At home with our head chef

There is nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked bread and it’s one of the first delights to greet us when we arrive at the restaurant every morning. Our chefs bake it daily. Our head chef, Kieran Glennon has jotted down the recipe for boule of sourdough to bake at home.

 

 

Boule of sourdough bread

Ingredients

1.9 Ib T65 bread flour

1/2 pint sourdough starter brought to room temperature – this is made over a few days to make a strong yeast. You’ll find lots of starter recipes and methods demonstrated on Youtube.

1/2 pint tepid water

1 tablespoon salt

Ratio: base 60% hydration, 2% salt

Method

Place the flour, starter and water into the mixing bowl of an electric mixer and mix with the dough hook attachment for twenty minutes. Add the salt at the end of the process and mix through. Cover and prove overnight. Knock back the dough the following morning by punching or pressing down on the first rise. This ensures a smoother texture. Cover and prove for an additional four hours.

Switch on the oven to heat to 240ºC.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently fold it over a few times to deflate it. Shape the dough into a large round and place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Score the top of the loaf with a sharp knife.

Place a pan of water in the oven for the first 15 minutes of baking. The steam ensures a crust with crunch. Remove the water pan after 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 200ºC and bake for another 25 minutes until the bread is a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and turn it out onto a rack to cool. Enjoy.