Bread Dough

Technical stages for Bread Dough :

• Preparing sourdough:
• Dissolve the yeast in 350 ml lukewarm water.
• Blend well to dissolve it completely.
• Add 300 g flour and mix into a flexible dough.
• Clean the sides of the bowl of any dough that would have sticked, and cover with a piece of cloth. Leave to rise for 3 hours in a warm place.
• The dough doubled in volume and has bubbles on its surface.
• Mix together the remaining flour and water (at room temperature) and the salt.
• Add the sourdough and knead with your hands.
• Put the dough in a bread kneading machine (hook on) and knead until the dough doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl anymore.
• The dough is soft and barely sticks. Shape it into a ball and let it sit under a wet cloth for 1 h 30 in a warm place.
• Tear the dough with the palm of your hand.
• Put it on the floured counter.
• Slap it by throwing it from one hand to the other, in order to expell all remaining gases. Form a flat round.
• Roll it into a ball and let it rise another hour in a warm place, under a wet cloth.
• 1 hour later, tear the dough again.
• Put the dough on the counter and split into twelve balls weighing approximately 120 g. You can also make 2 large 700 g breads.
• Put on a slightly greased baking shet, cover and let it rise for 30 minutes.
• While the buns are rising, preheat the oven at 240°C or 464°F for buns or 220°C or 428°F if you decided for large breads. Put a bowl of warm water at the back of the oven.
• 30 minutes later... remove the cloth.
• Water the surface of each bun, using a brush.
• Make small incisions with a sharp knife of scissors, all along the surface.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
• The buns rise and a hard crust starts to form.. You can see it is baked when it sounds hollow when knocking on the bottom side.
• Leave to cool.