Have you tried and failed at making sourdough bread? Trying it for the first time? Before we begin, please note that I am a mother, not a chef or sourdough expert. I failed a few loaves before figuring out an approach that has now allowed me to make countless successful loaves of beautiful, artisan sourdough. This took some trial and error. To save you time, I’m sharing exactly how I do it so that you too can learn how to make sourdough bread at home. The result of this method embodies all the qualities I desire in sourdough bread; crunchy golden crust with a soft, airy center and the unmatched tartness that only comes from well-fermented sourdough.
(If you do not have sourdough starter, you can grab my dehydrated sourdough starter here.)
Some things to note before we get started:
Prior to making this recipe you’ll need to feed your starter 12 hours beforehand. Your sourdough starter is ready to use when it has doubled in size and is bubbly throughout.
Ingredients:
50g active sourdough starter
350g water
500g organic all-purpose flour
10g salt
You will need a kitchen scale to measure ingredients.
While the hands-on preparation time for this sourdough bread recipe is minimal (once your starter is active for use), the total time from beginning to end of bread-making can take up to 12 hours.
Video Tutorial is at the bottom of this post.
Now that your starter is ready to use, let's begin.
Making the dough: Start with 50g of active starter in a large bowl, then add 350g of water. Stir until the starter is distributed and your water becomes milky. Next, add 500g of all-purpose flour and 10g of salt. Mix with your hands until you have a large clump and there is no dry flour left in the bowl. Cover and let your dough rest for one hour at room temp. I cover mine with a tea towel.
Stretch and Fold, Plus Bulk Rise/Long Fermentation: After resting, you will stretch and fold your dough (keep it inside the bowl). Wet your hands with a little water first to prevent sticking. You will pick up one half of the dough, stretch it upward and fold over the other half of the dough. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this process until your bowl has come full circle. Cover the bowl and let your dough rest for 30 minutes before repeating the stretch and fold process once more. Your dough will begin forming into a tight ball. After the second stretch and fold, you will cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise for 6-10 hours on your kitchen counter at room temperature. *The amount of time it takes for dough to rise depends heavily on temperature. We keep our home around 70 degrees, but sometimes our kitchen is warmer if it's getting a lot of use throughout the day/oven is on, etc. The warmer the temperature, the quicker the rise time. Keep this in mind when gauging the time it takes for your dough to rise. If the temp in your kitchen is on the warmer side, begin checking your dough after a few hours. The dough will increase in size by about 50% when it is ready to be shaped.
Shaping dough and Second/Final Rise: To shape your dough, place it onto a floured surface, and pull four sides of the dough up and into its center. Turn the dough over so that the seam is facing down. Cup your hands under the dough pulling toward and pushing away from you while turning it in a circular motion until there is tension on the outer layer. (This may sound complex, but it's really not! Just play with this step and you'll have the hang of it in no time!) You will have formed a nice tight ball-like shape out of your dough at this point. Place the dough seam side down on a piece of parchment paper, then use the parchment paper like a sling to place your dough, along with the parchment paper, into a bowl. Cover and allow to rise again for 1-2 hours.
Scoring and Baking Bread: About 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 450. Set your dutch oven inside the oven so that it can preheat as well. You will also need to score the dough before baking. I use a razor blade, but a sharp kitchen knife will also do the trick in place of a bread lame. A 3-inch slash in the top surface of your dough is all that’s needed. Carefully, using oven mitts, take the dutch oven out of the oven. Place your dough (with parchment paper to prevent sticking) into the dutch oven and cover it with the lid. Bake for 25 minutes. Next, you will remove the lid to bake for another 10-15 minutes or until your crust is golden brown.
Slicing and Storing Sourdough Bread: After you have taken your bread out of the oven, allow it to cool on a cooling rack for an hour or two before slicing it. The waiting may be the hardest part! Sometimes we just can’t help ourselves but while the bread is cooling, it is still coming together. Allowing the bread to cool prevents gumminess and helps give the bread its soft, airy texture. Using a bread knife for slicing is best. Your bread can be stored in a bread bag or with parchment paper and a tea towel wrapped tightly around it for 3-4 days. Do not refrigerate.
I hope you find making this recipe enjoyable and achieve the results you desire from your sourdough bread. If you have questions, leave a comment down below and I'll do my best to respond promptly. I’d also love to hear how your bread turns out!
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