RECIPE
Sourdough Bread Recipe

Ready in 8-16 hours

Makes 1 Boule

Ingredients

• 125g starter
• 365g filtered water
• 500g unbleached flour
• (12g salt)
• (25g filtered water)

Preparation

1. Add starter and water to a large bowl, whisk to combine into a frothy liquid. 
2. Add flour, mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Then, work the dough with your hands for 5 minutes, using  a folding knead to strengthen the dough. Folding traps in the air bubbles and allows for more growth in the sponge.
3. Cover and let rest for 1-2 hours.
4. Add salt and remaining water over top of the sourdough. Work in with your hands until no more salt grains are felt. The dough will be wet, use a folding knead for another 5-10 minutes until the sourdough has formed a sticky dough ball.
5. If starting in the morning: cover and let rest on the counter for 4-5 hours. If starting in the evening: cover and let rest in the fridge overnight, 10 hours maximum. The cold slows the proofing process.
6. Lightly flour the counter once the dough has rested completely. Turn the sourdough out onto the floured surface. 
7. Stretch one side of the dough out, then stretch the opposite side out, avoiding tearing. Fold the first side over to the center of the dough. Fold the other side over the first fold. Repeat this with the other two sides of the sourdough. 
8. Roll the dough over to have the seams tucked underneath. Gently pivot the dough ball with the sides of your hands in a clockwise motion to form a springy ball, pulling your hands under the ball to pinch the seams and trap more air. 
9. Let rest on the counter for 20 minutes. 
10. With a bench scraper, scrape the ball of dough to have the counter side up. Repeat the folding process (steps 7-8), but with more delicacy to your hands so the shape takes nicely. 
11. Lightly flour a banneton basket and gently place the dough ball with the seam side up this time. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1-2 hours. 
12. Preheat your oven to 450°, with your dutch oven in it. Once preheated, turn your dough out of the banneton onto a square of parchment paper, using your hand to cradle the dough as it falls out. 
13. Sprinkle flour lightly over the top, and lightly score your design using a bread lame. Once your design has been scored, around the top of the loaf, score a deep cut design around the light score, or incorporate with your design. The deeper score will allow steam to release as the bread expands to its fullest potential. The smaller the score, the more your design will stay in place. 
14. Pull the dutch oven out. Take the lid off and pour 2 Tablespoons of water into the bottom. Quickly place the bread on parchment into the dutch oven, careful of the steam. Cover with the lid and place in the oven. 
15. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 10-20 minutes depending on your crust preference. Less time means chewy crust, more time means crispier crust. Remove the bread from the dutch oven and let cool an hour before slicing. 

Tips

Distilled or filtered water is important, chlorine in tap water can kill the wild yeast in your starter!

Unbleached flour, rye, whole wheat, and other gluten flours are exchangeable in this recipe. 

Sourdough is a wild fermented yeast, which is why it smells like feet! Because of the fermentation, no sugar is needed in the recipe, and those who have mild gluten sensitivities find sourdough easier to digest. 

Bread is an artisan craft, meaning every loaf will come out a little different. Your environment highly affects the texture and flavor of your bread. This includes climate, temperature, season, what you cook in the kitchen, what you clean with in the kitchen, what perfume you wear in the kitchen, all of these affect the outcome of your bread. 

Sourdough is a craft you will forever learn, once you start you won’t want to stop. This is how sourdough becomes shared through generations!