Patriotic Artisan Sourdough Bread

Servings loaf

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 35

Resting Time 18

Total Time 19 5

INGREDIENTS

To make this bread, you need 120g total of active sourdough starter. If you want to make this dough in the morning, I suggest feeding your starter before bed: 13g starter, 65g flour, 65g water. This will give you a little more than you need.

Get three medium-sized bowls.
• In the first bowl, whisk 116 g water with 2 tsp red yeast rice powder. Then, add 40 g active sourdough starter, 166 g bread flour, and 3 g sea salt.
• In the second bowl, whisk 116 g water with 1 tsp blue spirulina powder. Then, add 40 g active sourdough starter, 166 g bread flour, and 3 g sea salt.
• In the third bowl, whisk 116 g water with 40 g active sourdough starter. Then, add 166 g bread flour and 3 g sea salt.
Knead all three bowls of dough, washing any food dye off your hands between each, until each is a shaggy dough with no dry bits of flour remaining. Cover each bowl (I used an upside-down plate and sheet tray) and let rest for 30 minutes.

Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds, each set 30 minutes apart. You can also switch to coil folds for the final sets, which are gentler on the dough.

Continue bulk fermentation until dough has increased in volume and appears puffy and bubbly. When shaken, dough should jiggle. My timing: approximately 5.5 hours at 74°F. This is faster than my norm, but I wanted to provide it as a point of reference. Watch your dough, not the clock.

Lightly flour your work surface. Arrange the three doughs in a rectangle with red on top, white in middle, and blue on bottom, gently pinching the seams together.
Fold the blue (bottom) third up to the center, then fold the red (top) third down over it. Turn the dough 90° and roll it up into a log. Using a bench scraper, shape into a round using circular motions to create surface tension. Rest uncovered for 20 minutes.
For final shaping, repeat the same folding and rolling technique, focusing on creating a tight, smooth surface.

Cover banneton (I used a flour sack towel) and refrigerate overnight. Ideal cold retard: 12-36 hours. Do not exceed 96 hours.

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) with Dutch oven inside. Transfer dough to parchment. Mist surface with water, then dust lightly with rice flour.
Lightly press a star-shaped cookie cutter on top to create an outline, then trace with a toothpick for visibility. Score the star pattern about 1/8" deep with your lame. Score a circle around the entire loaf, rotating the dough as you go to maintain consistent depth.
Place in Dutch oven and bake with lid on for 25 minutes. Remove lid and bake for 10-15 minutes more, or until golden brown and the internal temperature is 205-210°F (96-99°C).
Cool on a wire rack for at least 90 minutes before slicing.