For my birthday I was given a long, thin baking dome. The La Cloche is lovely for rustic, artisan boules, but if you want something more practical for sandwiches or toast, a long loaf is more what you need.

So I’m trying it out for the first time. I’m guessing that one of my 1kg+ loaves will be too big, so I’m doing a 750g+ double starter loaf:

• 375g flour
  • 260g strong white flour
  • 75g strong wholemeal flour
  • 40g rye flour
• 2 tsp diastatic malt powder
• 225g water
• 2 tsp salt
• 225g 100% hydration wheat starter
• 75g 200% hydration rye starter

This gets the usual autolyzing of the flours and water, then everything kneaded for five minutes in the stand mixer, before four hours of rising with four stretch & folds during that time, before getting proofed in the fridge overnight.

To bake I’m following my La Cloche system: remove dough from fridge, baking dome in oven at 230C fan for an hour.

Turn out.

Transfer to the hot dome, and score.

Then into the oven at max 230C fan for 30 minutes covered, then 15 minutes at 200C fan uncovered.

Looks good, and the temperature was nicely above 90C, so it’s off to cool.

Then the moment of truth… checking the crumb!

I’m very happy with that: proper sourdough crumb in sandwich loaf form!