Classic Sourdough

Anna @BreadandButterBaking
a.gr8@icloud.com

Ingredients:

100g starter

350g lukewarm water

500g bread flour (I use King Arthur)

12g sea salt

Method:

In a large bowl, whisk water and sourdough starter together with a fork until it becomes milky and the starter is dissolved.

Add in flour and knead until no dry pockets of flour remain. Dough will be shaggy and sticky.

Re-feed your starter following the Daily Feeding instructions.

Autolyse:
Cover and let rest at room temperature for 1–2 hours. Add salt and 1/4 tsp of water (to help dissolve the salt) to the dough. Knead the dough by hand until you no longer feel salt granules. I find taking the dough out of the bowl and kneading on a clean work surface to be easiest.

Bulk Rise:
Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rest 6–8 hours or until puffy and nearly doubled in size.

If you have the time and want to do some stretch and folds, this is the stage to do them. For best results, try to get in 3–4 sets, spaced 45 minutes to 1 hour apart, beginning 30 minutes after you add the salt.

Lamination:
On a clean work surface, gently stretch the dough out into a large (roughly 10” x 15”) rectangle. This step helps make the gluten strands super strong. Fold in thirds from the left side over, then the right side. Repeat from top to bottom.

Shaping:
Gently push and pull the dough ball until the shape tightens.

Invert dough (seam side up) and transfer to a lined 8” round bowl or oval bowl, depending how you’ve shaped your loaf. Cover and let rise 30 minutes on the counter, then place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or until ready to bake.

Baking:
Place a Dutch oven inside your oven and preheat to 450°F for one hour. Transfer cold dough, seam side down, onto a piece of parchment paper. Lightly dust with flour if desired, and score.

Remove hot Dutch oven from oven and use the parchment paper as a sling to pick up and transfer your loaf into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with lid and bake at 450°F for 20 minutes covered, then 10–20 minutes uncovered.

Sourdough is done at 195°F and will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom crust.

Cool on a wire rack. Some people say you’re supposed to wait at least an hour before slicing to ensure no gummy texture inside. But I highly recommend you cut into it before it’s completely cooled because still-warm sourdough is AMAZING!

Chef’s Tip: Have fun and experiment!
There are a few things you have to get right in order to make good sourdough. But there is no ‘one way’ to do those things. I’ve been baking sourdough for years and am constantly experimenting and learning new things. Some people swear by certain methods but I’ve found what works for someone may not be the best for someone else.

Over time, you’ll develop your own methods based on what works best for you and what is most enjoyable for you... because sourdough baking should be fun!

P.S. Don’t overcomplicate it! Have fun and enjoy the process :)