Stretch-And-Fold Artisan Bread

Add the flour and salt. Mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Perform one set of stretch-and-fold: with very wet hands, gently pull one side of the dough up and fold it over toward the middle. Give the bowl a ¼ turn, pull the dough up, and fold it over itself. Do this a few times. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 mins.

Repeat this step another 3 times for a total of 4 stretch-and-folds. After the last round, transfer the dough to the refrigerator. Let it cold-proof for 4-12 hours.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Sprinkle your work surface with flour. Transfer the dough onto the floured work surface. With floured hands, gently stretch the dough into a large rectangle. Fold the dough over ⅓ from the long side, then again from the other ⅓. From the short end, roll up the dough, gently pulling dough in from the sides. Flip the dough ball seam side down. While gently pulling the dough ball towards you, gently tuck the sides under the dough ball to create surface tension.

Transfer the dough ball seam side up to a floured banneton. Place the banneton in the refrigerator for another 4-12 hours.

Preheat a cast iron Dutch oven in the oven at 500˚F for 60 mins. Remove the banneton from the refrigerator. Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven and place the dough ball inside the hot Dutch oven. Optional: add 1-2 ice cubes to the Dutch oven. Place the lid on, lower the oven temperature to 450˚F, and bake the bread for 30 mins. Remove the lid and bake for another 30 mins. Remove the bread form the Dutch oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.