Beginner Sourdough Bread Recipe
A simple, step-by-step guide to baking your first crusty loaf of artisan sourdough bread using just four basic ingredients.
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 475 g all-purpose flour Unbleached flour provides the very best results.
- 100 g sourdough starter Must be highly active, fed, and bubbly.
- 325 g water Room temperature and filtered is highly preferred.
- 10 g salt Sea salt or standard kosher salt works perfectly.
Instructions
- Feed your starter a few hours prior. Drop a small spoonful into a water glass to test if it floats to ensure it is ready.
- In a large bowl, mix the warm filtered water and bubbly starter until milky white. Add the flour and salt, mixing until no dry flour spots remain.
- Cover the mixing bowl with a damp towel and let rest for exactly 30 minutes for the autolyse phase.
- Complete 4 rounds of stretch and folds, spacing each round exactly 30 minutes apart. Pull one side of the dough up gently and fold it over the center, rotating the bowl to repeat 4 times per round.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough bulk ferment in a warm spot for 6 to 12 hours until it doubles in volume.
- Turn the dough gently onto a clean counter, fold the edges inward to form a loose ball, and rest uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Flip the dough over, shape it into a tight round to create surface tension, and place it upside down into a heavily floured banneton basket.
- Cover the basket securely and place it directly into your refrigerator overnight for a cold proof.
- The next morning, place a heavy Dutch oven inside a cold oven and preheat to 500 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour.
- Turn your cold dough onto a piece of parchment paper and score the top surface with a baker's razor.
- Lower the dough into the hot Dutch oven using the parchment paper. Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the hot lid, reduce the oven temperature to 475 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake for another 20 minutes until deeply golden. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
You must let the bread cool completely before slicing it. Cutting warm bread ruins the soft, airy interior as it continues cooking internally while resting.