Lolli’s Loaves Beginner Instructions

(from starter to finish 😉)

 Lori Schultz –  Lori@SchultzTexasProperties.com

You can keep your starter on the counter if you plan to make bread very often, or you can keep it in the fridge and make bread at your leisure, as long as you feed the starter at least every one  to three weeks.   (I feed my starter and make bread once per week.)

HOW DO I FEED MY STARTER?   All feeding your starter requires is to measure your starter and add the same amount of warm (baby bottle warm) water to the starter and mix it together.  Then add the same amount of flour (equal amounts of starter, water and flour), and mix it all together.   (You can also add additional equal amounts of water and flour to the starter, but it will take longer to become active.)  Then cover it and let it rest on the counter until it gets bubbly (active.)  This can take a few hours, or you can let it sit overnight.  If you want to expedite the process, you can put the covered starter mixture in the oven with the oven light on.  At this point you can either put it back in the fridge or start making your bread or any discard recipes you want (brownies, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, even granola – Pinterest has tons of discard recipes for any leftover starter.)  Don’t forget to reserve some starter for next time you bake.  I always reserve 113-120 grams of starter for next time.  When I share starter this is the amount I share.  NOTE:  The best way to measure your starter, bread and water is in grams.

TOOLS TO MAKE YOUR BREAD MAKING EASIER AND BETTER:

  • Food Scale –  I highly recommend this one:  https://a.co/d/iwYo1rk — you will probably use this scale for way more than bread making!
  • Dutch Oven (if you don’t have one you can use a covered Pyrex dish or two bread loaf pans using one as a lid)
  • Parchment paper
  • Plastic or Glass bowls
  • Disposable bowl covers (elastic/saran wrap) for covering Banneton bowls https://a.co/d/05RuJiYB
  • Beeswax bags for storing/freezing
  • Banneton bowls for rising (or you can use the same plastic or glass bowls – stainless steel not recommended)
  • Dough Scraper for shaping your dough (works much better than a spatula)
  • Dough whisk (or you can just use a spatula, but the whisk is easier)
  • Bread lame/Razor for scoring the bread or a super sharp knife     (these last four items can be purchased all together here – you will be glad you did:   https://a.co/d/1qGxGQe )

WHEN YOU ARE READY TO MAKE YOUR BREAD

INGREDIENTS FOR ONE REGULAR SOURDOUGH LOAF:

  • 50 grams of active, bubbly starter (Use any leftover starter (discard) to share or make discard recipes…and be sure and save about 115 g for yourself for next time)
  • 350 grams of warm water
  • 500 grams of unbleached bread flour* (King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour is my favorite)
  • 12 grams salt
  • Rice flour for dusting your banneton bowl (or whatever bowl you are using for shaping the final rise – don’t recommend using metal.)

*If you want whole wheat instead of regular sourdough, I recommend using 125 grams of whole wheat flour and the remaining 375 grams of bread flour + 1 1/2 T baking powder.

INSTRUCTIONS:

The day (or night) before:

  1. In large bowl, mix together the active, bubbly starter and warm water.
  2. Slowly add in flour(s) and salt. Mix thoroughly with dough whisk to make a shaggy dough.
  3. Let the dough rest, covered for 20 – 30 minutes.
  4. After it rests, gently shape the dough by pulling the edge of one side up and pulling it over the dough and folding it down onto the opposite side. Do this on all four sides. (you can see videos of this online if you want…I pull the dough straight up and kind of shake it a little without tearing it and then fold it into the other side.)
  5. Leave it to rest (proof) covered all day or overnight for at least 8 hours or until it has doubled in size. If you want to expedite the process, you can put it in the oven with the oven light on.
  6. NOTE: You can make multiple loaves of bread depending on how many bowls/baking dishes you have and your oven space.  Most ovens can accommodate baking two loaves at once, so if you have a double oven you can probably do four if you want to. Time and temperature do NOT need to be adjusted for baking multiple loaves at once.  I use round and oval Dutch ovens, and when I’m making more than two loaves I use regular loaf pans – one covering the other since I only have two Dutch ovens.  The bread freezes very well!  I freeze mine in beeswax lined bags I get on Amazon.

 

The next morning (or at least 8 hours later)

  1. Using your dough scraper, remove the dough from the bowl and turn it onto a floured surface. I use a light dusting of rice flour on my counter for this. Stretch and fold the dough on all four sides like you did previously. This will make a round loaf.  NOTE:  If you want to make an oval or sandwich shaped loaf, this link will show you how to shape one:  https://www.pantrymama.com/shaping-a-sourdough-batard-the-easiest-technique-ever/   Be sure to use the correct shaped Banneton and baking dish for whichever shape(s) you want to make.
  2. Dust Banneton bowl(s) (or whatever bowl you are using for the final rise) generously with rice flour so the bread will remove easily.  NOTE: I put disposable elastic/saran wrap bowl covers I get on amazon in the bottom of my banneton first and sprinkle rice flour on them for easy clean up!
  3. Transfer the dough from the counter into the bowl for its final rise. Cover the bowl.  (IF YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO BAKE NOW, PUT IT IN THE REFRIGERATOR FOR UP TO 3 DAYS AND SKIP STEP 4.)
  4. Let the dough rise the last time for a minimum of 45-60 minutes. If you want to expedite the process, you can put it in the oven with the oven light on.
  5. While the dough is rising, and sprinkle cornstarch on the bottom of your Dutch oven. (If you aren’t using a Dutch oven you don’t need cornstarch.  That is to keep the Dutch oven from turning dark.) I also get a cookie sheet to put my Dutch oven on (or whatever baking dish I am using) to keep the bottom of the bread from getting too dark.  I also use regular bread pans to bake in with one on the top for a cover.
  6. When your dough has completed its last rise, remove the cover, and get a piece of parchment paper a little larger than the top of the bowl. Put the parchment paper on top of the bowl and firmly and quickly turn it over onto the counter so the bread will come out onto the parchment paper quickly.
  7. Get your Bread Lame/razor or very sharp knife to score your bread into whatever pattern you want. Be sure you at least have one score going almost the entire length and/or width of the bread.  Get creative 😊
  8. Carefully pick up the bread by the edges of the parchment paper and lower it into your Dutch oven/baking dish. Cover it.
  9. Put the covered dish on a cookie sheet and put into the COLD oven. Set oven to 450 and set your timer for 48-50 minutes.
  10. Take the cover off of the dish and cook another 8-10 minutes.
  11. Remove from oven and you should have an amazing, gorgeous loaf of bread!
  12. Leave bread to cool on a cooling rack outside of the Dutch oven for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
  13. Keep on countertop in a glass cake stand or beeswax bags. Don’t refrigerate bread!
  14. I serve mine warm with plenty of salted butter but that’s just me 😊