Recipe: Corn, Corn, Corn Sourdough

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Corn, Corn, Corn Sourdough

Corn, Corn, Corn Sourdough

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Makes one 900g loaf

• If you want to use high-extraction bread flour in place of the 330g of bread and whole wheat flour in the final dough, you’ll probably need about 5% more water overall, which amounts to ~17g (added to the autolyse stage in step 4). But flours vary in thirstiness, so YMMV.

• The final dough can take awhile to mix by hand in step 5. If desired, you can do this step in a stand mixer.

• As the picture suggests, you can also make this into a pan bread, using a 9- by 4- by 4-inch, square-sided pullman pan. (The dough won’t fit into smaller loaf pans, alas.)
  
  

Levain

44g bread flour

44g water (75˚F)

22g sourdough starter

Grits

130g water

45g cornmeal grits, coarse cornmeal, or polenta

pinch salt

50g corn bits (from making corn butter)

50g corn butter

45g whole-wheat flour

9g (1 1/2 teaspoons fine) salt

Dough

295g bread flour

165g water (75˚F)

all of the 100%-hydration levain (from above)

all of the grits mixture (from above)

Overall Formula

bread flour 80%

whole-wheat flour 10%

grits 10%

water 80%

corn bits 12%

corn butter 12%

salt 2.2%

levain 25%

1. Levain: Combine the flour, water, and starter in a container and proof at room temperature until at least doubled in volume, 4 to 6 hours. If necessary, refrigerate for no longer than 12 hours and warm back to room temperature before using. (Alternatively, build 110g of ripe, but young 100%-hydration levain however you like.)

2. Grits: Place the grits in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, swirling the pan frequently, until the grits are fragrant and lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the water, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to very low, cover, and cook, stirring frequently, until the grits are just tender, about 20 minutes (it’s okay if they still have a little bite, they’ll finish cooking in the loaf).

3. Transfer the grits to a bowl, stir in the corn bits, corn butter, whole wheat flour, and salt until uniform. Cover loosely and allow to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

4. Autolyse: At least 1 hour before the levain is ready, combine the flour and water in a medium bowl and stir until no dry flour remains. Cover and let rest for 1 hour (and up to 3 hours).

5. Final Mix: Add the corn mixture and levain to the bowl and, using your hands, stir and knead the dough until it is mostly uniform, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover the bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.

6. Folds and Bulk Fermentation: Using wet hands, fold the dough inside the bowl until it tightens up. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

7. Repeat folding and resting 4 more times for a total of 5 sets of folds over 2 1/2 hours. By this time, the dough should be supple, bouncy, and no longer sticky.

8. If the dough is already puffy and beginning to proof, skip to step 9. If not, cover and let rest until it is, 15 to 60 minutes.

9. Preshape: Flour the top of the dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and gently form it into a rough round. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.

10. Meanwhile, run a kitchen towel under water until saturated, then gently wring it out so that it is just damp to the touch. Drape it over one half of a baking sheet, then pour at least 1/2 cup grits in an even layer on the other side of the pan (Or, better yet, place the towel and grits on separate quarter-sheet pans instead).

11. Shape and Coat: Shape the dough into a round or batard. Roll the top and sides of the dough over the wet towel, then roll it in the grits to coat as much of the exterior as possible. Transfer to a lightly-floured banneton and sprinkle any exposed surfaces of the loaf with additional grits. Cover and let rest until the loaf is puffy, fills the banneton, and passes the poke test, 1 to 3 hours.

12. Cold Proof: Cover the loaf well and then transfer to the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours, depending on your schedule.

13. Bake: Set a large Dutch oven and on the middle rack of the oven and heat oven at 475˚F for at least 30 minutes.

14. Remove the loaf from the refrigerator and invert onto the center of a 12- by 7-inch sheet of parchment. Using a lame or sharp knife, score as desired.

15. Remove the preheated Dutch oven from the oven. Set the loaf in the Dutch oven, cover with its lid, and return it to the oven. Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 450°F and bake the covered loaf for 20 minutes.

16. Remove the lid of the Dutch oven and continue to bake until the loaf is deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

17. Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and allow to cool and set completely, 3 to 4 hours.