Salt Free Basic Sourdough (Pain Au Levain) by bivs99

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Salt Free Basic Sourdough (Pain Au Levain)
Submitted by bivs99 on March 27, 2004 at 7:23 pm

DESCRIPTION
Salt-free Basic Sourdough (Pain au Levain)

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under sourdough

INSTRUCTIONS
This is my salt-free version of the Pain au Levain recipe in the King Arthur Baker's Companion. I have increased the hydration to 70%, as it gives me the bigger holes I prefer. I have also used half bread flour and half all-purpose instead of the 100% all-purpose specified in the original recipe.

This dough is extremely wet and sticky. To minimize handling problems, spray the dough, your hands and work surface generously with Pam or oil, respraying as needed if it starts to stick.

Makes 2 lbs. bread

198 g (7 oz; 1 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
198 g (7 oz; 1 2/3 cups) bread flour
56 g (2 oz; 1/2 cup) whole-wheat flour
317 g (11.2 oz; 1 1/3 cups) water
302 g (10.7 oz; 1 1/4 cups) active sourdough starter
1/2 teaspoon potassium chloride salt substitute (optional)

Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a standing mixer (or other large bowl). Mix with the paddle (or by hand), until the dough comes together in a shaggy mass. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

Switch to the dough hook and knead at medium speed (#4 on the Kitchen Aid), or by hand, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. The dough will be quite sticky, but do not add any additional flour. Using a flexible dough scraper or stiff spatula sprayed with Pam, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, lifting up the dough and spraying with Pam underneath. Cover the bowl with plastic and let rise for 1/2 hour.

Before proceeding, spray the dough, your hands and work surface (Silpat is best) generously with Pam to prevent sticking. Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto your mat. Handling the dough very gently, take one end and fold towards the middle, as if you were folding a letter. Do the same with the other side. Turn the dough 90 degrees and then repeat--now all four sides will be folded. Pick up the folded dough and place it, fold side down, back into the bowl. Let rise for another 1/2 hour.

If you are making 2 loaves, divide the dough in half; otherwise leave whole. For a boule (large round loaf), grab the edges and pull toward the center to form a tight skin on the ball. Place fold side up in a well-floured proofing basket, covered with a linen towel (not plastic wrap).

For long loaves, make 2 balls as described above. Cover each with oiled plastic and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. It is easiest to do the shaping directly on top of oiled parchment paper. Gently flatten each ball into a rectangle. Take one long side and fold toward the middle, as if you were folding a letter. Press down hard on the fold with the side of your hand to seal. Take the other long side and fold up and over the first fold. Press and seal again. Roll the loaf over so the seam is underneath. This is a batard (torpedo shape). Cover and rest again. You can bake this way or go on to make baguettes.

For baguettes, elongate each batard by gently pulling and stretching. Flatten the dough slightly and do the "letter fold" as you did for the batard, pressing down hard on the seams to seal. Gently pull, stretch and roll the loaf until it is the length and thickness you want. Roll the baguettes over so the seams are underneath.

When your loaves are shaped, cover with a linen towel (not plastic) and allow to rise until doubled, 60-90 minutes. Sourdough has less oven spring than yeasted bread, so get it almost to where you want it before baking.

If desired, once the loaves are nearly done proofing, refrigerate for about 1/2 hour to firm up the dough and make it easier to slash.

While the loaves are proofing, preheat the oven to 500 degrees (using a baking stone, if you have one, on the middle shelf). On the lowest oven shelf, place an empty metal pan (such as a loaf pan); this will be your steam pan. Just before baking, bring two cups of water to a boil in a saucepan.

When ready to bake, sprinkle a peel (or upside-down baking sheet covered with parchment) with semolina flour or cornmeal. If making a boule, turn the dough out of the basket onto the peel and slash a pound sign or cross on the top, using a razor blade or sharp knife. For baguettes, pick up the parchment paper with your loaves still on it and place on the peel or baking sheet. Give each baguette three diagonal slashes. If the dough is very wet, dip the razor in flour before each cut and sprinkle flour into the slash to help the cuts stay open.

Use the peel to slide the loaves into the oven. If you prefer, you can place the paper with the loaves directly onto your stone. Quickly and carefully (making sure not to splash yourself or the oven glass), pour the boiling water into the steam pan. Shut the oven door. Wait 30 seconds and spray warm water into the oven, using a spray bottle or plant mister. Shut the door. Repeat the sprays two more times at 30-second intervals. (The steam gives the bread a crisp crust.)

Lower the oven temperature to 450 and bake for 20-40 minutes (depending on size of loaves), until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. (Lower the temperature while baking if they are getting too brown, turning off the oven if necessary.) When done, internal temperature will be 205-210 degrees. Cool on a baking rack.

Note: while this bread keeps a lot longer than ordinary salt-free bread, because the acidity of the sourdough acts as a preservative, it does not keep as long as the salted kind. I recommend storing in the freezer (slice before freezing).

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