Making sourdough bread at home is a rewarding and delicious experience. This simple yet effective recipe will guide you through the process step by step, ensuring you achieve a perfect loaf every time.

Supplies You’ll Need:

• Banneton Basket – For shaping and proofing the dough
• Dutch Oven – To create the perfect baking environment
• Mixing Bowl – For preparing the dough
• Bowl Cover – To keep the dough from drying out
• Bread Lame or Razor Blade – For scoring the dough before baking
• Quick-Read Thermometer – To check the internal temperature of your bread

Ingredients:

• 100g active sourdough starter
• 350g water
• 360g preferably stoneground bread flour (70-75% extraction) or organic unbleached bread flour
• 90g whole wheat flour
• 10g salt

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Preparing Your Starter (The Night Before)

The night before making your dough, refresh your starter:

• Feed 20g active starter with 42g water and 42g flour.
• Mix well in a bowl, cover with a plate or lid, and leave at room temperature (around 75°F) overnight.

2. Mixing the Dough (Morning)

• In a mixing bowl, add 350g water to your active starter and mix well.
• Add the flours and mix by hand until no dry bits remain.
• Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
• Add 10g salt (and an extra 10-15g water if the dough feels dry).
• Mix by squeezing and folding or using the slap-and-fold technique to build structure.

3. Bulk Fermentation (2-4 Hours)

During this stage, the dough develops strength and structure:

• Perform 4 stretch and folds over the next 2 hours, spacing them 30 minutes apart.
• After the final fold, let the dough rest at 75-80°F until it has doubled in size and is airy.

4. Bench Rest & Shaping

• Lightly flour a surface and flip the dough onto it.
• Shape it into a round boule and let it rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
• Final shape the dough and place it in a banneton basket, cover it, and refrigerate overnight for cold fermentation.

5. Baking the Bread

• In the morning, preheat your oven to 500°F with the Dutch oven inside.
• Let it preheat for at least 40 minutes.
• Take the dough out of the fridge, flip it onto a parchment paper, and remove the banneton.
• Score the dough using a bread lame or razor blade.
• Drop two ice cubes into the Dutch oven to create steam.
• Immediately place the dough inside using parchment paper to lift it.
• Cover and bake for 20 minutes at 500°F.
• Remove the lid, lower the temperature to 450°F, and bake until the internal temperature reaches 210°F.

6. Cooling and Enjoying

• Transfer the bread to a cooling rack and let it rest for at least one hour before slicing.
• Enjoy your fresh, homemade sourdough!

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Basic Sourdough Recipe

This simple and foolproof sourdough recipe will guide you through the process of making delicious homemade sourdough bread. With step-by-step instructions, you’ll learn how to mix, ferment, shape, and bake your bread to perfection. Perfect for beginners and experienced bakers alike!

Prep Time8 hours hrs

Active Time2 hours hrs

Total Time16 hours hrs

Course: Sourdough Bread

Author: Jessica

Equipment

• 1 Banneton basket
• 1 Dutch oven
• 1 Mixing bowl
• 1 Bowl cover
• 1 Bread lame for scoring (or a razor blade)
• 1 Quick-read thermometer

Materials

• 100g Active Starter
• 350g Water
• 360g Stoneground Bread Flour (70-75 extraction) or unbleached organic
• 90g Whole Wheat Flour
• 10g Salt

Instructions

• Step 1: Prepare Your Starter (The Night Before)

  Feed 20g of active starter with 42g water and 42g flour. Mix in a bowl, cover with a plate or lid, and leave at room temperature (around 75°F) overnight.
• Step 2: Mixing the Dough (Morning)

  1: Add the water to your active levain and mix well.

  2: Add the flours and mix by squeezing with hands until no dry bits remain.

  3: Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).

  4: Add salt. If the dough feels dry, add 10-15g additional water. Mix well by squeezing and folding.

  5: Optional: Perform slap and folds to smooth and strengthen the dough.

  6: Cover and let rest for another 30 minutes.
• Step 3: Bulk Fermentation & Stretch and Folds

  1: Lightly flour your surface and flip the dough onto it.

  2: Fold the dough into a boule shape and let it rest, covered with a towel, for 15 minutes.

  3: Final shape the dough and place it into a banneton basket.

  4: Cover with a dough cover and refrigerate overnight for cold fermentation.
• Step 5: Baking (Next Morning)

  1: Preheat your oven to 500°F with the Dutch oven inside. Heat for at least 40 minutes.

  2: Take the dough out of the fridge. Place parchment paper over the banneton and flip the dough out.

  3: Score the dough with a lame or razor blade.

  4: Drop two ice cubes into the Dutch oven.

  5: Using parchment paper, carefully lift and place the dough inside the Dutch oven. Cover quickly.

  6: Bake for 20 minutes at 500°F with the lid on.

  7: Remove the lid, drop the temperature to 450°F, and continue baking until the internal temp reaches 210°F.

  8: Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

  9: Wait at least 1 hour before slicing for the best texture.

Final Tips for Perfect Sourdough

• Maintain a strong starter – Feed it regularly to keep it active.
• Adjust hydration if needed – Different flours absorb water differently.
• Use a proofing function or oven light – Helps maintain ideal fermentation temperature.
• Practice scoring techniques – This allows your bread to expand beautifully.

With this easy-to-follow recipe, you’re on your way to baking a fantastic loaf of sourdough. Happy baking!