"And the baked smallish batard, love those lines. For precise scoring here's a few tips: the dough was again chilled overnight, as this enables an easier scoring and firms the dough, the dusting with flour does that too, lower hydration as well. This one was at about 68%. All flour was stone-milled and organic"
Basic Sourdough Bread
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Basic sourdough bread
80% stone-milled bread flour
20% stone-milled all-purpose flour
68% water
2% salt
20% fed and active sourdough starter (100% hydration, equal parts of water and flour)
Mix all flour and water so no dry parts remain, cover and let stand for an hour (autolysis). After that mix salt and starter then incorporate into the relaxed dough, lightly knead for about 5 min, cover the container. In the next 2 hours do 4 series of stretch and folds one each 30 minutes. Then leave the dough to proof until it reaches about 50% increase in size. After that, preshape the boule/batard and leave covered with a cloth on the kitchen counter (bench rest) for about 20 minutes so the gluten relaxes and it's easier to make the final shaping. Then do the final shape and put the dough into floured banneton or basket. Cover with a shower cap and proof until it nearly doubles or passes the poke test with your finger (if the hole completely disappears, you need to proof the dough longer as it's under-proofed; if the indent pops half way back out, it's time to bake and the proofing is just right; if the hole stays entirely in, the dough is over-proofed but you can still bake it and eat it).
Before you bake the bread, preheat your oven/dutch oven/baking steel for at least 45 minutes at 275 C/527 F. When you load the dough, lower the temperature to 250 C/482 F and bake first 15 minutes covered or with steam, then uncover or remove your water pan. Bake until golden brown and crispy.
Wait to cool down if you can and then enjoy :)