Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Equipment

• 5- to 8-quart basket-style or toaster-oven-style air fryer
• Digital kitchen scale (measuring by weight ensures consistency)
• Large glass or ceramic mixing bowl
• Round proofing basket (banneton) or small cloth-lined colander (approx. 7–8 inches wide)
• Parchment paper
• Baker’s lame or razor-sharp paring knife
• Small heatproof ramekin or aluminum foil strip for water/steam (optional)

Ingredients

The Sourdough Dough

• Bread Flour (unbleached, 12.7% protein): 350 g
• Whole Wheat Flour: 50 g
• Water (filtered, room temperature ~23°C / 73°F): 280 g (70% hydration)
• Active Sourdough Starter (fed at 100% hydration, bubbly & at peak): 80 g (20%)
• Fine Sea Salt: 8 g (2%)

The Infused Garlic Herb Butter

• Unsalted Butter (softened to room temperature): 45 g (3 tbsp)
• Fresh Garlic (grated or finely minced): 4 cloves
• Fresh Rosemary (finely chopped): 1 tsp
• Fresh Thyme leaves: 1 tsp
• Flaky Sea Salt (Maldon or equivalent): 1/2 tsp for finishing the crust

Instructions

Step 1: Autolyse (Dough Hydration)

1. Intensity: Low / Passive
2. Duration: 45 minutes
3. In a wide mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour and whole wheat flour. Pour in 270 g of the water (reserve 10 g for later). Mix with your hands or a Danish dough whisk until all dry flour patches disappear. The dough will look ragged and shaggy. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or reusable shower cap and let rest at room temperature for 45 minutes. This process relaxes the gluten and improves water absorption.

Step 2: Inoculation & Salt Addition

1. Intensity: Moderate Hand Action
2. Duration: 5 minutes
3. Uncover the bowl. Add your active, bubbly starter (80 g) directly over the dough. Using wet fingers, dimple and pinch the starter into the mass until fully incorporated. Sprinkle the 8 g of fine sea salt and drizzle the reserved 10 g of water over the surface. Use a rhythmic “slap and fold” or stretch-and-pinch motion inside the bowl for 3 to 4 minutes until the salt granules dissolve and the dough transforms into a cohesive, slightly tacky ball. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

Step 3: Bulk Fermentation & Stretch-and-Folds

1. Intensity: Gentle Handling / Controlled Fermentation
2. Duration: 4 to 5 hours total
3. During the first 2 hours of bulk fermentation, perform three sets of stretch-and-folds spaced 30 minutes apart:
4. Set 1 (Minute 30): Wet your hands. Slip one hand under the edge of the dough, pull upwards gently without tearing, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat three more times.
5. Set 2 (Minute 60): Repeat the same four-corner stretch-and-fold. You will notice the dough building surface tension and feeling smoother.
6. Set 3 (Minute 90): Perform a final gentle stretch-and-fold. Cover the bowl and let the dough ferment undisturbed at room temperature (ideally 24°C–26°C) for the remaining 2.5 to 3 hours.
7. Visual Check: The dough is ready when it has increased in volume by roughly 35% to 50%, shows domed edges, displays scattered gas bubbles beneath the skin, and jiggles slightly when the bowl is shaken.

Step 4: Lamination with Garlic Herb Butter & Pre-Shaping

1. Intensity: High Precision
2. Duration: 15 minutes
3. In a small ramekin, mix the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, and thyme until thoroughly combined.
4. Lightly mist your clean work surface with water (do not use dry flour yet). Gently ease the fermented dough out of the bowl onto the counter. Wet your fingertips and carefully pull the edges outward, stretching the dough into a thin rectangle (roughly 12×15 inches) without puncturing it. Spread half of the prepared garlic herb butter evenly over the surface of the dough.
5. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter, then roll it up tightly into a cylinder from the short end. Cup your hands around the cylinder and drag it in a circular motion across the counter using friction to build a tight, smooth outer skin. Dust lightly with rice flour or bread flour, cover loosely, and allow the bench rest to sit for 20 minutes.

Step 5: Final Shaping & Cold Retard (Proofing)

1. Intensity: Gentle Structuring
2. Duration: 8 to 14 hours (Overnight)
3. Dust your banneton basket generously with a 50/50 blend of rice flour and bread flour (rice flour prevents sticking completely). Flip your rested dough ball over so the smooth top rests on the counter. Gently pat into a disc, fold the bottom half up, the sides in, and roll downward from the top to form a tight, round boule. Pinch the bottom seam closed.
4. Carefully lift the boule and place it seam-side-up into the floured banneton. Slip the entire basket into a plastic bag or cover securely with a shower cap. Transfer immediately to the coldest part of your refrigerator (3°C–4°C / 37°F–40°F) for 8 to 14 hours. Cold proofing slows yeast activity while allowing bacterial lactic acid fermentation to develop deep, complex sourdough flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 224 kcal — · Protein: 6.5 g 13% · Fat: 5.2 g 7% · Carbohydrates: 38 g 14% Dietary · Saturated Fat: 3.1 g 16% · Fiber: 2.5 g 9% · Sugar: 0.8 g — · Sodium: 310 mg 13%