Münsterländer

This is the first bread I ever made. It's very good for beginners since on the easier side to make and even though it's mainly a wheat bread it doesn't require multiple fold and stretch cycles or long resting periods. It did get me into baking after all. Made with a rye sourdough, 80% wheat overall, relatively mild flavor.

Sourdough

• 100g (3 1/2 oz) rye flour, I always use whole wheat, but light rye is OK too.
• 100ml (1/3 cup) water
• 10g (1/4 oz) rye sourdough starter

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, stir until smooth, cover and let rest at room temperature for 16 hours.

Sponge

• 260g (9 3/8 oz) Graham wheat flour or bread flour
• 1g salt
• 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast, 1/4 tsp of sugar and 1/2oz of water, mixed and let stand for about 10 minutes (or 1g fresh yeast)
• 180ml (2/3 cup) water 

Combine ingredients and stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 2 hours. Transfer to refrigerator and let it proof for 14 hours.

Main Dough

• Sourdough
• Sponge
• 260g (9 3/8 oz) Graham wheat flour or bread flour
• 30g (1 oz) light rye flour
• 10g (1/3 oz) butter
• 14g (1/2 oz) salt
• 1 tsp Active Dry Yeast, 1/2 tsp of sugar and 1oz of water, mixed and let stand for about 10 minutes (or 7g fresh yeast)
•  180ml (2/3 cup) water

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and knead with the dough hook for 12 minutes. Cover with lid or plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

Form dough into a ball and  transfer to fermentation basket, closing on the bottom; cover with plastic wrap and let proof at 90°F (32°C) for 1 hour to 75 minutes. You get get to that temperature by putting the basket into the oven with just the light on.

Preheat oven to 465°F (240°C).

Place parchement paper on a baking sheet, carefully turn dough from the basket onto the sheet and place in the oven on the 2nd rack from the bottom. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 410°F (210°C) and bake with falling temperature for another 40 minutes (to get nice crust leave the oven door slightly open for the last 15 minutes).


To check if the bread is done, knock on the bottom, it should sound a little hollow. Let cool on a cooling rack.

The recipes I use are all using metric measurements. I just read values off my scale/beaker in ounces/cups in order to put it here. If you can, go for the metric measurements, they are much more accurate.

Original recipe (German language) by ketex; it's in his book but I can't find the recipe online.