ingredients
[{"amount": 600, "unit": "g", "name": "bread flour"}, {"amount": 349.2, "unit": "g", "name": "water"}, {"amount": 120, "unit": "g", "name": "active sourdough starter"}, {"amount": 13.2, "unit": "g", "name": "salt"}, {"amount": 6, "unit": "g", "name": "malt"}, {"amount": 30, "unit": "g", "name": "oil (about 2 tbsp) -- the key addition for a softer crumb/crust"}, {"amount": 30, "unit": "g", "name": "honey, OPTIONAL (about 1.5-2 tbsp) -- for extra tenderness/browning, skip if you don't want any sweetness"}, {"amount": 0, "unit": "as needed", "name": "melted butter, for brushing after baking"}]
steps
[{"text": "Mix 600g flour, 349.2g water, 120g starter, 13.2g salt, 6g malt, 30g oil, and 30g honey IF using (optional -- skip entirely for a non-sweet loaf) until no dry bits remain."}, {"text": "Stretch & fold every 30-60min through bulk -- 3-4 folds total is typical. The oil will make the dough feel slightly silkier/more extensible than your usual lean sourdough -- that's expected."}, {"text": "Bulk ferment until puffed and jiggly, not just risen -- judge by feel, not the clock."}, {"text": "Shape into a round or batard (free-form, no pan) and place seam-side UP into your lined rattan banneton, well floured so it releases cleanly."}, {"text": "Proof at room temp 1-2hr, or retard in the fridge overnight -- either works fine here, same as your usual routine."}, {"text": "Preheat your Dutch oven (lid on) inside the oven to 450F for at least 30-45min -- the pot needs to be genuinely hot all the way through, not just the oven display reading temperature."}, {"text": "Turn the dough out of the banneton onto parchment paper. Lightly mist the top with water from a spray bottle -- adds a bit more surface moisture right at the start, delaying crust set, same direction as everything else here. A light mist is enough, don't soak it."}, {"text": "Score lightly (a shallower score than usual -- deep scoring encourages more dramatic crust cracking, the opposite of what we want here)."}, {"text": "Lower the dough (on the parchment) into the hot Dutch oven, lid on. THE KEY CHANGE FOR SOFT CRUST: bake covered for the FULL bake this time -- about 35-40min lid on -- instead of your usual 15-20min lid-on/lid-off split. The lid-off dry-heat phase is specifically what makes a Dutch oven crust thick and crackly, so minimizing it is the main lever available while still using the Dutch oven + banneton method you like."}, {"text": "If the top isn't browned enough after that, remove the lid for a SHORT finish only -- 5-8min max, not the usual 20-25min -- just enough to color the top, not to fully dry/harden the crust."}, {"text": "Pull at 205-210F internal, same as your other sourdough bakes."}, {"text": "Remove from the Dutch oven right away. While still hot, brush the top generously with melted butter -- this does real work here since the Dutch oven itself won't be giving you the soft crust the way a covered loaf pan would."}, {"text": "Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel while cooling on a rack -- traps a little steam against the crust to keep it tender."}, {"text": "Cool at least 1hr before slicing."}]