Ingrédients
- 1dsp active sourdough mother culture
- 100mL filtered water (starter)
- 100g organic flour (starter)
- 250mL strong Thé Paon butterfly pea tea
- 10-12g salt (depending on taste)
- 390g organic flour
Method
Organic flour is a must for sourdough. Not because it’s cool or hipster, but because organic flour is made from wheat grown without pesticides and other chemicals. These chemicals kill the beneficial yeasts & bacteria naturally present on the grains, which add to the depth of flavour in your sourdough.
Day 1 : make the starter culture. Mix the 100mL filtered water and 100g organic flour into a slurry, and stir in the sourdough culture. Cover loosely with breathable cloth (muslin or a tea towel) or plastic wrap, and leave on the bench overnight.
Day 2 : The overnight culture should be frothy and light – if it doesn’t look bubbly, leave for a bit longer.
In a large bowl, add the strong butterfly pea tea and dissolve the salt. To this, add the starter culture and stir gently. Add the flour and combine. Cover loosely and let sit for 30 minutes so the flour can hydrate.
Gently fold to develop the gluten. Let the dough sit covered in a warm place, and fold 4-6 times every now and then (i.e. every 30 minutes or whenever you remember). When the dough is light and airy (after 3-6 hours) , tip out the dough onto a floured surface. To form the loaf, spread out the dough into a rectangle, fold the sides over, then roll up and seal the sides (there’s a youtube video here to help). Place into a cast iron pan/cocotte, lined with baking paper, and put the lid on.
Let the dough rise until it has increased in size. If you have strong yeast and the loaf is the size you want, it’s fine to score and bake the loaf. However, most natural yeast grows slowly, so once the dough has increased in size a big, put the cast-iron pan directly into the fridge (4°C) overnight to develop the sourdough further.
Day 3 : Heat the oven up to 200°C, and take your bread pan our of the fridge. Sieve a bit of flour onto the surface and gently sooth with your hands. Score (quick, deep cuts) with a dough razor blade, and tip a dessertspoonful or two under the baking paper in the pot. Put the lid on, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. The added water should turn into steam and help your loaf rise.
After 30 minutes, take the pot out of the oven and remove the lid. Using the baking paper, transfer the partially-cooked loaf to a baking tray. Spray the surface of your loaf with water, and put it back in the oven to cook for at least another 20 minutes. Your loaf will be ready when it has a golden crust, and makes a hollow sound when tapped.
Take the cooked loaf out of the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!
FR 
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