Beginner Wholegrain Spelt Sourdough

Method

1. Make sure your starter has been fed and has reached peak rise. It should have doubled or even tripled, be full of bubbles and not yet started collapsing.
2. Add the water and active starter to a large mixing bowl. Stir until the starter is mostly dispersed through the water.
3. Add the wholegrain spelt flour and bakers flour. Mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will feel soft, wet and sticky at this stage.
4. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. This fermentolyse gives the wholegrain spelt time to absorb the water.
5. Sprinkle the salt over the dough. Using slightly damp fingers, pinch and fold it through until evenly incorporated.
6. Complete three sets of stretch and folds, approximately 30 minutes apart. Gently lift one side of the dough and fold it over itself, then turn the bowl and repeat on all four sides. Cover between each set and stop when the dough resists.
7. After the final fold, continue bulk fermentation until the dough has risen by approximately 50%. It should look smoother and slightly domed, with bubbles around the sides and surface, and have a gentle wobble. Spelt can ferment quickly, so use the dough rather than the clock as your guide and do not wait for it to double.
8. Lightly flour your work surface and gently turn out the dough. Bring it into a loose round without knocking out all the air, then leave it uncovered for 15–20 minutes.
9. Shape the dough into a round loaf or oval loaf, creating enough surface tension to hold its shape without tearing it. Place it seam-side up in a well-floured banneton.
10. For the recommended cold proof, cover and refrigerate for 8–12 hours, then bake directly from the fridge. For a same-day bake, proof at room temperature until slightly puffier and a gentle press leaves an indentation that slowly begins to spring back, usually 30–60 minutes in a warm kitchen.
11. Preheat the oven to 250°C with the Dutch oven inside. Once the oven reaches temperature, continue heating the Dutch oven for another 30–40 minutes.
12. Turn the dough onto a dough sling or baking paper and score it with a bread lame. Carefully transfer it into the hot Dutch oven and cover with the lid.
13. Reduce the oven temperature to 240°C and bake for 30–40 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake for another 15–20 minutes, or until the crust reaches your preferred colour.
14. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and allow it to cool for at least one hour before slicing. Leaving it longer to cool completely is better.