A detailed guide to making your own sourdough bread at home, with step-by-step instructions for each day of the process.
Sourdough Bread (Simple)
Sourdough bread is made using a sourdough starter, which is a mixture of flour and water that captures wild yeast and beneficial bacteria from the environment. This natural fermentation process gives sourdough its distinct tangy flavor and chewy texture.
Ingredients
- 500g type 85 malted flour
- 350g water
- 80g rye starter @ 100% hydration
- 560g type 85 malted flour
- 350g water
- 80g white starter @ 100% hydration
Directions
Day 1: Preparing the Starter
- Feed the starter: Remove the active starter from the refrigerator around 9:00 pm. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the starter. Add 50g of purified water and 50g of all purpose flour. Stir, cover, and leave at room temperature overnight. The starter should be bubbly and about doubled in size between 9:00 am and 11:00 am the following day.
Day 2: Preparing the Dough
- Mix flour and water; rest for 1 hour at room temperature (“autolyse”)
- Prepare the proofing area
- Stir in the starter and proof for 30 minutes
- Add salt, mix with your hands, and proof for 30 minutes
- Fold and proof for 30 minutes
- Fold and proof for 45 minutes
- Gently fold and proof for 1 hour 30 minutes
- Pre-shape the dough and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature
- Shape the dough, place it in the banneton, and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature
- Refrigerate overnight
Day 3: Baking the Dough
- Preheat the Dutch oven at 515°F for 30 minutes
- Place on parchment, score, and bake for 17 minutes in Dutch oven
- Place the bread on the oven rack, reduce to 400°F and bake for 23 minutes
- Detailed instructions for each step can be found at the source link.