This Preserved Lemon and Rosemary Sourdough Bread has so much flavor from fragrant lemons and woodsy rosemary. The recipe includes step-by-step photos and instructions.
1Preserved Lemon, peel only, about 38 grams, finely chopped
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Instructions
Make the Levain:In a clean jar, mix the sourdough starter, bread flour, and water for the levain.Cover and set in a warm location (between 75-80ºF) for about five hours until doubled and bubbly.
Autolyse:An hour before the levain is ready, start autolyse. In a mixing bowl, mix together the bread and whole wheat flours.Form a well in the center of the flour and pour 319 grams of warm water.Mix together the flour and water just until it comes together and there are minimal dry bits of flour left.Cover and rest in a warm location for at least an hour until the levain is ready.
Add Levain, Salt, and Mix:Add all of the levain into the bowl and dimple it into the dough. Then, stretch and fold the dough upon itself for a few minutes to incorporate.Cover and rest in a warm location for 30 minutes.Sprinkle 8 grams of sea salt on top with 10grams of water. Dimple the salt and water into the dough. Stretch and fold the dough upon itself for 5-7 minutes until thoroughly mixed. At the end of mixing, the dough will be smooth, you should not feel any individual salt granules between your fingers, and the dough will be more extensible.Cover and rest in a warm location for 30 minutes.
Levain, 8 grams Sea Salt
Bulk Fermentation (Inclusions & Coil Folds):At 78ºF (26ºC), bulk fermentation for this dough typically takes about 4.5-5 hours.After the 30-minute rest, sprinkle a quarter of the chopped preserved lemon and a quarter of the chopped rosemary on top of the dough. Stretch and fold the dough onto itself once. Repeat this step three more times, adding all of the inclusions to the dough and folding the dough onto itself. Rest 30 minutes.Perform at least three coil folds separated by 30 minutes each. The dough rests in bulk fermentation for the remainder of the time.At the end of bulk fermentation, the dough should be smooth and rounded, feel full of air, have visible bubbles, and should wobble/jiggle if shaken. The dough should almost double in size.
1 TBS Fresh Rosemary, 1 Preserved Lemon
Shape:Lightly flour the top of the dough and the counter. Gently loosen the dough from the sides of the mixing bowl and turn the dough out onto the counter.With the help of a bench scraper, shape the dough into a batard (oval) or boule (round).Lift it up and place it into a floured banneton.Stitch the dough in the banneton if it is still loose or slack.Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Cold Overnight Proof:Place the covered banneton into a cold refrigerator to proof overnight and for up to 48 hours.
Bake:Place the empty dutch oven with lid in the oven and preheat for an hour at 500°F (260ºC).Once preheated, remove the banneton from the refrigerator and turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Score the dough with a sharp bread lame about ¼-½" deep.Transfer the scored dough to the dutch oven and cover it with the lid.Bake at 500°F (260ºC) for 20 minutes. Remove the lid, lower the oven temperature to 450ºF (232ºC) and bake for 15 minutes with the lid off.Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing.Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Try to keep the dough at a constant, warm temperature (between 75-80ºF) as much as possible throughout fermentation. I use the Brød and Taylor bread proofer to keep my dough at a constant 78ºF. If your dough and environment are cooler, bulk fermentation will take longer. Conversely, in warmer conditions, the dough will ferment faster.
Read my guide above for a detailed walkthrough with photos and videos for shaping, scoring, and baking this bread.
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