Sourdough Bread
Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 500 g bread flour
- 375 g water
- 10 g salt
- 100 g starter
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the 500g of bread flour, 375g of water, 10g of salt, and 100g of active sourdough starter. Mix all ingredients together until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough autolyse (rest) for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to fully hydrate.
⏱️ 30 min - 3
Perform a series of stretch and folds. Gently stretch a portion of the dough up and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat this action 3-4 times until all sides have been stretched and folded. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes. Repeat this stretch and fold process 3 more times, for a total of 4 sets, with 30-minute intervals between each set.
⏱️ 150 min
- 4
After the final stretch and fold, allow the dough to undergo bulk fermentation at room temperature for 4-5 hours, or until it has increased significantly in volume and appears bubbly.
⏱️ 270 min
- 5
Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Preshape the dough into a round or oval, being careful not to degas it too much. Let the preshaped dough rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes to relax the gluten.
⏱️ 25 min
- 6
Perform the final shaping of the dough. For a round loaf, gently pull the edges of the dough towards the center, then flip it over and use your hands to create tension on the surface, forming a tight ball. For an oval loaf, roll it into an oblong shape. Transfer the shaped dough, seam-side up, into a floured proofing basket (banneton).
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Cover the proofing basket with a plastic bag or plastic wrap and cold proof in the refrigerator overnight (8-12 hours).
⏱️ 600 min
- 8
Approximately 1 hour before you plan to bake, preheat your oven. If using a convection oven without top or bottom heating elements, place a baking stone or Dutch oven inside and preheat it at the highest possible temperature (e.g., 250°C / 480°F) for about 1 hour.
⏱️ 60 min•🌡️ 250
- 9
Just before loading the dough, turn the oven off. This is particularly helpful for convection ovens without fan speed control, as it prevents the surface of the dough from drying out too quickly.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Carefully remove the dough from the proofing basket onto a piece of parchment paper or directly into the preheated Dutch oven. Using a sharp knife or lame, score the top of the dough with your desired pattern.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Load the dough into the preheated oven (or Dutch oven). Immediately introduce steam into the oven. If your oven has a steam function, use it. Otherwise, place hot stones with boiling water in a tray at the bottom of the oven to generate steam.
⏱️ 1 min
- 12
Bake with steam for 20-25 minutes, or until the oven spring is complete and the crust has started to set.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 250
- 13
After the oven spring is complete, turn the oven back on (to the same high temperature or slightly lower, e.g., 230°C / 450°F) and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes, or until the crust reaches your desired deep golden-brown color. If using a Dutch oven, remove the lid for this final baking stage.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 230
- 14
Carefully remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This is crucial for the internal crumb structure to set.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Sourdough Bread
- 500 g bread flour
- 375 g water
- 10 g salt
- 100 g starter
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the 500g of bread flour, 375g of water, 10g of salt, and 100g of active sourdough starter. Mix all ingredients together until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough autolyse (rest) for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to fully hydrate.
⏱️ 30 min - 3
Perform a series of stretch and folds. Gently stretch a portion of the dough up and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat this action 3-4 times until all sides have been stretched and folded. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes. Repeat this stretch and fold process 3 more times, for a total of 4 sets, with 30-minute intervals between each set.
⏱️ 150 min - 4
After the final stretch and fold, allow the dough to undergo bulk fermentation at room temperature for 4-5 hours, or until it has increased significantly in volume and appears bubbly.
⏱️ 270 min - 5
Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Preshape the dough into a round or oval, being careful not to degas it too much. Let the preshaped dough rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes to relax the gluten.
⏱️ 25 min - 6
Perform the final shaping of the dough. For a round loaf, gently pull the edges of the dough towards the center, then flip it over and use your hands to create tension on the surface, forming a tight ball. For an oval loaf, roll it into an oblong shape. Transfer the shaped dough, seam-side up, into a floured proofing basket (banneton).
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Cover the proofing basket with a plastic bag or plastic wrap and cold proof in the refrigerator overnight (8-12 hours).
⏱️ 600 min - 8
Approximately 1 hour before you plan to bake, preheat your oven. If using a convection oven without top or bottom heating elements, place a baking stone or Dutch oven inside and preheat it at the highest possible temperature (e.g., 250°C / 480°F) for about 1 hour.
⏱️ 60 min•🌡️ 250 - 9
Just before loading the dough, turn the oven off. This is particularly helpful for convection ovens without fan speed control, as it prevents the surface of the dough from drying out too quickly.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Carefully remove the dough from the proofing basket onto a piece of parchment paper or directly into the preheated Dutch oven. Using a sharp knife or lame, score the top of the dough with your desired pattern.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Load the dough into the preheated oven (or Dutch oven). Immediately introduce steam into the oven. If your oven has a steam function, use it. Otherwise, place hot stones with boiling water in a tray at the bottom of the oven to generate steam.
⏱️ 1 min - 12
Bake with steam for 20-25 minutes, or until the oven spring is complete and the crust has started to set.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 250 - 13
After the oven spring is complete, turn the oven back on (to the same high temperature or slightly lower, e.g., 230°C / 450°F) and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes, or until the crust reaches your desired deep golden-brown color. If using a Dutch oven, remove the lid for this final baking stage.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 230 - 14
Carefully remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This is crucial for the internal crumb structure to set.
⏱️ 1 min