Making the Dough

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the 700 grams of warm spring water and foamy starter. Mix gently with your fingertips to dissolve slightly.
• Add the portioned bread flour and whole wheat flour to your starter/water bowl as well. Using your hands and a dough scraper, bring the mixture together until the flour is fully incorporated, and you have a nice basic dough. Scrape any remaining dough from your hands and the sides of the bowl into the bowl itself.
• Let rest, covered with a tea towel, for 30-40 minutes. This is the first resting period where the proteins and starches in the flour will have time to absorb all of the water for a pliable dough.
• After resting, uncover, add the salt, and the remaining 50 grams of warm spring water to the dough. Gently fold the dough over itself to mix the water in. You can also squeeze the dough through your fingers. It may break apart as you do this, but don't worry - just keep mixing!
• Once the water is fully mixed into the dough, gently fold the sides of the dough onto itself three or four times, to introduce some air into the mix.
• Gently transfer the dough into a lager bowl (or what I like to use, a medium-sized, clear, Rubbermaid container). Cover once more with a tea towel, and place on a warm countertop in the kitchen. This is the beginning of the 'bulk fermentation' stage.
• Let the dough bulk for 30 minutes.
• During this first period, chop your dried fruit, and soak for 20 minutes in (room-temperature) strong black tea in a medium sized bowl. Then, drain the fruit by dumping it into a fine mesh sieve over a bowl. Measure out your silvered almonds, and reserve both the fruit and nuts. Discard the tea.
• After the 30 minutes are up, add the drained dried fruit mix and nuts to the dough. Grabbing one side of the dough, pull it up, and fold to the other side, allowing some air to be folding in. Repeat three to four times, folding both the dough and the fruit mix. Cover once again, and let rest 30 Minutes.
• Repeat the folding process for a total of SIX (6) 30 minute periods, or about three hours of bulk fermentation/rise. The dough should be pillowy and soft by the end. The sides should pull easily away from the container and there should be a 20-30% increase in volume. If you think you need a bit more time, allow 1-2 more 30 minute rests and folds.
• Next, we will shape and rest (the dough). Using a dough scraper, scrape the dough onto an unfloured work space. Lightly flour the surface of the dough, then, using the bench scraper, divide into two roughly equal pieces.
• Flip each portion of dough over, so the floured side is now resting on the counter or board. Then, gently (but firmly), fold the edges of the dough onto itself, so the floured side is the outer surface of the dough ball. *see photo*. This side will be the outer crust of each loaf.
• Lightly flour your hands and, with hands on each side of the round (you can use a bench scraper in one hand if you prefer), gently move the round to you, while pushing the opposite hand under the dough slightly, and rotating. You want to use your hands to shape the dough into a circle with a tight 'skin" on top. I find about 4 or 5 turns around do the trick. Tension is key to a sturdy crust.
• Repeat with the second portion of dough.
• (If the surface of the dough rips during the rounding, let the dough relax for ten minutes and start again.)
• Let both rounds rest on the counter or board and cover with a towel to prevent drafts. Let the bread dough bench rest for another 30 minutes.
• While the rounds are bench resting, the dough will relax and spread sightly. The edges will appear rounded, but should not look like they are dripping off the board. If it looks like it's spreading too much, the bulk ferment has not yet been for long enough. No worries though, simply round the dough again, and let rest again for 30 more minutes.
• If all looks good, we will now go to the final shaping and the overnight rest:
• Lightly flour the tops of each loaf and, using the scraper, flip the whole thing over so that the board side is now facing up, and the floured surface is facing down.
• Grabbing the edge closest to you (on the bottom of the board), firmly stretch & fold over to the upper edge (top of the board side) and press the edge down. Next, grab the right edge of the dough and firmly stretch & fold over the center, towards the left side of the dough. Again, press firmly down with your fingertips. Grab the lefthand side of the dough and stretch & fold to the righthand side. Finally, take the portion the dough near the top of the board, and stretch towards the bottom side, closest to you. Flip the whole thing over, so the board side is now facing up. All of the seams should now be tucked under the bundle. The air that was introduced here will allow more rise, and create more tension within the bread for a sturdy loaf.
• You're now going to repeat the rounding shaping by cupping your hands on either side of the loaf and gently turning & pulling towards you at the same time. This will create additional tension & stretch the surface to hold the seams together.
• Repeat the whole process with the second loaf.
• Take two medium sized bowls, and spread two clean dish towels into them. Mix of 50/50 rice flour to whole wheat flour, to sprinkle liberally on the dish towels. I use bread flour often as well.
• Using the bench scraper, gently lift the dough rounds and flip over (what was the top is now facing down) into the prepared bowls. Same with the second loaf. Cover loosely with plastic wrap (and I like to fold the edges of the dish towels over the top of the bowls).
• Let the bread rest overnight in the fridge before baking. 8-12 hours is plenty of fridge rest.
• After your preferred rise time, preheat your oven to a whopping 475F (*important to note, I diverge with the book recommended 500 degree oven temperature here, because I don't think my oven can handle it). You are going to preheat your dutch oven (including the lid), in the oven at the same time. This takes about an hour.
• While the oven is preheating, cut a generous square of parchment paper for each loaf. Once your pot & oven are at temperature, set a heatproof trivet on the counter, and very carefully retrieve your pot.
• Gently turn out one of the loaves onto the parchment and then - taking the sides of the parchment with oven mitts on - lower into the pot.
• Using a sharp paring knife or bread slasher, slash at least three vents into the bread. I like to do three horizontal slits, about 1/2 inch deep.
• Replace the lid, and carefully return to you hot oven.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 450F. Bake for 30 minutes covered. After the first baking period, you will then bake uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes. Finally, crack the oven door open without touching the temperature, and bake a further 10 minutes.
• After all the baking, retrieve your pot and carefully take your bread out of the pot. It should be golden brown, with small crackly bubbles. If you gently tap the bottom of the loaf, it should sound hollow. As the bread cools, it will snap & pop.
• Repeat the baking process again with the second loaf, by placing the pot back into the oven and raising the temperature back up to 475F, and repeating the steps above. (Be sure to reduce the temperature to 450F when you place the pot back into the oven!).
• Let both loaves cool completely on a wire rack.