# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3.5 cups bread flour
02 - 1.5 cups water at room temperature
03 - 0.5 cup active sourdough starter at 100% hydration
04 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
→ Decoration
05 - 1 to 2 black olives or peppercorns for eyes
06 - 1 small piece red bell pepper or dough for wattle
07 - Additional flour for dusting
→ Optional Topping
08 - 1 egg for egg wash, omit for vegan preparation
09 - Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or flax seeds for feather accents
# Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, combine flour and room temperature water until just incorporated. Cover the bowl and allow to rest for 30 to 45 minutes to develop gluten structure naturally.
02 - Add active sourdough starter and fine sea salt to the rested dough mixture. Mix thoroughly until all components are fully incorporated.
03 - Perform 3 to 4 sets of stretch and fold technique over 2 hours at 30-minute intervals. This strengthens the dough without requiring traditional kneading.
04 - Cover the dough and allow bulk fermentation at room temperature between 70 and 74 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 to 7 hours until the dough has doubled in volume and displays visible bubbles throughout.
05 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently divide and shape into one large oval for the body, one small round for the head, and several smaller teardrop shapes for tail feathers and wings.
06 - Transfer the oval body shape onto parchment paper. Attach the head using a small amount of water as adhesive. Arrange feather and wing shapes around the body. Use a sharp knife or lame to score decorative feather details into the surface.
07 - Place black olive pieces or peppercorns in position for eyes. Shape a small wattle from red bell pepper or dough and secure to the head area.
08 - Cover the assembled loaf and allow to proof at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours until the dough appears slightly puffy and springs back slowly when gently pressed.
09 - Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit with a baking stone or steel positioned inside for optimal heat distribution.
10 - Optional step: Brush the assembled loaf with egg wash for a glossy finish and sprinkle selected seeds to represent feather accents. For vegan preparation, substitute plant-based milk.
11 - Transfer bread on parchment paper onto the preheated baking stone. Bake for 20 minutes with steam present in the oven to develop the crispy exterior.
12 - Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes until the loaf achieves a deep golden brown color and produces a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.
13 - Transfer bread to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing or serving to ensure proper crumb structure development.
