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.
3,035 Comments on “Homemade Sourdough Bread, Step by Step”
I started my first sourdough starter about a month and a half ago and this recipe gave me the best loaf yet. Do you have any suggestions on using whole wheat flour along with the white flour. Say if i wanted to use 50% of each would the proportions stay the same? Thanks
Hi,
I made your bread multiple time and it is so tasty!!! Thank you for a great recipe.
Can i add cranberries and nuts to this recpie? If yes, than at what stage?
Thank you,
D.
This is the best sour dough recipe I have tried. The crust is crusty and the bread itself is soft and fluffy. I made two one day apart. Definitely my go to sour dough recipe. Thank you.
First sourdough loaf. Perfect 😊😊
Where can I get the proofing bowl covers in your video. Cannot find similar on line.
Hi! They’re from Dot and Army: https://www.dotandarmy.com/products/extra-large-bowl-cover-perfect-for-breadmaking
Before I order, are they 100% material as some others are lines with plastic.
These are not lined with plastic.
I just took my first sourdough out of the oven and it’s amazing. Can I cut the recipe in half for a smaller loaf and will I need to change the bake time if so?
Great to hear! And yes: reduce the baking time at each phase by 5 minutes 🙂
Dollar Tree😁
Thank you.. Very helpful read..
Thank you for this wonderful tutorial!! I have been trying (and failing) to make sourdough off and on for over 5 years, and your guide was magic! I have made this bread three times now and it is DELICIOUS every single time! With your directions and videos, I was easily able to follow along and make the best bread ever. I’ve also made your sourdough pizza crust (amazing!!!). Thank you so much for making me feel like a sourdough champ. I’m so happy!!!
Yay 🙂 🙂 🙂 Great to read all of this, Jaime. Thanks so much for writing and sharing all of this.
Hi Ali – I’ve just started on my sourdough journey and am happy to report that I have a very active starter (by following your instructions)! So I have my base in my fridge and ca 200g active starter in a separate container. If I only use 50-100g out of my active starter, what do I do with the rest? Do I toss it or do I replenish it or do I keep it (fridge or room)? Thanks! (And sorry if this has been asked before)
Great to hear, David!
Just to clarify: you have 200 grams of active starter at room temperature, correct? If this is the case, and if you are using 50 to 100 grams of it, I would take the amount that you need, then I would feed the remaining starter you have leftover: add 50-75 grams of flour and water each, let it rise at room temperature until it doubles, then store it.
The base you have in your fridge at this point can be tossed or used for discard recipes.
Let me know if you still have questions 🙂
How can you make a larger loaf?
Hi! If you’re using a scale, simply multiply the recipe by 1.5 or 2 or more depending on what size you are hoping to make. I will say this makes a pretty large loaf — any larger and you’d need a very large Dutch oven to bake it in.
First time ever making sourdough and it came out beautifully!! Thank you for sharing all your tips!!
Great to hear, Michelle!
Great recipe! Simple and leaves room for altering to one’s taste. I made this bread with a little bit of whole wheat flour, also made it with caraway seeds. And even made it with a 2 table spoons of blackstrap molasses (I calculated it with the liquid by first delutinh it in water) and each time the bread turned out incredible!
For the not so healthy folks, you can also add a teaspoon of bloomed instant yeast, and together with sourdough it makes such a super fluffy bread!
Definitely a keeper, and I’ve been sharing it with my friends/family because the recipe is so perfect on its own! Need to print it out and keep a hard copy in case this website will shut down! Lol thanks Alexandra!
It will never shut down! But I like to print and use hard copies as well 🙂 Great to hear Kate!
Just made this and it came out so good and airy! I only proofed in fridge for 18 hours because 24 hours would’ve been midnight and it still came out perfect! I did also cut it before it cooled down for an hour 😅. Do you have advice on how to cut it because it’s so airy and soft? I did sharpen my bread knife but the bread is so airy (but good)! Is it easier to cut once cooled?
Great to hear! Yes, much easier once cooled and even easier day old. A good bread knife does make a difference!
Hi I’ve made this recipe multiple times now and it’s really good, but I think my bread might be overproofing a little. What’s your timeline for this? I’ve been feeding my starter early afternoon so I can start the dough at night. Then it proofs overnight, but I think this might be too long. I think I need to change my timeline. Or maybe I could use less starter so it proofs slower? I’ve been doing 100g.
You could definitely try using 50 grams of starter. Alternatively, you can stick your dough in the fridge overnight, then pick up where you left off. Or you could set an alarm for earlier than you might prefer to wake up to check on your rising dough 🙂 Finding the right timeline definitely takes some practice and the thing is that it will change as the seasons/circumstances change — as it warms up, your starter might get more active and your dough will rise more quickly as well.
How long do you preheat your Dutch oven for and at what temp?
I do 550ºF for about 45 minutes.
I’m up to my first rise., Bulk Fermentation. So far everything perfect. The dough is rising but won’t be ready by the time I go to bed. Can I leave in on the counter until the morning. It will have been over 10 hours?
Hi! I’m likely too later here. What did you end up doing? I’d love to hear. The dough may be fine, but it also may overferment depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
I ended up staying up late to put in fridge. Left it for 36 hours. Came out great. Not full of holes like yours and dense. Loved it. Have nothing to compare it to.. can’t wait to try it again
OK, great to hear! Thanks for reporting back.
Regarding the density, what type of flour are you using? And are you using a scale to measure?
Bread flour and yes a scale. . I don’t think I did the folds correctly. I’ll let you know on next loaf BUT it is so delicious we ate too much
Ok, great to hear 🙂
My dough hasn’t risen in 8 hours… the starterfloated fine. It’s 68 in my house… not sure if I should keep going with this loaf….
Hi! Are you new to sourdough? Have you successfully made a loaf with this starter? Are you using a scale to measure? What type of flour are you using?
Things definitely slow down when the kitchen is cool. There is no harm in keeping your dough rising. Make sure the bowl is covered tightly (preferably with a lid) so that the dough doesn’t form a crust. And if you can find a warmer spot for it, place your dough there — like on top of the fridge or near the oven, etc.
Do not proceed to the next step, until the dough has increased in volume by at least 50%.
Hi how do you decide if you want to use 50g or 100g of your fed starter to make the dough? If you use 100g of starter do you change the amount of water or flour for recipe?
Can this be doubled to make 2 loaves? If so does this cause it to over ferment?
Thank you
Marge
Hi! 100 grams of starter will increase the hydration of the dough slightly, which I like — I prefer a high hydration dough. Questions answered below:
If you use 100g of starter do you change the amount of water or flour for recipe? No
Can this be doubled to make 2 loaves? Yes
If so does this cause it to over ferment? No
I have tried a number of your recipes all with great success. That said this will be the first time I’m making sour dough. My friend is making hers this weekend so is giving me some starter. Question is this – i intend to use the recipe you have given but would like to divide into 2 boule (my Dutch oven is too small to make one large loaf). When would be the best time to divide the dough, or, should i just make two separate (half) batches from the start?
Hi! Divide it after the bulk fermentation. Good luck! Exciting 🙂
Everything went perfectly …. Until… I looked at them in the fridge this morning (after 12 hours) and my dough had totally deflated, and there was a crust forming on top. I gently removed them, flipped them over onto newly floured cloths, then covered with a damp cloth and a loose fitting plastic bag. Hope i am doing the right thing. In your video, and instructions, you just cover with the cloth and put them in the fridge – and you don’t get a skin forming?
I have started to tuck my loaves into produce bags, loosely tied if I know they’re going to be in the fridge for 48 hours, but I’ve never had a crust form after 12 hours. I wrap my loaves very well in the tea towel, however, so that protects them. Sorru this happened! The loaves shouldn’t deflate in the fridge, however.
After you shaped them, did you stick them directly in the fridge or did they sit at room temperature for a period before you transferred them to the fridge?
I put them directly into the fridge. I definitely think loosely bagging them is the way to go in my environment. Now, even with the experimental mishaps, the bread came out amazingly! I got a big open crumb and a gorgeous crust. You’re a bread genius Alexandra.
OK, great to hear! Editing the recipe now… I’ve been meaning to add this note for forever. Thanks for reporting back!
I’ve tried making sourdough using other recipes but decided to try yours. I used 100g starter 1:2:2 ratio bread flour, 1 1/2 cups water and the rest of ingredients. I was doing fine till I over proofed the dough 😔 so I’ll now make focaccia tomorrow since it’s 10pm my time.
I’m in the Africa and was wondering if and how much water should I use for both starter and bread so it’s not too sticky. Thanks. In advance.
Hi!
I use equal parts by weight flour and water for my starter: so you could try feeding a small amount of the starter you have on hand (start with 50 grams) with 100 grams each flour and water.
For this recipe, if you’ve found the dough to be too sticky, you could hold back 50 grams of water from the start.
Amazing! The fist sourdough recipe that worked for me. Thank you!🙏
Great to hear!
My first loaf came out great. The recipe details and tips along with videos helped make it a successful loaf. I can’t wait to try another recipe. Alexandra cooks is a wonderful website
Great to hear, Sue! Thanks so much for writing and sharing this 🙂
Can I use all purpose four instead? If yes, do I make any adjustments?
Yes! You shouldn’t have to make any adjustments. If anything, you could hold back some of the water, but I’d suggest making it as written.
Great recipe Alexandra and even the first batch was perfect with a great taste, texture and crust hardness.
I have two questions for you though if you have time to answer.
The first one is if I wanted to create two smaller boules instead of one large one would the oven time be the same or less?
The second is about putting your starter in the fridge for a week. Do you feed it and put it back immediately or do you let it rise and then put it back in the fridge?
Thanks again for all the tips and the amazing recipe. You make it simple.
So nice to read all of this Tom. Thank you for writing 🙂 Questions answered below:
For two smaller loaves, reduce the baking time by 5 minutes at each phase (covered and uncovered).
When you are returning your starter to the fridge, it’s best to store it when it is strong and nearly at its peak, so I like to feed it, let it rise till nearly doubled or doubled, then store it.
Let me know if there’s anything else!
Thank you.