Wednesday, October 24th, 2018
Today I found the perfect solution to a problem that has been niggling me for some while. Although the production of a sourdough loaf is ideally a three-day undertaking for maximum fermentation and flavour, and because I never make more than one loaf at a time, alternating between white and wholewheat, at busy times I need to speed up the process to ensure that I always have both white and wholewheat bread available for guests and for us. Otherwise I might suddenly find myself short. Sourdough has a mind of its own and behaves very differently according to temperature and weather. In the summer months I can make a loaf in about 26 hours. But when the house is cold it can take a loaf the whole day to achieve its first proof and it is very reluctant and slow to rise again during its final proof. I used to put it in the airing cupboard for that second rising, but even that is unpredictable as the temperature there varies considerably at different times of the day, depending on whether the boiler kicks in or not. Also, the atmosphere in there is too dry.
Here’s my solution, which guarantees consistency and good results. When your loaf is ready for its final proofing, take a large insulating ice box and fill the bottom two inches with very hot water. Put an upturned box or rows of empty jars in it to form a stand so that the loaf tin is not in contact with the hot water. Place your loaf tin on the stand and close the lid. The hot steam swirling around in the ice box will make your loaf rise in just one hour and it will be beautifully moist as it goes into the oven for the bake.
I make my sourdough loaves in tins rather than freeform because guests like toast and it’s tidier to present them with uniform slices that fit the toaster. Bakers might wonder why this quick method still takes 26 hours or more. It’s because I make a “sponge” or levain from starter, flour and water in the morning, which I leave all day for the flavours to develop before adding more flour and kneading it in the evening. The dough then rises slowly overnight in the larder or the fridge depending on the time of year, is knocked back after breakfast and is proved until ready to bake. With this new speeded up proving process I can have it ready by lunch time at any time of year, no matter what the ambient temperature is. When I’m not in a hurry I prefer to use the slow method, which gives the loaf more fermentation time and produces a better flavour. That method consists in starting the levain in the evening of Day 1, leaving it overnight in a cool place overnight, mixing the dough next morning and leaving it to prove at room temperature during Day 2, letting it rest in the fridge overnight and baking it at some point on Day 3, which is sometimes not until late afternoon or evening.