Sourdough Bread
The perfect sourdough recipe for beginners and seasoned bakers. This recipe yields a soft texture and deliciously tangy flavor. You will keep coming back to this recipe time and time again.
Equipment
- Round Banneton Proofing Basket
- Bread Lame
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 500 grams bread flour
- 350 grams warm water filtered
- 100 grams starter fed and active
- 10 grams salt
I always use Kosher salt in my kitchen! If using table salt, start with half the amount and adjust to taste, as it is much "saltier" by volume.
Instructions
- Combine the warm water and flour, cover and allow to sit for 1 hour.
- Mix in the remaining ingredients. Begin the slap and fold technique, continue for 5 minutes. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
- Begin stretching and folding the dough. With the dough still in the bowl, dip your fingers in the water and reach down into the bowl, grab the bottom of the dough firmly and pull up, stretching as far as the dough allows, and then fold it over to the other side. Turn the bowl slightly and continue until all of the dough has been stretched and folded 1 time. Do this 6 times, allowing the dough to rest for 15 minutes in between the first 3 stretch and folds and 30 minutes in between the last 3 stretch and folds.
- Cover and let rest to bulk ferment until doubled.
- Remove from the bowl and place on a lightly floured work surface. Shape the dough by pulling the right side over onto the left side, then pulling the left side over onto the right side. Then pull the top up and back towards your body, using the dough to round out the dough and make the shape tight. Place into a generously floured banneton with the seam side facing up. Dust with more flour, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and place in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
- Preheat a dutch oven in a 450° F oven for 1 hour.
- Lightly flour the dutch oven or line with parchment paper. Remove the bread from the refrigerator and carefully place it in the dutch oven, or on the parchment paper and score with a bread lame. Place the top of the dutch oven back on and place into the oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Allow to completely before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- Recently, I've adopted a gentler version of the slap and fold method, performed directly in the bowl. I use the same technique but without the slapping motion; instead, I allow the dough to stretch slightly before folding it over to continue the process.
- Keep a bowl of water nearby to help handle the sticky dough.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing it. Slicing the bread before it properly cools will result in a sticky, gummy interior texture.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!