Sourdough Month wouldn’t be complete without crispy, crackling bread. This freeform loaf is the first I attempted with my starter and remains my favorite. I call it cabin bread; baking it makes my little log cabin smell so good.
I love this loaf because it’s based on ratios and needs minimal handling. By weight, it’s one part starter, two parts water and three parts flour (I blend all-purpose and whole wheat for texture). I often mix a double batch, bake one loaf and chill the other a few days to build tangy flavor. Stretching, folding and long fermentation also minimize kneading. Learn the technique, and your hourly involvement will take about 15 seconds.
You can skip fancy bread-baking tools too. In my kitchen, a large bowl acts as a cloche, trapping steam between it and a pizza stone. A preheated baking sheet gives a similar effect.
The Fifth Annual Sourdough Giveaway ends in a few days. I’m excited that more than 100 packets of starter have already left my kitchen this month. Request by Jan. 31 using the giveaway form at TwiceAsTasty.com.
Sourdough Cabin Bread
Makes 1 loaf
140 grams sourdough starter (100% hydration)
280 grams water
250 grams all-purpose flour
170 grams whole-wheat flour
5 grams (about 1 teaspoon) sea salt
olive oil
Set a large bowl on a kitchen scale. Measure in the starter, water and then flours, stirring after each to form a sticky dough. Cover with a damp tea towel; let rest for 10 minutes. Feed your starter.
Add the salt, turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead about 30 times into a ball. Oil the bowl lightly, add the dough and cover with the damp towel; let rest for about one hour.
Double letter fold the dough: Return it to the floured surface and gently stretch it in four directions without tearing, forming a large rectangle. Fold one-third up the rectangle and then the other third over the top, like a letter. Rotate 90 degrees and repeat; return the dough to the bowl for another hour.
Repeat the rest-and-fold cycle until you have folded the dough three times over about three hours.
After the third folding, leave the dough on the floured surface for 30 minutes. Do one last double letter fold; rest the dough for 10 to 15 minutes before lightly shaping the loaf. Place it in the oiled bowl, cover with the damp towel and refrigerate for 1 hour 45 minutes to overnight.
To bake, preheat the oven and baking stone to 465°F. When hot, remove the dough from the fridge, reshape the loaf and score it twice with a sharp, floured knife, making quick slashes at an angle. Gently place the cold loaf on the hot stone and immediately cover it with a large stainless steel bowl. Bake for 35 minutes, remove the bowl and then bake another 10 to 15 minutes. Cool the bread completely before cutting; while warm, it’s still cooking inside.