Baker’s Math
Makes one batard
Total
1. 181.6g BRM (Bob’s Red Mill) organic rye flour 38%
2. 302.5g unbleahced KA (King Arthur) bread flour 65%
3. 363.2g distilled water 75%
4. 6.5g sea salt/kosher salt 1%
levain flour: 38%
Levain
1. 90.8g 100%ish hydration BRM organic rye sourdough starter 50%
2. 181.6g distilled water 100%
3. 181.6g BRM organic rye flour 100%
Dough
1. 181.6g distilled water + additional 10g if the dough needs to bring together any loose flour 60%
2. 302.5g unbleahced KA bread flour 100%
3. 6.5g sea salt/kosher salt 2%
total flour= 484.1g
Directions
Create the levain by mixing the below ingredients and then let it develop in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for 8hrs at room temperature.
90.8g 100% Rye sourdough starter
181.6g distilled H20 (preferably not tap because it could impede levain growth)
181.6g BRM (Bob’s Red Mill) Organic Rye Flour
At the same time that you make the levain you will mix this dough, but WITHOUT the salt. Let autolyse for 8hrs at room temperature in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Basically the levain and this autolysed dough will be ready at the same time.
181.6g distilled water + additional 10g if the dough needs to bring together any loose flour
302.5g unbleahced KA (King Arthur) bread flour
After the 8 hours levain development and dough autolyse
This step creates the marbling of the bread.
Fold together the levain and autolysed dough in the dough bowl with the 6.5g of sea salt/kosher salt for about 2-3 minutes.
Bulk fermentation
Now cover the bowl and leave at room temperature and for the next 2 hours every half hour fold the dough about 4-6 times as in literally fold dough in half then turn bowl 90*, fold turn bowl 90*, fold turn bowl 90*, fold turn bowl 90*= 4 folds.
After the 2 hours is up and you have completed folding every half hour the dough will be a little strange and possibly taffy like in texture and stiffness.Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
After the 2 hours in the fridge lightly dust the counter with flour and turn the dough out onto the countertop and let it rest for 15 minutes.
After the 15 minutes rest shape the dough into a batard.
final fermentation
After shaping into a batard use a baker’s couche to support the batard as it goes through it’s final fermentation/proofing in the fridge for 10 hours (I prefer more sour so we added time to it for a total final ferment of 15 hours and that added a more sour taste). Make sure the couche is enclosed in a bag to prevent drying out etc as it ferments.
The Bake
An hour before baking pre-heat the oven to 475*F in order for your baking stone to retain heat and equalize the temperature in the oven. Also during the pre-heat place a cast iron skillet one or two rungs below the baking stone. You will later place ice cubes and boiling water in the cast iron skillet in order to create steam.
Prepare 1-2 cups of boiling water to place into the skillet when the dough is placed on the baking stone. 5-10 minutes before the bake place 3 ice cubes in the cast iron skillet and close the oven door in order to create steam.
Now place the batard on the baking stone and then the 1-2 cups of water into the cast iron skillet and let bake at 475*F for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 450*F and rotate the batard and bake for another 20 minutes.
Remove the batard after the combined total of 40 minutes in the oven has passed and place the batard on a cooling rack for 2 hours before serving.