Pizza Flavours in a High-Hydration Sourdough Loaf

High-Hydration Sourdough with Gouda, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Pickled Mushrooms

This is a high-hydration sourdough bread made with low inoculation, meaning a smaller percentage of starter is used to allow a longer, more controlled fermentation. The sourdough starter is maintained at 100% hydration, while the final dough reaches approximately 78% hydration.

The flavour profile is savoury and balanced. The dough itself is mildly tangy. Gouda melts into the crumb and adds richness. Sun-dried tomatoes bring gentle acidity and sweetness and mushrooms contribute umami depth without dominating the bread. The inclusions are present but restrained, allowing the structure and fermentation to remain the focus.

This dough is suitable for bakers comfortable with high hydration and works best with a long, cool fermentation.

Ingredients:

Levain:

• 10 g active sourdough starter
• 40 g wheat flour T-850
• 40 g water

Dough:

• 500 g wheat flour T-850
• 370 g water
• 90 g active levain
• 11 g salt

Inclusions:

• 100 g Gouda cheese, cut into small cubes
• 70 g sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 80 g pickled mushrooms, well drained and patted dry

Method:

1. Prepare the levain
   Mix the starter, flour, and water. Ferment at 24–26 °C for 4–6 hours, until doubled and slightly domed.
   
2. Autolyse
   Mix the flour and water until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 45–60 minutes at room temperature.
3. Add levain and salt
   Add the levain and salt to the dough. Mix by hand until cohesive, about 10 minutes.
4. Rest
   Cover and rest the dough for 20 minutes.
5. First fold
   Perform one gentle set of stretch and folds. The dough should feel elastic and extensible.
   
6. Add inclusions (lamination)
   Stretch the dough into a thin rectangle.
   
   Evenly distribute the Gouda, sun-dried tomatoes, and pickled mushrooms. Fold the dough like a letter and shape it into a loose ball.
   
7. Bulk fermentation
   Ferment at 23–24 °C for 3.5–4 hours. Perform three coil folds every 30 minutes during the first half of bulk fermentation. The dough should increase in volume by about 50–60%.
8. Pre-shape and rest
   Gently pre-shape the dough into a round and let it rest uncovered for 20 minutes.
9. Final shaping
   Shape with minimal tension and place seam-side up into a well-floured banneton.
10. Cold fermentation
    Refrigerate at 4 °C for 10–14 hours.
11. Bake
    Preheat the oven to 250 °C with a Dutch oven inside. Bake at 240 °C covered for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce temperature to 220 °C, and bake for another 5–10 minutes until browned.
12. Cooling
    Let the bread cool completely before slicing.
    

Yeast Version (No Sourdough)

Replace the levain with 7 g fresh yeast or 2 g dry yeast. Dissolve the yeast in the dough water before mixing.

Bulk ferment for 75–90 minutes at 24–26 °C until roughly doubled. Cold fermentation is not necessary. All other steps remain the same.