Algae Powder Sourdough

Ingredients for the levain

• 88g T65 flour
• 70g filtered water (room temp)
• 18g active wheat starter

Ingredients for the sourdough (1.5k)

• 170g previously made active levain (above recipe)
• 670g T65 flour
• 80g wholegrain flour
• 17g salt
• 430g first stage water - filtered (A) at 36C (assuming room and flour temp are around 21C)
• 100g second stage water – filtered (B) for bassinage – at room temp
• 15g Algae Powder Emerald
• 15g Algae Powder Aventurine
• 15g Algae Powder Gold

Method

Method for the levain

• Add the wheat starter to the levain flour and water and mix by hand until the dough comes together.
• Cover (not airtight) and ferment for up to 24 hours at 15C until doubled in volume, and active. The rise and activity will depend on temperature and time.

Method for the main dough

Fermentolyse

• Disperse the levain in the first stage water (A) in a mixer bowl. Add the T65 flour and wholegrain flour.
• Attach a dough/spiral hook to the mixer.
• Mix on slow speed for 3-4 minutes until it comes together and begins to look just a little smoother.
• Cover the bowl with polythene, lid or damp cloth for 20 minutes at 22C for fermentolyse stage to help develop the gluten.

Dough Mixing

• Remove the cover over the bowl and mix dough on slow speed for 1 minute.
• Add a little of the (B) room temp bassinage water to the salt to start it dissolving.
• Start to add the salted water gradually to the dough, letting it mix in on each addition.
• Gradually add the rest of the bassinage water (B), mixing well between each addition.
• Continue to mix for another 5 + minutes until looking bulbous and has a shine. If it sticks to sides of bowl, keep mixing, it should start to come away.
• Separate dough in to 4 pieces of even weight. Using the mixer, mix one piece at a time with a each of the algae powders, one piece remains plain without any algae.
• Check the doughs are at it is the window pane stage – the dough doesn’t break when stretched thinly.

Bulk Fermentation

• Place each colour of dough in a separate plastic container, place a lid on it (not airtight) and bulk prove at 22C for 4 hours (or appropriate time depending on temperature) until 50% risen and wobbly. During this time give the dough portions each 1 ‘stretch and fold’ and 3 ‘coil folds’ 30 minutes apart.

Dividing, Shaping and Bench Rest

• Tip the doughs on to a lightly floured surface and sprinkle some flour on top.
• Use an oiled metal dough scraper to portion each colour of dough in to two even pieces – so you will have 8 pieces in total.
• Form each one in to rounds with tension, and place on a proving board or floured tray, seam down.
• Cover loosely with polythene and rest dough for 20 minutes.

Final Shaping

• Flour the banetons with rice flour (optional – you can dust the loaves with algae powder alone if preferred – see below).
• Take 4 pieces (one of each colour) of dough, and flatten each one (separately) with a rolling pin (degasses the dough), roll to an oval shape. Layer up the colours one on top of the other in the order you wish, spraying lightly with water if needed so they stick to each other, and roll out the 4 layers together to about 2cm thick.
• To final shape, pull out the ‘corners’ a little so it is more of a rectangle shape. Fold top down 1/3, fold in left and right sides. Fold bottom 1/3 upwards and press dough on to itself. Turn the dough 90° and roll up.
• Spray good side of dough with water and roll ‘top’ into Emerald algae powder.
• Place the algae side down into banetons, seam upwards.

Final Retard Prove

• Place banetons in the fridge overnight for 12-24 hours at 4C, cover loosely with polythene or a clean tea towel.

Finishing

• Set oven to 250C no fan, place any Dutch ovens which are being used for the loaves inside oven to heat. Alternatively heat a granite oven stone or steel as the oven is warming.
• Bring banetons out of the fridge. Prepare oiled parchment paper for the dough to be turned out on to.

Baking

• Turn out loaves on to the oiled parchment on a flat baking sheet (for ease of transfer). Score with the lamé as desired. (Alternatively, if you are doing an ornate design, turn out dough on to a piece of oiled parchment on a flat tray and place in freezer for up to 30 minutes so it is easier to score).
• Remove hot Dutch Oven from the oven and place loaf on the shallow ‘lid’ by sliding it across using the parchment it is on. Spray with a spritz of water. Place deeper part of Dutch Oven over the top.
• Place back in oven. Reduce temp to 240C.
• Bake for 30 minutes, remove the lid, bake a further 10 minutes until rich golden brown or as desired.
• Remove from the oven and place loaves on a wire rack.
• Let cool before slicing. Can be frozen and refreshed in the oven before serving.

Chef: Shona Sutherland