My wife said only real men wear their wife’s oven mitts and I can’t argue with that. She also can’t get enough of this bread!! One of my absolute favorite recipes and well worth the time commitment.
MIX: After the initial mix, cover with a towel and wait 30 mins, then start the stretch and folds. Do 3-4 sets of stretch and folds until dough becomes elastic.
ROOM TEMP FERMENT: Place into a greased container and allow to sit until doubled to tripled in size (about 10-12hrs).
SHAPING: Find a technique that works for you. In the meantime, use the method in this video! I found this method by @leo.thebaker and am grateful I did!
COLD FERMENTATION: Place into the fridge for AT LEAST 24 more hours. This is key to nailing the flavor and spring when it comes time to bake. Any less and it will be under-fermented. Do not cold ferment for more than 72hrs.
SCORING: Use a lame to get a precise 1/2in 45° cut to get the best spring. I also added some slits to the side to give it an olive branch look.
OVEN: bake at 450°F with dough covered for 30 minutes, 400°F uncovered for 15-20 mins.
