Ruby Beetroot & Thyme Sourdough
Ruby Beetroot & Thyme Sourdough

Ruby Beetroot & Thyme Sourdough

Preparation: feed sourdough starter at a 1:1:1 ratio if you’re wanting to make it the same day. Feed with a 1:5:5 ratio if you want to leave overnight. It should be active and bubble and double in size 

This sourdough loaf has a tangy, earthy, subtle flavor thanks to the beetroot powder and thyme leaves, and allows a deeper color than using fresh beets. This is a high hydration dough which allows the beautiful red beet colour to remain after baking, but this makes it messy and difficult to handle at the beginning of the stretch and folds, but it should eventually come together into a sticky ball. Use wet or oiled hands to prevent sticking and a bench/bowl scraper can help with moving it around.

 

Round Timeless Loaves
PREP TIME8 Hours+ Overnight Proofing Time
COOK TIME45-50 Minutes
SERVES12-14 Full Slices, One Large Loaf
TOTAL8 Hours, 45 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • 45 grams freeze dried beetroot powder
  • 400 grams bread flour
  • 355 grams water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • Handful thyme stalks, leaves removed

METHOD:

  1. When your sourdough starter is ripe and bubbly, measure out 100 grams. Place starter in a large bowl with water, beet powder and mix with a dough whisk until well mixed. The liquid should be evenly coloured and a deep red (add slightly more beet powder if you want to adjust color).
  2. Add the bread flour and salt, mix to form a shaggy dough. Cover with a tea towel and leave for an hour at room temperature.
  3. Begin the stretch and folds: with the dough still in the bowl, pick up one edge of the dough with two hands, lift it up and stretch it over the dough, pressing it down on the opposite side. Turn the bowl 90 and repeat, continuing until you have done it 4 times. The final stretch will feel tighter than the others. Cover and leave another 45-1 hour. Repeat, doing stretch and folds 4 times over 3-4 hours. After this leave the bowl at room temperature, covered, until the dough is puffy and at least doubled in size. 
  4. Tip onto a bench floured with rice flour and shape into a rough ball using a bench scraper. Grab pieces of dough at opposite ends of the ball and cross them over, allowing tension to form underneath. Repeat, making your way around the ball until a tight shape is forming. Turn right side up and using your pinky fingers to guide the dough, pull it towards you, then rotate 9- degrees and repeat until you have a tight ball. Add to a well-floured banneton and refrigerate overnight.
  5. When ready to bake, preheat the Krustic in the oven at 450F  for an hour.
  6. Remove the dough from the fridge, place seam side down onto the silicon baking mat and dust the top with rice flour. Score as desired, leaving one long line for an expansion score.
  7. Place in the preheated Krustic for 25 minutes, remove the lid then continue cooking for a further 20-25 minutes until crunchy and browned all over. 
  8. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool at least an hour before slicing into pieces and eating with butter and honey.

GALLERY:

NOTES:

  • If the dough is too sticky to handle, use slightly damp hand and tools to do stretch and folds. Try not to add any more flour as this can lessen the colour and make the dough too dense.
  • If you’d rather use fresh beets, you can substitute the powder for 1 cups cooked mashed beets. Be sure to lessen the water by 50 grams to 305 grams and increase flour only if necessary.