Peel and shred 1 ½ beets. Dice the remaining ½ beet.
Place shredded beets in a seive in a bowl to drain juice.
Sprinkle salt and vitamin C powder onto shredded beets and mix.
Allow to rest for 15 minutes.
Using your hand, squeeze shredded beets to drain as much juice as possible.
Weigh the amount of beet juice squeezed. Divide the weight by 4. This is the amount of chia seed needed.
Add the appropriate amount of chia seed to the beet juice. Cover and allow to hydrate overnight.
Making your bread dough
Sift you bread and wheat flour into a bowl. I do this because some bread flours are very refined and clumpy. Sifting helps remove those clumps.
In another bowl, add your levain to your lukewarm water and stir to mix. It does not have to dissolve.
Add your flour mix to the levain water. This allows your dough to autolyse, allowing the flour to completely absorb all the liquid making it easier to work with.
Let it rest for 45 minutes.Set timer for 45 minutes
Kneading your bread dough
The dough is now ready for bulk fermentation where it will develop its flavor and body! Ambient temperatures between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit will take 3 hours for bulk fermentation
Add chia seed juice mixture and shredded beets to the autolysed dough. The juice, chia seed mixture should be so stiff that a teaspoon can stand erect in the middle of the mixture.
Using wet hands, pull and stretch the dough out at the top and fold it back on itself, then rotate the dough a quarter turn and do the same thing 16 times. (4 complete revolutions!) See https://sammywongskitchen.com/kneading/
Let dough rest for 30 minutes. You will notice that the dough will become more pliable with time. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Don’t forget to set your timer! Set timer for 30 minutes
Knead dough
Let it rest for 30 minutes.Set timer for 30 minutes
Knead dough
Let dough rest for 30 minutesSet timer for 30 minutes
Knead dough
Let dough rest for 30 minutesSet timer for 30 minutes
Knead dough
Let dough rest for 30 minutesSet timer for 30 minutes
Knead dough
Let dough rest for 30 minutesSet timer for 30 minutes
Knead dough. The dough should be soft and pliable. If not, continue bulk fermentation for another 30 mins - 1 hour.
Shaping your bread dough
Pull dough out of the container, weigh your dough and divide accordingly if making smaller bolles. This recipe is for 1 large loaf. However, you can make 2 smaller bolles by dividing you dough into 2 bolles and using a 2 quart cast iron dutch oven.
On a floured surface, lightly dust your divided dough with flour, add the diced beet inclusions and work it into a round by pulling it towards you and rotating. It should become somewhat taut as you pull the dough. Part of your goal is to remove most of the air bubbles that were created during the fermentation process. See Cutting and Shaping your Dough in my Tips & Tricks section.
Let it sit for 10 minutes. Set timer for 10 minutes
Prepare your banneton (Coiled rattan baskets for proofing) by generously dusting the bowl or banneton with your bread and rice flour mixture. Dust the tops of your loaves with flour and place it in a bowl or banneton to rise.
Proofing your dough (Fast rise)
Cover your bowls with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 2½ hours. I usually put this in my oven with the oven light on.
Take your dough out and preheat oven with your cast iron dutch ovens.(Should take about half an hour depending on your oven. This will be a total of 3 hours of proofing. I have proofed bread for 4 hours. However, overproofing your dough with cause your dough to lose its ability to have enough strength for the "oven-spring" (the last rise in the oven as a result of intense heat).
Proofing your dough (Slow rise)
Place your bowl in a plastic bag and let rise in a warm place for an hour. Transfer covered bowl to the refrigerator and proof overnight. (12 hours)
Scoring your dough
Dust the top of the dough with a little more flour and score the bread by cutting it with a razor blade, bread lame, or a pair of scissors. Scoring the bread allows the dough to expand during baking and gives your dough a pretty design. See Scoring your dough in my Tips & Tricks section. Transfer to the heated dutch oven /cast iron pot. Cover with lid.
Reduce oven temperature to 450°F
Bake for 25 minutes. Smaller 2 quart bolles should bake for 20 minutes.Set timer for 25 minutes for large bolle Set timer for 20 minutes for small bolle
Remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 25 or 20 minutes respectively.Set timer for 25 minutes for large bolle Set timer for 20 minutes for small bolle
Remove from oven and remove from dutch oven and let cool on wire rack.
If you are baking 2 loaves: To bake the second loaf, after removing the first loaf, bring the oven temperature back to 500 degrees, wipe the dutch oven with a clean dry towel or paper towel, place the dutch oven in it for 10 minutes and bake according to recipe
Notes
Makes 1 large loaf / bolle that bakes in a 3.3 quart (24 cm) dutch oven.The quick rise allows you to get your bread after 3 hours of proofing at room temperature 70 degrees fahrenheit (21 degrees celcius). The slow rise is proofed an hour at room temperature and overnight (12 hours) in the refrigerator.During the slow rise, the sourdough culture breaks down more of the wheat, resulting in a healthier bread!