I feed my starter twice a day at 8am and 8pm and I start this recipe at 11am - 12pm. Completed by 12pm - 1pm ready for bulk fermentation on the counter top.

*Your starter should be double in size by 12pm if you fed at 8 am. This means the starter is strong enough to produce a loaf. I typically bake my loaves at 6:30pm. Elevation, kitchen temperature, outdoor temperature, and the season changes can affect how fast or slow your starter and loaf will rise. For example, in fall/winter when the temperature is cooler my starter rises slower in the morning after 8am feeding. Monitoring and learning about the behavior of your starter is key.

*Please note your starter strength is key. It should double in size with 4-6 hours after being fed to produce a successful loaf.

• 1.5 qt glass bread pan
• Clear plastic shower cap
• Kitchen scale
• Olive oil
• Small oven safe dish (for hot water to produce steam for oven spring)

• 500g bread flour
• 300g water
• 100g active sourdough starter
• 10g salt
• 15g honey

• Mix the Dough
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour and salt and whisk. In a separate bowl combine the wet ingredients and whisk. Combine all ingredients until fully incorporated.
• The dough will be soft but still relatively easy to handle at 60% hydration.
• Autolyse
• Cover the bowl with a damp cotton towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to absorb the water and makes it easier to knead.

Kneading

• After the rest, it can be slightly sticky. Knead the dough for about 10-15 minutes or until it feels smooth and starts to develop structure. Be patient with it. Incorporate stretch and folds until It feels less sticky and easier to handle. It's okay if it's slightly sticky as long as you can shape and handle it to place in the bread pan. Don't panic. :) I typically have this step done by 1-1:30pm
• (If you have a Kitchen Aide stand mixer use the dough hook attachment to help with kneading)
• Shape the Dough
• Using olive oil grease a glass 1.5 qt bread pan and lightly sprinkle flour on top of the olive oil to prevent sticking. This is important! Don't over use flour, you don't want the flour to burn and leave a bitter taste on the loaf. (You can always flip the empty glass pan over and gently shake to discard any extra flour residing in the pan.)
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a log to fit your greased bread pan. If you are limited on counter space or don't want to put the dough on a surface to shape, you can hold the dough with both hands and gently work and shape it into a log.
• Place it seam-side down in the bread pan. You can gently press and flatten the top of the loaf to get it to settle into the corners of the bread pan.

Bulk Fermentation

• Cover the bread pan with a plastic shower cap to prevent the top from drying out and let the dough rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until it increases in size by about 50%.
• Final Proof
• Let the dough proof at room temperature for another 1-2 hours, or until it rises just above the edge of the pan. Keep it covered with the shower cap.

Bake

• Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). Fill a small oven safe dish halfway full with hot water to produce steam to help with oven spring. Place it on the bottom rack and wait 30 min before putting your loaf in the oven to allow the steam to build up. I do not score this loaf recipe but you can if you like!
• Remove the shower cap and score (optional) Place the bread in the oven and bake at 450°F for the first 10 minutes for oven spring.
• Lower the temperature to 390°F (199°C) and continue baking for 25-30 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Cooling

• Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. Let it cool for at least one hour before slicing. I allow my loaves to cool 1-3 hours before placing them in my bread box for the night. In the morning, I use a bread slicer to cut my slices for toast for the week