- Prep time: 10 minutes + 7 hours proofing
- Cook time: 35 minutes
- Servings: 1 loaf
- Difficulty: medium
- Course: baking
- Cookware: KitchenAid planetary food processor
- Cuisine: Ukrainian
Ingredients
- 120 g ripe stiff wheat sourdough starter
- 375 g strong wheat flour
- 40 g whole wheat flour
- 230 g water
- 50 g milk
- 35 g butter
- 11 g sugar
- 7 g salt
Cooking method
STEP 1
Mix sourdough, milk and water in the bowl of a food processor, then add the flour. Knead the dough until all the ingredients are combined and evenly mixed. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or cling film and let stand for 45 minutes. Add butter, sugar, salt and knead the dough for about 10 minutes more until it becomes smooth, elastic and not sticky.
STEP 2
Grease the bowl with vegetable oil, put the dough into it, cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 3-4 hours. Make “stretch and fold” twice during this period. To do this, visually divide the dough into four parts. Gently, with wet hands, pull the dough over the edge of the first part and place the stretched dough in the center, then turn the bowl, lift the dough over the edge of the second part, stretch it and fold it back into the center. Do the same for each of the four sides. Cover bowl with cling film and leave the dough to rest.
STEP 3
Sprinkle the work surface with flour. Remove the dough from the bowl and shape into a round loaf. Sprinkle a proofing basket with flour or cornstarch. Carefully transfer the bread there, cover with a towel and leave to stand for about 2 hours at room temperature or 8 hours in the refrigerator at +7C.
STEP 4
Preheat the oven to 250C. Place a bread pan or pizza stone in the oven and heat up. Pour hot water into a mug. Place a baking sheet on the bottom of the oven. Turn the bread ready for baking out of the basket onto a sheet of parchment. Using a blade or a sharp knife, make a deep cut in the form of a smile on the bread. Carefully transfer the dough into a hot dish and pour hot water into a baking sheet at the bottom of the oven. Bake bread with steam for 10 minutes at 250C. Reduce the temperature in the oven to 210C and bake for another 20 minutes without steam. Remove the finished bread and leave to cool on a rack.
My tips and tricks:
Due to the sugar and butter even the wholegrain version will still be soft and fluffy, so don’t hesitate to try it. Don’t forget to increase the amount of water for the whole grain version as whole grain flour absorbs more liquid. Whole grain flour proofs quicker so check your bread more often to see if it has risen. Organic and stone milled flour ferments even quicker, mind it too. Glory to Ukraine!
- 120 g ripe stiff wheat sourdough starter
- 375 g strong wheat flour
- 40 g whole wheat flour
- 230 g water
- 50 g milk
- 35 g butter
- 11 g sugar
- 7 g salt
- Mix sourdough, milk and water in the bowl of a food processor, then add the flour. Knead the dough until all the ingredients are combined and evenly mixed. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or cling film and let stand for 45 minutes. Add butter, sugar, salt and knead the dough for about 10 minutes more until it becomes smooth, elastic and not sticky.
- Grease the bowl with vegetable oil, put the dough into it, cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 3-4 hours. Make “stretch and fold” twice during this period. To do this, visually divide the dough into four parts. Gently, with wet hands, pull the dough over the edge of the first part and place the stretched dough in the center, then turn the bowl, lift the dough over the edge of the second part, stretch it and fold it back into the center. Do the same for each of the four sides. Cover bowl with cling film and leave the dough to rest.
- Sprinkle the work surface with flour. Remove the dough from the bowl and shape into a round loaf. Sprinkle a proofing basket with flour or cornstarch. Carefully transfer the bread there, cover with a towel and leave to stand for about 2 hours at room temperature or 8 hours in the refrigerator at +7C.
- Preheat the oven to 250C. Place a bread pan or pizza stone in the oven and heat up. Pour hot water into a mug. Place a baking sheet on the bottom of the oven. Turn the bread ready for baking out of the basket onto a sheet of parchment. Using a blade or a sharp knife, make a deep cut in the form of a smile on the bread. Carefully transfer the dough into a hot dish and pour hot water into a baking sheet at the bottom of the oven. Bake bread with steam for 10 minutes at 250C. Reduce the temperature in the oven to 210C and bake for another 20 minutes without steam. Remove the finished bread and leave to cool on a rack.