Back a few years ago we got on a sourdough kick after eating some amazing sourdough bread we picked up at the Pike Place Market in Seattle.
After one thwarted attempt (the house was too damned cold) we nursed a starter to life and even wrote about it a few weeks later here. And dammit, after lasting a year our starter died during a three day drive from Olympia (WA) to Alabama (it’s a long story…).
As it happened a few weeks ago a new friend and I were talking about fresh breads worthy of taking along on river, hunting and camping excursions. While our ME’s Beer Rye River Bread will always be one of our float trip favorites, this deep golden-brown, crispy-crusted Sourdough Boule also resides at the top of our take-along food list.
Dense and chewy, perfect for sandwiches (slice it fresh in the morning when getting ready for the day), this Sourdough Boule also happens to make some of the best damned french toast you’ve ever imagined.
The recipe is easy as pie to pull together, though you’ll need some time to let the sponge form and then complete the first and second proofs of the dough.
It’ll be worth it.
Crank up a starter and get your sourdough on this week.
For the sponge
1 cup sourdough starter, fed
¾ cup lukewarm water
1 cup unbleached AP flourFinish the dough
¾ cup lukewarm water
2 tsp instant yeast
1 tbsp sugar
2 and ½ tsp salt
4 cups unbleached AP flour
Make a sponge. Combine the sourdough starter, ¾ cup water and 1 cup of flour. Set out covered at room temperature for 3-4 hours until nice and bubbly.
Finish the dough. To the sponge add the remaining water, yeast, sugar, salt and the remaining four cups of flour, kneading to form a smooth dough. Occasionally, pending the humidity and the hydration of your flour, you may need to add a bit more water.
First proof. Proof the dough in a lightly greased, covered bowl until doubled in size (roughly 90 minutes).
Divide and conquer. Gently remove the dough from the bowl and divide in half. Shape into two boules (watch this if you need some help getting them tight) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Second proof. Proof the boules again, covered, until doubled (roughly an hour).
Now bake. Spray the loaves with lukewarm water, make several diagonal slashes across the tops, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a deep, rich, golden brown. Cool on a rack.
Enjoy.
