST RISE: Allow the dough to rise in a covered bowl until it's light and airy, with visible gas bubbles. Depending on how active your starter is this may take up to 5 hours, or even longer.
7. Note: sourdough bread (especially sourdough without added yeast) can be finicky and may not go exactly to the written plan. Please allow yourself to go with the flow, and not treat this as an exact to-the-minute process.
8. When the dough is ready, gently divide the dough in half.
9. SECOND RISE: Gently shape the dough into two oval loaves, and place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet TEST one in a glass bread pan and one in a covered casserole. Cover and let rise until very puffy, about 2 to 4 hours. This step could take longer but give them sufficient time to become noticeably puffy. Don't worry if the loaves spread more than they rise, they'll pick up once they hit the oven's heat.
10. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.
11. Spray the loaves with lukewarm water.
12. Slash the loaves. If you've made round loaves, try one slash across the center, and a curved slash on each side of it; or slash in the pattern of your choice. For oval loaves, two diagonal slashes are fine. Make the slashes fairly deep, a serrated bread knife works well here.
13. Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes, until it's a very deep golden brown.
14. Remove it from the oven, and cool on a rack.
15. Store bread, loosely wrapped in plastic, for several days at room temperature or freeze for longer storage.