Sourdough loaf with Spelt Natur

My sourdough starter is bubbling and smelling freshly sour. It’s time to bake. Schmidt gave me Spelt Natur to try and I decided to bake a loaf by Chad Robertson. The original recipe is for Fougasse with Baguette Dough. But, I wanted to use my Dutch oven and I was happy I did. Because there was a beautiful oven spring, just have a look at the size of this loaf. Isn’t it beautiful! And it smelled and tasted great.

Choco Smidt is located in Thailand. They import good quality European flour. Schmidt gave me 13 bags of pre-mixed flours to use and write my own experience about it on my blog. This time I used Spelt Natur. Since it was difficult to buy Spelt I brought some on our trips to the Netherlands. I love it. The smell is wonderful and it gives a kind of softness to the dough. Since Spelt Natur is a mix of flours and seeds I had no idea what to expect. And I’m happy to say I love it too. I added a percentage to my regular unbleached flour (550). As you can see I added a small amount and it made a difference already.

Next time when I buy my regular flour I will definitely buy Spelt Natur as well.

Makes: 1 big loaf
Adapted from: Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson

The evening before make:
Poolish
100 grams unbleached flour (550), 100 grams water, 0.5 gram active dry yeast

In a bowl, mix the flour, water, and yeast. Let stand for 3 to 4 hours at a warm room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Because I made the leaven at the same time I placed the poolish in the refrigerator overnight.

Leaven
0.5 tablespoon mature starter, 110 grams unbleached flour (550), 110 grams water

Place the mature starter in a bowl and feed it with flour and water. Cover the bowl with a lid and let the starter rise overnight.

Dough:
200 grams leaven, 250 grams warm water, 200 grams poolish, 375 grams unbleached flour (550), 100 grams spelt flour, 75  grams rye flour, 12 grams salt

I started with the dough, the next morning when the poolish and the leaven passed the float test (a bit floats on the water). 

Pour warm water into a large bowl.  Add the poolish and the leaven and stir to disperse.  Add the flours. Use your hands to mix the dough until all of the dry bits of flour have been incorporated.  So I wet my hand and worked the dough until no dry bits of flour remained. Let the dough rest for 25 to 40 minutes. Then add the salt and knead it until incorporated.  

Transfer the dough to a plastic container with lid. Leave for bulk fermentation for 3 or 4 hours, until it doubled. Every 40 minutes stretch and fold the dough (stretches a corner of the dough onto the main dough, fold it like an envelope).

When the bulk fermentation is complete, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. 

I wanted to bake a large loaf. I loosely formed a ball and let it rest for 30 minutes. Then I gave the dough strength by firmly shaping it into a ball. I flipped the loaf onto a flour-dusted kitchen towel the seam facing up. Covered it with another kitchen towel to proof for 2 to 3 hours.

In the mean time I pre heated the oven to 250°C and placed the Dutch oven on the lowest level.

After about 1 hour the Dutch oven is sizzling hot, be careful and work quickly to keep the heat in the oven.

Take the lid of the Dutch oven and quickly place the loaf in. Quickly score the loaf with a double sided razor and close the lid and the oven. Bake with lid for 30 minutes. Then take the lid off and bake another 30 minutes until the loaf is nicely brown colored.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool. This loaf smelled so good. Enjoy it!

I send this loaf to Susans YeastSpotting. Don’t forget to visit Wild Yeast, there is so much to see.