Enjoy your homemade sourdough bread with butter, olive oil, or your favorite spreads.

Preparation Time

• Active Time: 30 minutes
• Inactive Time (Fermentation & Proofing): 8–12 hours
• Baking Time: 30–40 minutes
• Total Time: ~12–14 hours

Recipe Intensity

• Difficulty: Moderate

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Ingredients (Makes 1 loaf)

• 500g (3½ cups) bread flour
• 350g (1½ cups) water (room temperature)
• 100g (½ cup) active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
• 10g (2 tsp) salt

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Instructions

Step 1: Feed Your Starter

1. Ensure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly. Feed it 4–6 hours before starting the recipe if needed.

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Step 2: Autolyse (Mix Flour and Water)

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and water. Mix until just combined (no dry spots).
2. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it rest for 30–45 minutes. This step allows the flour to hydrate and gluten to begin forming.

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Step 3: Add Starter and Salt

1. Add the sourdough starter and salt to the dough. Mix thoroughly using your hands until fully incorporated. The dough will be sticky.

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Step 4: Bulk Fermentation

1. Stretch and Fold: Over the next 3–4 hours, perform a series of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes:
   • Gently pull one side of the dough up and fold it over itself.
   • Rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides.
2. Rest: After the final stretch and fold, cover the dough and let it rest at room temperature until it has doubled in size. This can take 6–8 hours, depending on room temperature.

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Step 5: Shape the Dough

1. Lightly flour your work surface and turn out the dough.
2. Shape the dough into a round or oval loaf, depending on your baking vessel.
3. Place the shaped dough seam-side down into a floured proofing basket or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel.

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Step 6: Final Proof

1. Cover the dough and let it proof for 1–2 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator for a slower fermentation and better flavor.

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Step 7: Preheat the Oven

1. Place a Dutch oven or a heavy baking pot with a lid in your oven. Preheat to 250°C (475°F) for at least 30 minutes.

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Step 8: Bake the Bread

1. Carefully transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper for easy handling.
2. Score the top with a sharp knife or razor blade to allow the bread to expand.
3. Place the dough in the preheated Dutch oven (using the parchment paper as a sling).
4. Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the lid and bake for another 10–20 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown.

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Step 9: Cool the Bread

1. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack (at least 1–2 hours) before slicing.

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Tips for Success

• Use a kitchen scale: Precision matters in sourdough baking.
• Hydration: Adjust the water slightly if your dough feels too dry or too wet.
• Timing: Sourdough relies on fermentation time. Be patient and watch the dough, not the clock.
• Practice makes perfect: Sourdough baking improves with experience.

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Nutritional Information (Per Slice, Approx. 12 slices per loaf)

• Calories: 120
• Protein: 4g
• Carbohydrates: 23g
• Fat: 0.5g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sodium: 120mg

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