📖 Instructions

1. Prepare the Starter: In a small mixing bowl, combine 50g of active sourdough starter with 50g of buckwheat flour and 50g of warm water (about 85-90°F). Mix well until you achieve a smooth, creamy consistency. Cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until it has doubled in size and is bubbly. You should smell a slight tang. It's a bit like checking up on a sleeping baby, isn't it?
2. Autolyse the Flour and Water: In a large mixing bowl, combine 300g of bread flour, 100g of buckwheat flour, and 300g of warm water (about 90-95°F). Mix the flours and water until just combined, forming a shaggy dough. Cover the bowl and let it rest (autolyse) for 30-60 minutes. This allows the flour to fully hydrate, which will improve the dough's texture and extensibility.
3. Incorporate the Starter: Add the prepared sourdough starter and 10g of salt to the autolysed dough. With a dough scraper or your hands, gently mix everything together until well combined. The dough will be sticky and somewhat difficult to work with at this stage – that's perfectly normal. The smell will be getting quite enticing at this stage, I think.
4. Bulk Fermentation: Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl and let the dough undergo bulk fermentation for 4-6 hours at room temperature (about 72-75°F). During the first 2 hours, perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes. To do this, gently stretch a portion of the dough upwards and fold it over onto itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. This helps to build strength in the dough. After the first 2 hours, let the dough rest undisturbed for the remaining fermentation time. Remember the kitchen temp can affect this!
5. Add Chia Seeds: About 30 minutes before shaping, gently knead in 30g of chia seeds into the dough. Ensure the chia seeds are evenly distributed throughout the dough. If you are like me and forget things easily, set a timer!
6. Pre-shape the Dough: Lightly flour your work surface. Gently turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Pre-shape the dough into a round or oval shape. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 20-30 minutes. This allows the dough to relax before the final shaping.
7. Shape the Dough: Lightly flour a banneton basket (proofing basket). Gently shape the dough into a tight round or oval shape, depending on your preference. Place the shaped dough seam-side up in the floured banneton basket.
8. Proof the Dough: Cover the banneton basket with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough proof at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or until it has slightly increased in size and feels puffy. Alternatively, you can proof the dough in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours for a more complex flavor development. (I prefer this, personally)
9. Preheat the Dutch Oven: About 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) with the Dutch oven inside. It’s crucial to preheat the Dutch oven to ensure a crispy crust and even baking.
10. Score the Dough: Carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven from the oven. Place a piece of parchment paper inside the Dutch oven. Gently invert the proofed dough onto the parchment paper. With a sharp knife or lame, score the top of the dough with a single slash or a decorative pattern. Scoring allows the dough to expand properly during baking and creates an attractive crust. Be careful, its really hot!
11. Bake the Bread: Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) and remove the lid. Continue baking for another 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and the internal temperature of the bread reaches 205-210°F (96-99°C).
12. Cool the Bread: Remove the baked bread from the Dutch oven and transfer it to a wire rack. Let the bread cool completely before slicing and serving. This is the hardest part, I find – waiting is torture! But trust me, its worth it.