Finally, the recipe:

Shipton Mill no. 4: 50%
Wildfarmed T80: 35%
Gilchesters Wholemeal: 15%
Hydration: 77%ish
Firm levain: 15%
Salt: 2.3%

Autolyse 30 minutes, add levain and 50g water, add salt after another 30 minutes, 3 sets of folds 30 mins apart, leave to prove until 50% increase in height.

I inadvertently did a single and then a double ‘Caddy clasp’ in the wicker bannetons. As expected, the single clasp was longer and the double clasp was taller. If you’re not familiar with the shaping technique it’s a game changer! Explanation here: thesourdoughjourney.com/faq-shaping/

Stretching and folding a large weight of dough seemed to provide more strength with less input. Strangely I found it less tough on my arms mixing 6kg vs my usual 4kg of dough!

Strangely the bannetons seemed to matter… the cheap cane ones with a liner were a bit misshapen and also ‘flatter’ compared to the (also cheap) brotform ones and the fancy cane ones. They also didn’t brown as well.

My electric fan oven with a Lodge DO produced ‘flatter’ loaves than my gas oven with Challenger. Unsure if it was the pan or the oven but will try the Challenger and the Lodge in the gas oven for more of a side by side comparison.

Wildfarmed T80: 45%
Molino Bongermino Lievitati Tipo 00: 45%
Gilchesters Wholemeal: 10%
Hydration: 67%
Sugar: 2%
Diastatic Malt: 1%
Olive oil: 2%
Salt: 2.5%
IDY: 0.05%

24 hour room temp prove, 300g ball for a roughly 14 inch pizza

This pic was taken at Tartine Manufactory in San Francisco and is the loaf I’m shamelessly trying to rip off here. The combination of thick crust, soft crumb and tangy flavour has been hard to replicate at home, though I should play to the strengths of the flour and ingredients found over here.

This version makes a porridge of oats, toasted wheatgerm and honey. I think by cooking the wheatgerm you end up with a gelatinised effect similar to a tangzhong or a yudane which softens the crumb. The honey doesn’t add too much sweetness… perhaps it gets digested by the yeasts during fermentation?

See more about this variety here: wakelyns.co.uk/yq/

I think next time I’ll experiment with hydration levels (perhaps lowering to 70ish%), as well as salt and oil.

Shipton Mill No. 4: 60%
Wildfarmed T80: 30%
Merchants Mill Wholemeal: 10%
Hydration: 80%
Firm Levain: 10%
Olive Oil: 2.5%
Salt: 2.3%
Diastatic Malt Powder: 0.4%

24hr dough, overnight in the fridge

I don’t think it’s a case of our flour not being as good: there are sooo many great millers and wheat farmers, some of which are pioneers of regenerative agriculture. Think of the rich history of bread and pastry around the continent! It’s just a case of adapting recipes to suit softer wheat.

Why roll it up like that?… dunno, just looks pretty, ennit?

….it seems to incorporate the ingredients well at least.

I find it very reliable and easy to maintain. Give it a go if you feel as though you aren’t able to replicate some recipes, particularly from authors in the US or Canada. Simply feed your 100% hydration starter at the new ratio.

Toppings: confit garlic, rosemary, salt and olive oil.

Baker’s %:
Shipton Mill no. 4: 90%
Merchants Mill Wholemeal: 10%
Hydration: 80%
Salt: 2.3%
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 2%
Firm Levain: 15%