Homemade Sourdough Bread, Step by Step
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If you love fresh sourdough bread with a golden, crisp crust and a light, airy crumb, this recipe is for you. It’s one of the simplest homemade sourdough bread recipes, and one of the best, too. It requires only 25 minutes of hands-on work and no autolyse or preferment. Below you will find guidance for every step of the way. 🍞🍞🍞
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review:
“Absolutely the best sourdough recipe EVER! I have been baking bread for years (sourdough included,) and things were many times hit or miss. Not with your recipe. You have nailed it. I thank you!” — Rosemary Patterson
This post will show you how to make the simplest of simple sourdough breads. There is no autolyse or preferment, which means the dough itself comes together in less than five minutes.
For those intimidated by sourdough bread baking, this recipe, as well as this sourdough focaccia recipe, are the recipes I suggest making first, both for their simplicity and flavor. Another great beginner’s bread recipe to try is this overnight, refrigerator focaccia or my mother’s simple peasant bread recipe, both of which require minimal effort but yield spectacular results.
This post is divided into 13 sections:
- What is Sourdough Bread?
- What is a Sourdough Starter?
- How to Feed a Sourdough Starter
- When is My Starter Ready to Be Used?
- Equipment
- How to Make Sourdough Bread: A 5-Step Overview
- How this Sourdough Bread Recipe Differs From Others
- Simple Sourdough Bread: A Step-by-Step Guide
- #1 Sourdough Bread Baking Tip
- Troubleshooting: Where Sourdough Goes Wrong
- Sourdough Baking Resources
- Other Sourdough Bread Recipes to Make
- Sourdough Bread Baking Schedule
What is Sourdough Bread?
Sourdough bread is bread that has been leavened naturally, meaning it has been leavened by a sourdough starter as opposed to by commercial yeast or a chemical leavening agent such as baking powder or baking soda.
What is a Sourdough Starter?
A sourdough starter is a fermented mix of flour and water containing wild yeast and bacteria (lactobacilli). Provided it is healthy and active, a sourdough starter is what will make your bread rise.
You can make a sourdough starter from scratch in just about a week. I only recommend doing so if it currently is summer (or a very warm fall) where you are. While it is immensely satisfying to build a starter from scratch and subsequently use it to make a beautiful loaf of bread, I am a huge proponent of purchasing one for a few reasons, namely: when you purchase a starter, you are guaranteed to have a strong, vigorous starter from the start. In other words, you can start baking with confidence right away.
Here are three online sources for reasonably priced sourdough starters:
How to Feed a Sourdough Starter
In order to keep your starter alive, you have to feed it — it’s not unlike having a pet, but know this: caring for a sourdough starter is akin to caring for a very low maintenance pet, one that requires feeding only once every two to three weeks to stay alive, but one that requires feeding much more regularly if you like to bake frequently.
When I am not baking regularly, I store my starter in the fridge in the above-pictured vessel with its lid on. As noted above it can hang out there for 2-3 weeks (if not longer) without being touched. To wake it up or activate it, I like to feed it twice before using it. Often I’ll remove it from the fridge after dinner and feed it: this involves discarding most of it and replenishing it with equal parts by weight flour and water. (Please read this post, which explains in detail how to activate, feed, and maintain a starter.)
I will repeat this process in the morning — discard most of it; then replenish it with equal parts by weight flour and water. By midday, or when my starter has doubled in volume, it is ready to be used.
To store your starter, you should feed it, let it rise till it nearly doubles; then cover it and stash it in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks until you are ready to use it again.
How Do I Know if My Starter is Ready to be Used?
If your starter doubles (or triples!) in volume within 4 to 8 hours after a feeding, it is ready to go. And ideally, you want to use your starter 4 to 8 hours after you feed it or when it has doubled. Every time I feed my starter, I place a rubber band around the vessel it is in to mark its height. This helps me see when it has doubled in volume and is, therefore, ready to be used.
If your starter is not doubling within 4 to 8 hours of feeding it, you should spend a few days strengthening it. This will involve discarding most of it — truly, don’t be afraid to be aggressive with how much you are discarding — and replenishing it with equal parts by weight flour and water. If you do this twice a day for several days, your starter will be in great shape.
What Equipment Do I Need?
At a minimum, you’ll need:
- a sourdough starter (see above)
- flour, bread flour if possible, my preference is King Arthur Flour
- salt
- water
Ideally, you’ll also have:
- digital scale
- straight-sided vessel for monitoring the bulk fementation
- bench scraper
- flour sack towels
- parchment paper
- banneton, such as this one or this one
- razor blade
- heavy lidded vessel, such as this one or this one
How to Make Sourdough Bread: A 5-Step Overview
There are essentially 5 steps to making sourdough bread. Each of these steps is explained in more detail below.
- Mix the Dough: This is simply a matter of combining water, sourdough starter, salt and flour in bowl, and stirring to form a sticky dough ball.
- Bulk Fermentation: This is just a fancy name for the first rise. During the first two hours of the bulk fermentation, you’ll perform a series of stretches and folds, which will give the dough strength and elasticity.
- Shape + Bench Rest: This step ends the bulk fermentation. You’ll shape the dough, let it rest, then shape it once more.
- Proofing the Dough: In this recipe, you’ll cold proof the dough in the fridge, ideally for 24 to 48 hours, though you can get away with a shorter proof.
- Scoring + Baking the Dough: After the dough has proofed, you’ll turn it out onto a piece of parchment paper, score it; then transfer it to a preheated baking vessel.
How This Sourdough Bread Recipe Differs From Others
This recipe differs from others in three main ways:
- No Autolyse. Why? I’ve never found employing an autolyse makes a big difference in the final texture of the bread, and I find the process of doing an autoylse frankly to be kind of a pain. What is an autolyse? Autolyse is a technique that calls for mixing flour and water together and allowing them to sit for several hours before adding the salt and sourdough starter. This process allows gluten to develop in dough prior to mixing. It also makes the dough more extensible. This is due to the hydrating effects of soaking the flour, as well as — and this is getting a bit scientific — from the enzymatic activity of protease, which breaks down some of the gluten that forms as the dough hydrates. This process weakens the dough’s elasticity, in turn increasing its extensibility. If you are after a super open crumb, autolyse is something to consider.
- 50% (roughly) Increase in Volume. If you come from the yeast-leavened bread world, you are accustomed to letting your dough double in volume during the first rise. When I first got into sourdough, I was applying this same method, and while I had success, I realized I was often letting my dough overferment — I was pushing the bulk fermentation too far. As soon as I stopped the bulk fermentation when the dough increased by 50-75% in volume, I got a much better oven spring.
- Long Cold Proof. After the bulk fermentation, you’ll shape the dough, and store it in the fridge ideally for 24 hours but it can hang out there for 48 hours or even a bit longer. This long, cold proof will make for a much lighter, open, airy crumb. (Note: If you were to leave the dough in the fridge for 12 hours or less, which you can do, the crumb will be tighter and denser.) After you remove the dough from the fridge, you score it, and transfer it immediately to the oven — there is no need to do a room temperature proof first.
Simple Sourdough Bread: A Step-by-Step Guide
Mix the dough.
To start, pour 375 grams of water into a bowl:
Add 50 to 100 grams of sourdough starter.
Stir to combine; then add 11 grams of salt:
Finally, add 500 grams of bread flour:
Stir to combine:
Let it Rise. (Bulk Fermentation)
Transfer the dough to a straight-sided vessel. Cover it, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Perform a set of stretches and folds:
If time permits, perform four total sets of stretches and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. You should notice the dough getting stronger and more elastic with every set of stretches and folds. This is the 4th set:
After the 4th set of stretches and folds, cover the vessel — I love these Dot and Army cloth bowl covers for this — and set it aside until it increases in volume by 50% or so.
How long should the bulk fermentation take?
The time will vary depending primarily on the strength of your starter and the temperature of your kitchen. Rather than rely on a time period, however, you should rely on visual cues.
This video shows the dough nearly doubling (increasing by 100%) in volume, but the more I bake sourdough, the more I realize I have better success when I stop the bulk fermentation when the dough increases by 50%. It may take some trial and error to know what works best for you. You may find a 75% increase in volume is best or you may find that to be too long. Sourdough is all about experimenting and adapting based on your experiences.
Shaping
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface:
Shape the dough gently into a round and let it rest for 20-40 minutes. This is called the bench rest.
Meanwhile, prepare a bowl or banneton with a flour sack towel and rice flour.
Proofing
Shape the round again; then place in prepared bowl for proofing. Transfer to fridge for 12 to 48 hours.
Bake It.
Remove bowl from fridge, and turn it out onto a sheet of parchment paper.
Score it.
Transfer to preheated Dutch oven. Bake covered at 450ºF for 30 minutes; uncover, lower the temperature to 400ºF, and bake for 15 minutes more:
Remove from oven and let cool one hour before slicing.
You’ll need a sharp knife (like this one or this one) when it’s time to slice:
#1 Sourdough Bread Baking Tip
The refrigerator is your friend. Use it.
The most common mistake I see people make when making sourdough bread is letting the bulk fermentation go too long. They mix the dough at night; then wake up to dough that has tripled in volume and is a sticky mess.
To prevent over fermenting your dough, use your refrigerator as needed. After you complete the 4 sets of stretches and folds, you can put your dough in the fridge at any time. If you are tired and need to go to bed, transfer the dough to the refrigerator; then pick up where you left off in the morning: remove the dough from the fridge and let it continue to rise until it increases in volume by roughly 50%.
To accurately gauge when your dough has risen to roughly 50% in volume, I highly recommend investing in a straight-sided vessel such as this 4-qt Cambro (or this one, which is BPA-free!). When dough rises in a bowl, judging when it has risen sufficiently is tricky. There’s no question with a straight-sided vessel.
Troubleshooting: Where Sourdough Goes Wrong?
If you have ever had trouble baking sourdough bread, your issues likely stem from one of four places:
- Using a weak starter or not using starter at its peak.
- Using too much water relative to the flour.
- Over fermentation: letting the bulk fermentation (first rise) go too long.
- Using too much whole wheat flour, rye flour, or freshly milled flour.
I address each of these issues in this post: Why is my sourdough so sticky? 4 Common Mistakes, so please give it a read if you’ve had trouble with sourdough bread baking.
Sourdough Resources
- Sourdough Troubleshooting: This post addresses 4 common mistakes people make when baking sourdough bread and answers many FAQ’s as well.
- The Nutritional Benefits of Sourdough Bread + 6 Healthy Toast Topping Ideas
- Feeding Your Sourdough Starter
- Essential Equipment For Sourdough Bread Baking
- A tip for getting a more open crumb? Shape a batard as opposed to a round:
Other Sourdough Bread Recipes to Make
- Simple Sourdough Focaccia
- Sourdough Bread, Whole Wheat-ish
- Simple Sourdough Pizza
- Sourdough Detroit-Style Pizza
- Simple Sourdough Sandwich (or Toasting) Bread
- Sourdough Ciabatta
- Two Sourdough Discard Recipes: Sourdough Flour Tortillas & Irish Soda Bread
Sourdough Bread Baking Schedule
If you are new to sourdough bread baking, the timing of it all may feel overwhelming — you may find yourself asking: How can I do this without baking at midnight?
It’s a very good question! As noted above, your biggest friend when it comes to sourdough bread baking is your refrigerator. If after you’ve performed your stretches and folds, you don’t have time to stay up for the dough to complete the bulk fermentation, stick the vessel in the fridge and pick up where you left off the next day or the day after that.
Here is a rough schedule I like to follow. Adapt it to work for you:
Wednesday Evening: Remove starter from fridge. Feed it by discarding most of it and replenishing it with equal parts by weight flour and water.
Thursday Morning: Feed starter by discarding most of it and replenishing it with equal parts by weight flour and water.
Thursday Afternoon: Mix dough, let it rise. On Thursday evening, when the dough has completed the bulk fermentation, I’ll shape it and stick it in the fridge to proof. (As noted: If the dough hasn’t completed the bulk fermentation, I’ll stick the vessel in the fridge, and pick up where I left off the following day.)
Friday Evening or Saturday Morning: Score and Bake it. There is no need to let the dough come to room temperature before baking it. Simply remove it from the fridge, turn it out, score it, and bake it!
Homemade Sourdough Bread, Step by Step
- Total Time: 18 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf
Description
Inspired by The Clever Carrot
If you are new to sourdough, watch the step-by-step video here: Simple Sourdough Bread or in the post above.
Troubleshooting: If you have issues with your dough being too sticky, please read this post: Why is my sourdough so sticky? The 4 common mistakes.
Notes:
- You need an active sourdough starter. I have had success activating starters from:
- As always, I highly recommend investing in a digital scale before beginning any bread baking adventure.
- This is the Dutch Oven I use for sourdough bread. I used this Dutch oven for years, and it’s a great one, too.
- Flour sack towels are a great investment because they ensure your dough will not stick while it is proofing.
- I love using rice flour for dusting (as opposed to ap or bread flour) because it doesn’t burn. When you use a flour sack towel, however, you don’t need to use any flour.
- Find all of my sourdough essentials here: Essential Equipment For Sourdough Bread Baking
- I love a high-hydration dough, and I have great success using 380 grams of water in this recipe, so feel free to play around and push the hydration here.
- Salt: I have had success using both kosher salt and fine sea salt here. When I use kosher salt, I use the Diamond Crystal brand. When I use sea salt, I use the Baleine Fine brand. Regardless of the brand, I use 12 grams.
- Shaping: If you’re looking to get a more open crumb, try shaping a batard (as opposed to a round). Watch this video for guidance. Also: The recipe below follows the traditional shape once, rest, then shape again method. I often skip the preshape now and simply shape the dough once. I still get a nice open crumb.
How much Sourdough Starter to Use?
- Because my kitchen is cold for much of the year, I like using 100 g (1/2 cup) of starter as opposed to 50 g (1/4 cup). When determining how much starter to use, consider a few things: If you live in a warm, humid environment, 50 g should suffice. If you plan on doing an overnight rise, 50 g also should suffice. If you want to speed things up or if you live in a cold environment, consider using 100 g starter. Note: If you use 100 g of starter, your dough may rise more quickly, so keep an eye on it. As always, rely on the visual cues (increasing in volume by 50%) when determining when the bulk fermentation is done.
- A straight-sided vessel makes monitoring the bulk fermentation especially easy because it allows you to see when your dough has truly doubled.
Ingredients
- 50 – 100 g (1⁄4 – 1/2 cup) bubbly, active starter — I always use 100 grams, see notes above
- 375 g (1 1/2 cups plus 1 tbsp) warm water, or more, see notes above
- 500 g (4 cups plus 2 tbsp) bread flour
- 9 to 12 g (1.5 – 2.5 teaspoons) fine sea salt, see notes above
Instructions
- Make the dough: Whisk the starter and water together in a large bowl with a fork or spatula. Add the flour and salt. Mix to combine, finishing by hand if necessary to form a rough dough. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold: After 30 minutes, grab a corner of the dough and pull it up and into the center. Repeat until you’ve performed this series of folds 4 to 5 times with the dough. Let dough rest for another 30 minutes and repeat the stretching and folding action. If you have the time: do this twice more for a total of 4 times in 2 hours. Note: Even if you can only perform one series of stretches and folds, your dough will benefit. So don’t worry if you have to run off shortly after you mix the dough.
- Bulk Fermentation (first rise): Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise at room temperature, about 8 to 10 hours at 70°F (21°C) or even less if you live in a warm environment. The dough is ready when it has increased by 50% in volume, has a few bubbles on the surface, and jiggles when you move the bowl from side to side. (UPDATE: In the past I have recommended letting the dough rise until it doubles in volume. If you’ve had success with this, continue to let the dough double. Recently, I have been stopping the bulk fermentation when the dough increases by 50% in volume, and I feel I am actually getting better oven spring in the end.) (Note regarding timing: If you are using 100 g of starter, the bulk fermentation may take less than 8 to 10 hours. If you live in a warm, humid environment, the bulk fermentation may take even less time. In the late spring/early summer, for example, my kitchen is 78ºF and the bulk fermentation takes 6 hours. It is best to rely on visual cues (increase in volume by roughly 50%) as opposed to time to determine when the bulk fermentation is done. A straight-sided vessel makes monitoring the bulk fermentation especially easy because it allows you to see when your dough has truly increased in volume by 50%.)
- Shape (See notes above): Coax the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape it into a round: fold the top down to the center, turn the dough, fold the top down to the center, turn the dough; repeat until you’ve come full circle. If you have a bench scraper, use it to push and pull the dough to create tension.
- Rest: Let the dough rest seam side up rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line an 8-inch (20-cm) bowl or proofing basket with a towel (flour sack towels are ideal) and dust with flour (preferably rice flour, which doesn’t burn the way all-purpose flour does). Using a bench scraper or your hands, shape it again as described in step 4. Place the round into your lined bowl, seam side up.
- Proof (second rise): Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour or for as long as 48 hours. (Note: I prefer to let this dough proof for at least 24 hours prior to baking. See video for the difference in the crumb of a loaf that has proofed for 6 hours vs one that has proofed for 24 hours. If you choose to proof the dough in the fridge for an extended period of time, you may want to tuck it into a loosely tied bag — produce bags from the grocery store are great for this purpose — to ensure the dough does not dry out. The original recipe calls for a 1-hour rise, and if you have had success doing that, by all means, keep doing it.)
- Place a Dutch oven in your oven, and preheat your oven to 550°F (290°C). Cut a piece of parchment to fit the size of your baking pot.
- Score: Place the parchment over the dough and invert the bowl to release. Using the tip of a small knife or a razor blade, score the dough however you wish — a simple “X” is nice. Use the parchment to carefully transfer the dough into the preheated baking pot.
- Bake: Lower the oven to temperature to 450ºF (230ºC). Carefully cover the pot. Bake the dough for 30 minutes, covered. Remove the lid, lower the temperature to 400ºF (200ºC) and continue to bake for 10 – 15 minutes more. If necessary, lift the loaf out of the pot, and bake directly on the oven rack for the last 5 to 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before slicing.
- This loaf will stay fresh up to 3 days stored at room temperature in an airtight plastic bag or container. It freezes beautifully, too.
Notes
- This recipe has been adapted from Artisan Sourdough Made Simple. Changes I have made to the original recipe include:
- Using 11 g salt as opposed to 9 g.
- Performing 4 stretch and folds during the first 2 hours of the bulk fermentation, which build strength in the dough.
- Doing a cold proof for at least 24 hours before baking, which produces a lighter airier crumb. In the video, you can see the difference between the crumb of a loaf that has proofed for only 6 hours vs a loaf that has proofed for 24 hours.
- Finally, I like preheating my Dutch oven, which makes a crisper crust.
- Prep Time: 18 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
2,994 Comments on “Homemade Sourdough Bread, Step by Step”
Can you skip the cold bulk if you are in a rush? And instead just leave the shaped loaf out at room temp for an hour before baking? I’ve had great success with the 24-48 hour cold bulk like you outline, but just in a bit of a rush now!
Hi Alex! Sorry for the delay here. You can definitely do a shorter proof. The texture of the finished bread might be a little bit denser. What did you end up doing?
I was wondering about the temperature at which you recommend baking this. My parchment paper is only rated to 425. Is there a parchment paper that is rated for higher? How safe is it to put parchment paper in at a temperature higher than it is rate for? Seems like there might be a risk of fire?
Hi Sheri! I have never had an issue with parchment burning except when I have used it under the broiler … oops. I have a feeling your parchment will be absolutely fine at the 450ºF baking temperature.
Hi Ali,
I baked my first loaf today, using your recipe and invaluable tips. It turned out amazing! I don’t have a Dutch oven, but wanted more of a loaf than boule anyway, so it was fine. I also used a tip from another sourdough blog, along with yours about the pan of boiling water. I covered my loaf with a large baking pan, with a gap at the edge over the boiling water. This was said to get continuous steam concentrated around the loaf.
I bought starter from an independent seller that claimed it was “genuine San Francisco” starter. I have to say, it sure has the right flavor I recall from growing up near S.F.! And, thanks to your advice, crusty exterior and the chewy interior that my family loves.
Just want to thank you for your awesome how-to guide.
Best,
🙂 Becky
So wonderful to hear all of this Rebecca! I love your tip about the baking pan + boiling water — so helpful for others who don’t have a Dutch oven. Thanks for writing!
Hi Alexandra, I have tried to make this bread twice with some success but notice it doesn’t rise much the second time. I’m using spelt flour. Do I need to change anything? Thanks for the recipe and continuing to answer comments💕
It’s possible the spelt flour is weighing it down a bit. How strong is your starter? Does it double in volume within 4-6 hours of a feeding? How long is the bulk fermentation going and at about what temperature?
I use ordinary wholemeal flour to feed the starter but it takes about 6 to 8 hours. Do I need to get another starter? It doesn’t rise much at all. I leave it for 48 hours.
I think you need to strengthen your starter. Two signs to look for to determine when your starter is ready: When it 1.) doubles in volume within 4-6 hours of feeding it and when it 2.) floats when you drop a spoonful of it in water. (I think the doubling sign, however, is more important)
You want to use it once it doubles — if you put a rubber band around the vessel your starter is in to mark the top of your starter before you feed it, it will help you see when it doubles.
In regard to strengthening your starter, this is the advice I always give: be aggressive with how much you are discarding: throw away most of it, leaving behind just 2 tablespoons or so. Feed it with equal parts by weight flour and water. Start with 40 g of each or so. Use water that you’ve left out overnight to ensure any chlorine has evaporated. (This isn’t always necessary, but it might make a difference.) If you can find some organic flour — my store carries small bags of KAF organic flour … they’re a little more expensive ($3.49 for 2 lbs) but I use it exclusively for feeding my starter. Organic flour or a little bit of rye flour or some stone milled flour (fresh or locally milled if possible) can make a difference.
Also, try feeding your starter more often. When you see it starting to rise, feed it again with 40 g flour and 40 g water.
Hi, I was wondering why it looks like the dough doesn’t stick to you fingers/hands when folding or shaping. It always sticks to my hands.
Hi Tom! It’s possible it’s a difference in flour type. What type are you using? You also can lightly wet your hands before you do the stretches and folds. This might help.
Ali – thank you for the BEST sourdough recipe ever! I am new to sourdough, and baked my first loaf today. I can honestly say the recipe is foolproof because I made a major mistake while baking (forgot to turn the oven temp down from 550 to 450 until after 15 minutes had passed)! Turned out fantastic – perfect texture and taste. I will be making this again!
So wonderful to hear this, Leslie! Glad the oven temp didn’t make a difference … I have done the same thing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi, love your recipe, however the dough expands sideways in the oven rather than expanding in height. I’m not sure why this is the case but there was proper oven spring when i tried Emilie’s 50% hydration recipe. Could the lack of height in the oven spring be due to the extra water? Thanks in advance for your advice
Yes, absolutely, Yu! I would reduce the water a bit if you are unhappy with the shape.
I love the idea of the second rise in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours.That way I can choose a convenient baking time depending on my schedule. BUT, After taking it out of the fridge, how long do I wait before baking. Does it then need a few more hours to double in size before baking. ??????
Hi Margaretha! No need to wait — unbaked boule goes straight from fridge to preheated pot (score it first, of course). There is no need even to bring the dough to room temperature.
Sigh. I don’t understand how you achieve this. I do everything exactly the way you do it, but where you end up with 2x increase in volume in 10h, I get a 50% increase over 12h at best. Where you end up with a silky dough ball, I end up with a wet mess that sticks to everything like prime grade glue and I have to throw it into the trash because there’s just no forming it into anything floured hands or not. (I tried lowering the water amount to 350g, with absolutely no difference).
I’m guessing my starter is bad, but I’ve tried cultivating one twice now, and it easily doubles in volume after feeding, but somehow stops working when put into a bread dough. Wild yeast doesn’t exist where I live, it seems…
Hi M!
Are you opposed to buying a starter? I think your starter might be the issue.
It does sound as though your dough is over-fermenting … glue texture = over fermentation.
Where do you live? Humid or dry environment? What temperature?
Hello.
I’m having the same problem as M – my starter produced amazing results for months – with delicious bread. But recently every attempt just creates a bowl of goo! I wondered if it was the heat / humidity? I’m leaving it for roughly the same time for the 4 folds / then proof to double the size. But it’s a horrible sticky, flat mess.
Do you think I can rescue it by feeding the starter every day for a week, or could something else be going on?
Thanks so much for any advice. I’d got really used to it always coming out brilliantly, so it’s really disappointing.
Best wishes
Bea
Hi Bea! It sounds as though the dough is over fermenting. I think in these hotter months, you really need to keep an eye on the dough during the bulk fermentation and make sure it’s not going too long.
If you want to spend time strengthening your starter, however, that’s not a bad exercise. This is the advice I always give: be aggressive with how much you are discarding: throw away most of it, leaving behind just 2 tablespoons or so. Feed it with equal parts by weight flour and water. Start with 40 g of each or so. Use water that you’ve left out overnight to ensure any chlorine has evaporated. (This isn’t always necessary, but it might make a difference.) If you can find some organic flour — my store carries small bags of KAF organic flour … they’re a little more expensive ($3.49 for 2 lbs) but I use it exclusively for feeding my starter. Organic flour or a little bit of rye flour or some stone milled flour (fresh or locally milled if possible) can make a difference.
Also, try feeding your starter more often. When you see it starting to rise, feed it again with 40 g flour and 40 g water.
Two signs to look for to determine when your starter is ready: When it 1.) doubles in volume within 4-6 hours of feeding it and when it 2.) floats when you drop a spoonful of it in water.
I’ve been using this recipe for that last few months, and I gotta say I love it! It’s incredibly forgiving—I’ve (accidentally) left the initial rise a bit too long (Almost tripling the dough in size), I’ve done the second fermentation for as little as 4 hours, cut the water by 50 grams, used a blend of flours (because I ran out of bread flour), used less than optimal starter, you name it. It turns out amazingly good every time. I have an oven that’s close to 70 years old, runs 50 degrees hot, and yet this recipe is a champ. Thanks!
Wonderful to hear this, Sharon! Thanks so much for writing and for sharing all of this!
I’ve tried several different sourdough recipes and they’ve alway been just OK. Today I made this and it’s delicious, amaxingg texture, light, fluffy and by far the best sourdough I’ve made.
Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful to hear this, Lizzi!
Hello, I’m really enjoying baking bread from this recipe. I have the following questions:
1. If I was to add olives to make it an olive sourdough, at which point would I add the olives?
1. I was hoping to make smaller loaves (400gm flour) and bake 2 at a time in the oven. Bow would I adjust baking time considering the extra loaf and the smaller size.
Many thanks
Kasia
Hi Kasia! So nice to hear this! I would add olives after you do at least one set of stretches and folds. And do at least 2 sets of stretches and folds after you add them.
Regarding baking time, I would bake covered for at least 20 minutes; then uncover and bake for at least 10-15 minutes. It’s a very high hydration dough, so it’s forgiving in regard to baking. Keep it in the oven until the loaf achieves the color you are looking for.
Thank you very much for the step by step instructions, photos and video. These were the steps and tips that most spoke to me in my journey to learn how to make sourdough There are many posts out there that felt intimidating but your post felt like something I could try even as a beginner. To my surprise, my first attempt turned out great and each one thereafter has continued to improve. I’ve also added your sourdough pizza to my repertoire as well. Can’t thank you enough for my delicious new hobby!
Oh Wendi, yay! So nice to hear this. Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi Alexandra,
I followed this recipe during the day and then when it had almost doubled in size, I put it in the fridge overnight. Then I did the 2nd proof for at least another 12 hours. I got a beautiful crunchy crust but the bread wasn’t cooked all the way. I didn’t realize it until I had cut into it. I put it back in the oven for a little longer but then the crust was getting burned and there were still parts of the bread that were raw. Do you know why this would’ve happened and what I can do to fix this? The pieces that were edible were delicious! Thank you.
Hi Jamie! Great to hear most of this! What type of vessel are you using to cook the bread? And how long did you wait before cutting into it?
I used a Dutch oven and I waited almost an hour before cutting into it.
OK, it sounds as though you just need to cook your bread longer. I would keep it covered for 30 minutes; then reduce the oven to 350ºF and bake the loaf directly on the oven racks for about 20-40 minutes more or until it is done. If you continue to have trouble, I would invest in an instant read thermometer. They’re expensive, but it’s a foolproof test if the bread is done. If it registers 207ºF or above, it’s done.
This was my first go at making any bread and I am amazed! This recipe and method must truly be as forgiving as another commentor stated. I was concerned about my starter strength, apparently I picked the hottest, most humid weekend to try this, my dough was a sticky, runny blob, I forgot to drop the temp during baking, etc, etc! And it still turned out really well! I am very excited about my next attempt. Thank you so much for simplifying this process. I wish I could share a photo but no IG 🙁
Wonderful to hear all of this, Lori! If you’re not on IG, you can always email me a photo: alexandra@alexandracooks.com
Would love to see it!
Hi Alexandra! I have enjoyed this recipe so much since acquiring my first starter a couple of months ago. I have made 2 loaves and I haven’t had a failed attempt yet.
My starter floated perfectly on my first attempt and after that I couldn’t get it to float again even after discarding and feeding over multiple days. I finally caved and just used it anyway because it was rising and doubling and bubbly. It looked and smelled just like I thought it should.
My second loaf turned out just as perfectly as the first. Maybe less sour tasting. Maybe.
Why isn’t my starter floating??! And how could that affect my bread?
I’m not usually one to leave reviews – but after the success of my sourdough loaf this morning (it’s now late evening and 75% of it has disappeared…) I felt like I had to.
I found this recipe SO much easier to follow than others – your video instructions in particular made the shaping movements very easy to understand.
The dough was also much easier to handle than other recipes’, and I think that might be due to the slightly lower hydration. But what the dough ‘lacked’ in hydration, it certainly did not in terms of the crumb – it was my best yet (I’ve only made 3 other loaves before this!!)!
Moving forwards I’m looking to achieve more of an ear, but I think for that I’ll have to buy a bread lame to get those sharp slashed scout marks! I’d also like to see my loaves getting a little more round (at the moment they are quite wide and flat), do you have any tips on how I can do this? I don’t think I’m over-proofing the loaf, so maybe I need to work on getting more surface tension, or divide the dough and make two smaller loaves…
Thank you Ali! <3
So nice to hear all of this! Thanks so much for writing.
Regarding creating tension, are you using a bench scraper? Also, what size is your proofing bowl or basket?
Love this recipe!
I’m keen to add olives to make it an olive bread. At which point would you add the olives?
Many thanks
I would add them after you’ve done the second set of folds … so: before the third set, sprinkle the olives over top, then stretch and fold. Wait 30 minutes and add another set of stretches and folds.
I had to comment as I am so happy to have finally got (almost!) perfect results from a sourdough loaf recipe! I have made several attempts since getting a starter from a friend early in the pandemic lockdown, gradually improving and learning what works for me and my starter, flour, hydration, timings etc from various guides but your blog has really been the greatest help with some of your tips – the straight sided vessel and flexible long fridge proving especially – and this recipe has worked beautifully for me, thank you Alexandra!
So great to hear this, Helen! Thanks so much for writing. That is what sourdough is all about: learning what works well for you in your environment.
I’m totally addicted to making sour dough bread. Easy to follow and great results – thank you.
Wonderful to hear this, Deb!
Two months into this and this article was a GREAT HELP. Thanks very much. -Sam
Wonderful to hear this, Sam!
It’s in the oven looks perfect
I’ve made a lot of bread and this one feels and looks the best .
Wonderful to hear this, Pamela!
Hi! Thank you for the recipe. I finally found a recipe that made a successful loaf! After I made the bread I fed the starter and the next day the starter had doubled in size and floated. I attempted two different recipes with the starter, but the subsequent tries aren’t rising during the bulk rise. Do I have to feed the starter for an entire week before I make bread again?
The subsequent doughs also seemed alittle dryer than the first although I used the same amount of flour/water, etc.
Any suggestions on how to make my starter work again?
Hi Hayley! You definitely don’t have to feed your starter for a week. Are you storing your starter in the fridge after you use it?
Two signs to look for to determine when your starter is ready: When it 1.) doubles in volume within 4-6 hours of feeding it and when it 2.) floats when you drop a spoonful of it in water.
You want to use it once it doubles — if you put a rubber band around the vessel your starter is in to mark the top of your starter before you feed it, it will help you see when it doubles.
In regard to strengthening your starter, this is the advice I always give: be aggressive with how much you are discarding: throw away most of it, leaving behind just 2 tablespoons or so. Feed it with equal parts by weight flour and water. Start with 40 g of each or so. Use water that you’ve left out overnight to ensure any chlorine has evaporated. (This isn’t always necessary, but it might make a difference.) If you can find some organic flour — my store carries small bags of KAF organic flour … they’re a little more expensive ($3.49 for 2 lbs) but I use it exclusively for feeding my starter. Organic flour or a little bit of rye flour or some stone milled flour (fresh or locally milled if possible) can make a difference.
Hi Suzie! You do not need to let the dough get to room temperature before baking it. Mine goes straight from the fridge to the heated Dutch oven.
Regarding the temperature, I remove bread when my Thermapen registers 205F or above. Do you typically remove them when they hit 190F?
Does your oven generally run cool? It sounds as though you just needed bake it a little longer… sorry for the trouble with this one!
I haven’t left a comment on a blog in years but needed to now. I’ve been attempting to make sourdough bread off and on for about 12 years and never had much success. I’ve tried several different starters, different methods, and they either turned out mediocre or didn’t work out at all. I just took my first loaf out of the oven using your instructions and after waiting an agonizing hour for it to cool, tried it. And it. is. amazing. I had originally tried another popular blog’s method earlier this week and the loaf was tasteless. Using yours, I have an actual loaf of sourdough bread that tastes (and looks!) like sourdough bread. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Oh Heather! So nice to hear this. Thanks so much for taking the time to write. I’m so glad the recipe and method worked out for you 🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞
Hi Alex. I read somewhere that if you want a milder tasting sourdough, you should use more starter? I live in a warm climate, and I’m all for flavor and character but sometimes my kids don’t like the sourness in the bread. if I use 50g starter and do an overnight rise, will that result into a tangier loaf? Or should I stick to 100g and do a same day bake (maybe 4 hour cold ferment) and bake?
Hi Kris! It’s true: more starter equals less sour. I think to get a less sour tasting loaf, you could use 100 g starter, let it rise till it’s 50% bigger in volume (no quite double), shape it; then skip the cold proof and do a room temperature proof of 3-4 hours or until it’s done. Then bake it.
Does that make sense?
How would I incorporate rye flour into the recipe? How much rye flour and how much bread flour? Does the water amount stay the same? I’m hoping that the rye flour gives it a tangy/sour flavor pop! Thanks!
Hi Andy, I would start by using 50 g rye and 450 g bread flour. It seems like a tiny amount, but rye is flavorful, and if you are happy with the result, you can increase the amount next time. Keep the water the same to start. If it seems too dry, you can add a bit of water a tablespoon at a time until it looks like the dough in the video. Good luck!
Thank you for this incredibly easy to follow recipe, I have just started my sour dough journey as at beginning of the pandemic bakery’s were closed in the U.K. I enjoying the process and the delicious bread.
Although the bead is always great I struggle handling the dough after the first proof, it’s very slack, not like yours in the video, unless I use flour it sticks to my hand and bench scrapper. I have already pulled back the water.
As I can manage the dough and the bread is good should I not worry or would the bread be even better if the dough was firmer ? Have you any suggestions.?
Hi Caroline! Your dough is likely over-fermenting. Try shortening the bulk fermentation. When the dough increases in volume by 50%, shape it. I just posted a new blog post that address the 4 common mistakes people make when making sourdough bread… it might be helpful to read: Why is my sourdough so sticky? The 4 Common Mistakes
Hi Alexandra
Thanks for your reply. Wondering if I am over fermenting, can you tell me do I I look for 50% rise from first making dough or after the four stretch and folds ?
I would say after the first 4 sets of stretches and folds. Do you have a straight-sided vessel to monitor the bulk?
My bread was delicious but the crust did not turn brown. What did I do wrong?
Hi Emily!
A few questions: You’re not using bleached flour, are you? Are you using a Dutch oven? Does your oven typically run cool?
The most helpful website for sourdough
ThankYou 🙂
Thank you Cataline!