Sourdough Bread

Oh my gosh. There is no way I can do this!

Well, yes there is with just flour, water, salt and starter. And time.

All measurements are in grams.

Mixing is done by hand -- no machines.

Yield: two loaves

Ingredients

The Leaven

• 83 grams King Arthur bread flour

• 83 grams water

• 25-30 grams of starter culture

The Dough

• 742 grams of bread flour

• 500-550 grams of water

• 15 grams of salt (Kosher or Sea)

• ~190 grams leaven (from above)

Create the leaven in the evening, assemble the dough the following morning then bake either late in the evening or the following morning. If baking the following morning, put the shaped loaves into the fridge overnight. The method below is what I do. Feel free to adjust it to your schedule and lifestyle.

Day 1 - Create the leaven (8 hour fermentation)

1. Mix together the bread flour, water and starter culture.

2. Cover for the night, leave out at room temperature.

Day 2 - Assemble the dough

1. Mix together the bread flour and water. Cover and set aside for a 2-3 hour rest (autolyse). This lets the flour and water fully combine.

2. By hand, mix in the starter then mix in the salt.  As the salt blends in, expect to feel the dough relax and get silky.  Set aside covered for 15-20 minutes.   Hand mix again then set aside for 30 minutes.

3. From here, perform a series of stretches & folds to develop the dough over the next several hours.  Grab the dough on one side, lift to stretch, pull it across the dough.  Rotate the bowl and repeat until you’ve done this 4-5-6 times.

4. Cover and let rest for 45-60 minutes.

5. Repeat the stretch-and-fold, letting the dough rest for another 45-60 minutes.  After a few hours of this, you should see some bubbles forming and may notice the dough is getting fluffy.  This is good.

6. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.  Using a dough knife, cut the dough in half.

7. Gently form the dough into a rectangle.  Fold the left & right sides in as you would do for a letter.  Repeat for the top & bottom.  Roll the dough over and cover for 15-20 minutes.

8. After the rest, gently form the dough into a rectangle again.  Fold the right and left sites in as before.  Starting at the bottom, roll up the dough, pinch off the edges and form the dough ball to fit your pan.

• If baking in a Dutch Oven, place the dough upside down (seam side up) in a lightly floured banneton or a colander with a lightly floured cloth.

• If baking in loaf pans, spray the inside with PAM and place the bread in seam side down.

Let the dough sit covered at room temperature for several hours.

Baking

If Baking in a Dutch Oven

1. Set the oven rack in the middle.

2. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of the Dutch Oven.

3. Place the dough ball seam side down onto the parchment paper.

4. Score the top of the loaf.

5. Place the parchment and dough into the Dutch Oven.

6. Put the cover on the Dutch Oven then put it into a cold oven - set to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. Cook covered for 50-55 minutes.

8. Carefully remove the cover and set aside. Cook uncovered for an additional 10-12 minutes.

9. Place the bread onto a cooling rack. Cool 30-45 minutes before cutting into it.

If Baking in a Loaf Pan

1. Set the oven rack in the middle.

2. After the dough has had a chance to rise for several hours, preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Slide the loaf pans into the oven then bake for 25-30 minutes.

4. Place the bread onto a cooling rack. Cool 30-45 minutes before cutting into it.

Check out this video:

Notes

You can start by creating your own starter from scratch or, somewhat easier as well as tried & true, getting a packet of dehydrated sourdough flakes chips from us.

Need some flakes? Visit The Store.