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Stand mixer. It's so much easier to mix things now and I make less of a mess.
Oh, I forgot that in my list - I upgraded mine to a model that can handle my 2 loaves of sourdough dough (about 2 kilos) and it's glorious. Had wanted one for a dozen years, finally started watching the prices and got it last year when it hit the lowest I'd seen.
My girlfriend and I are on a huge sourdough kick right now, and we'd love to start making it ourselves. Do you have a recipe you'd recommend? Any tips and tricks you've learned from experience?
For 2 loaves, this one doesn't need the mixer, way more process than recipe, super simple ingredients.
1000g flour (between 30-50% whole grain something, the rest white bread flour), 20g salt
700-750g water
200g refreshed starter, 100% hydration
Mix everything and let it sit 20 minutes to hydrate. Then I smush it into a big ball and wash the bowl, leave it wet and dump the dough back in. Stretch and fold immediately, then every half hour 3 or 4 more times. Cover the bowl with a plate or towel in between. No, you don't have to knead it. Once it looks strong and elastic, after the last stretch and fold, make it a smooth ball (flipping it over usually works) and let it rise 2-3 hours, covered, until bigger and lighter.
Dump it carefully onto a big flat surface and split it in two. Make lazy dough balls, dust them with flour and cover with a flat towel or t-shirt cloth. Let rest for 20 minutes - this is called 'bench rest' Meanwhile line 2 bannetons (or flattish bowls- something shaped like you want the top of the dough to end up) with flat kitchen towels and dust with rice flour. Shape each loaf carefully and place into the baskets with bottoms up. Let rise then bake in preheated cast iron pot at about 450F, 230C ish, no fan, 20 minutes with lid then 30 without - I have to tent mine with foil because oven heats from the top.
There are 2 places you can pause this, since it's such a long process. Either after stretch and fold (cover bowl with plate) or after putting them in baskets, which is what I do. If you do this you have to enclose them in plastic loosely, I use produce bags for that, and even if they don't look like they rose in the fridge, the cold dough into hot pan enclosed makes steam that makes them rise so well.
It's easier to do than describe so ask anything.
They say you need to be home all day to make bread and now I see why! Lol
Thanks for the thorough and thoughtful response, we'll try it out next weekend!
Once you are more familiar with the dough you can likely figure out an evening process, refrigerator all the next day and bake the next evening. Slap and fold is exciting and effective but messy, or if you have the big mixer, dough hook, rest, dough hook, one round of stretch and fold.
But that long slow cold process is the most reliable and gives it the good complex flavor.