Feed your starter 6–8 hours before mixing. It should look airy, domed, and pass the float test.
If it collapses and looks runny, feed again and wait until it peaks.
In a bowl, combine 350 g warm water and 100 g active starter. Stir to disperse.
Add 450 g bread flour. Mix until no dry patches remain. The dough will look shaggy.
Cover and rest for 30–60 minutes to hydrate the flour. This makes the dough easier to handle.
Sprinkle 9 g salt over the dough and squeeze it in with damp hands.
Perform 1–2 sets of stretch-and-fold: grab an edge, stretch up, fold over, rotate the bowl, and repeat 4–6 times.
Keep dough at 75–78°F (24–26°C). Cooler rooms will take longer; warmer rooms will move faster.
Do 3–4 sets of folds during the first 90 minutes, every 30 minutes. After that, let the dough rest undisturbed.
Bulk is done when the dough looks puffy with 50–75% rise, shows bubbles along the sides, and jiggles when you shake the bowl.
Lightly flour your surface. Turn the dough out gently.
Use a bench scraper to tuck and rotate the dough into a loose round, building surface tension.
Cover and rest for 20–30 minutes to relax the gluten.
For a round loaf: flip the dough so the smooth side faces down. Fold top to center, sides in, then roll down into a tight ball.
For an oval loaf: shape into a tight batard by folding and rolling, then sealing the seam.
Use firm, confident movements to create good surface tension without tearing.
Dust a banneton with rice flour. Place the dough seam-side up.
Option A: Cold proof in the fridge for 8–16 hours for deeper flavor and easier scoring.
Option B: Room-temp proof for 45–90 minutes, until the dough springs back slowly when poked.
Place your Dutch oven inside your oven and preheat to 475°F (246°C) for at least 30 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto parchment, seam down. Dust lightly with flour.
Score a 1/4–1/2 inch deep slash along the top to guide the expansion.
Carefully lower the dough on parchment into the hot Dutch oven. Cover.
Bake covered for 20 minutes at 475°F (246°C).
Reduce to 450°F (232°C), uncover, and bake for 20–25 minutes more, until deep golden-brown with a crackly crust.
Internal temperature should read 208–212°F (98–100°C).
Cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. This sets the crumb and keeps it moist.
