Refresh your starter:

300gr of stoneground flour

150gr of Bretzel Bakery Starter

150ml of lukewarm water (25-30 C⁰)

Mix all the ingredients manually for 8-10min, then place the refreshing starter in the fridge, cover with a damp kitchen towel, for at least 12 (ideally 18 hours)

Make your bread:

For a loaf of 600 gr:

300gr of Stoneground flour

150gr of Bretzel Bakery Starter refreshed (from fridge)

245ml of lukewarm water (25-30 C⁰)

7gr of salt

Keep the remaining starter to refresh it.

Mix all the ingredients manually for 8-12min. Form of ball with your dough and place it into a lightly floured (or lightly oiled) bowl; cover it with a damp cloth. Leave it for a 2 hours rest, the dough ball should rise to twice is initial volume. The resting time depends on the temperature of the room (ideal 18-20 C⁰).

After 2 hours shape your bread: Without working the dough too much, flatten your dough into a disc. Fold in one side into the centre, then fold in the other side. Fold in twice pressing down with the heel of your hand. Roughly shape into a round loaf.

Using a baking parchment, place your loaf on a baking tray, cover it with a damp cloth and let it rise for two and a half hours at room temp (ideally 18-20C⁰)

15 min before end of rising, preheat your oven at 240C⁰

When your bread is ready to bake, brush your loaf with water, and using a very sharp blade cut your bread (3-4mm deep) criss-cross for a rustic look .

Put your bread into the oven and quickly sprinkle a third of a glass of water on the bottom of your oven. After 8 minutes of baking time at 240C⁰, drop down the temperature to 225C⁰ for another 32 minutes.

When baked, knock the bottom of the loaf, it should sound hollow.