I bought myself a baking cloche for my birthday. What is a baking cloche, you ask? well, in essence, it is a glorified up-side-down cast iron dutch oven. Normally, I do my bread baking in a 6 Quart round or oval Le Creuset pot, so this is similar, only the bottom is shallow and the top is bell shaped. I didn’t notice much of a difference in all in the baking (though I will say that the Multigrain Clover Honey Sourdough Bread that I made is super delicious), but it sure was easier not to burn myself trying to get the loaf out.
Ingredients
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup King Arthur Harvest Grains Blend
1 1/2 cups ripe (fed) sourdough starter
3 tablespoons clover honey
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
I used a 6-quart round cast-iron cloche for baking
Directions
Combine Harvest Grains blend and boiling water in a small work bowl and set aside for 15 minutes. Most of the water will be absorbed, but if there is any remaining, drain it off.
Combine all the ingredients, including the now softened Harvest Grains Blend in a large mixing bowl. Mix and stir everything together to make a sticky, rough dough. If you have a stand mixer, beat at medium speed with the paddle attachment for 30 to 60 seconds. If you don’t have a mixer, just stir with a big spoon or dough whisk until everything is combined.
Transfer to an equally large, lightly sprayed with baking spray bowl or 6-quart food-safe bucket, also lightly sprayed with baking spray. Cover it with the bucket’s lid or a piece of plastic wrap, and let it rise for 1 hour. Gently pick up the dough and fold it over on itself several times, cover it again, and let it rise for another hour. Repeat the rising-folding process one more time (for a total of 3 hours), folding it again after the last hour. Then, place the bucket or bowl in the refrigerator, and let the dough rest for at least 8 hours (or up to 48 hours).
When you’re ready to make bread, turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface, and shape it into a rough ball. Leave the dough seam-side up, cover it, and let it rest on a floured surface or rising basket / banneton for 2 hours.
With a rack positioned in the middle, start preheating the oven to 450F one hour before you’re ready to bake. Place your baking cloche into the oven to heat as well.
Remove the baking cloche from the oven carefully — it is screaming hot! — and place your loaf in it, seam side down. Just before baking, dust the loaf with a fine coat of flour and use a lame or a sharp knife to make one or several 1/2” deep slashes through its top surface. Return loaf to oven and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the cover of the baking cloche and bake the bread for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until the bread is deep golden brown and crusty, and a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads at least 210F. Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a rack to cool completely.
