Ultimate Simple Sourdough Bread Recipe
- L Layton
- Jun 2
- 2 min read
As someone who has scoured the internet and tried many different recipe's this is my favorite and foolproof Sourdough Bread-
First thing is don't be intimidated, Sourdough is notoriously tricky, but from my experience the key is to have a good sourdough starter- you can make your own (see here), or you can buy an existing one.
Ingredients
500g bread flour
350g water (room temperature)
100g active sourdough starter
10g salt
Equipment
You can purchase a sourdough kit like this one
Instructions
1. Prepare the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour and water. Mix until no dry flour remains. Let it rest for about 30 minutes (this is called autolyse).
2. Add Starter and Salt
After the autolyse, add the active sourdough starter and salt to the dough. Mix until fully incorporated. Don't worry, this is sticky and messy at first!
3. Bulk Fermentation
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for about 4 to 6 hours. During this time, perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours.
(For more detailed instructions for the stretch and folds jump here)
4. Shape the Dough
After the bulk fermentation, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use the dough scraper to shape it into a round or oval loaf, depending on your preference. Let it rest for about 30 minutes.
5. Final Proof
Place the shaped dough into a well-floured proofing basket. Cover it and let it proof for another 2 to 4 hours at room temperature, or you can refrigerate it overnight for a slower fermentation.
6. Preheat the Oven
About 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) with a Dutch oven inside.
7. Bake the Bread
Once preheated, carefully remove the Dutch oven. Gently flip the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and score the top using your bread lame. Place the dough with the parchment into the Dutch oven, cover it, and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the lid and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
8. Cool and Enjoy
Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing.
Enjoy your homemade sourdough bread! To make it extra special try it with some homemade butter- recipe here
How to Stretch and Fold-
Start by wetting your hands- so the dough doesn't stick too much.
Pull one edge of the dough pull up to stretch it out and fold to the other side.
Turn the dough a quarter of the way around and repeat until back to the start
As you repeat the process every 30 mins you'll notice the dough getting more elastic
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