Baking decent sourdough has been a road of trial and error, and as many loaves as I’ve made, they’re still not perfect.
It doesn’t help that I have a vintage oven that doesn’t set to a specific temperature. One of the most challenging parts for me was finding a recipe that felt manageable with reference pictures/videos and a timeline to follow.
So from my village to yours, here is everything I have learned in one place!
INGREDIENTS:
Unbleached bread flour
Water
**Active Starter
Salt
BASIC SUPPLIES:
Scale
Large Bowl
Banneton
Dutch Oven
Baking Parchment Paper
Bread Lame
TIMELINE:
Begin dough around 8:30am.
Finish coil folds and begin bulk ferment around 11:45am.
Shape and transfer to fridge around 9:00pm.
Only begin shaping and transfer when dough has doubled! Temperatures can affect how fast or slow this happens, so be flexible.
Bake following morning around 9:00am.
DOUGH TIME:
1. Measure 100 grams of active and bubbly starter into a large bowl.
2. Pour in 315 grams of filtered, room temperature water.
3. Stir. (You can use a danish whisk, but I just use a fork.)
4. Add in 500 grams of flour. Stir until combined, then mix by hand until fully mixed.
5. Cover with a damp cloth, and rest for 30 minutes.
6. Add 8 grams of salt and a splash of water. Pinch into dough, and mix by hand.
7. Cover with a damp cloth, and rest for 30 minutes.
8. Complete 3 sets of coil folds with a 30 minute rest in between each.
9. Cover with a damp cloth, and leave to rest (bulk ferment).
10. When it has doubled in size, use a floured surface to shape.
11. Coat bottom of a banneton with rice flour, and place shaped bread upside down (pinched side up, smooth top down).
12. Cover banneton with now dry cloth, and place in fridge over night (12-18 hours).
If you like your bread more sour, leave it in the fridge longer.
BAKE TIME:
1. Preheat dutch oven inside over on 500F for 1 hours.
2. Remove banneton from fridge and flip bread out onto parchment paper.
3. Score (A nice bread lame is worth it here!)
4. Place bread on parchment paper into dutch oven. (I sprinkled uncooked rice on the bottom of my dutch oven to keep the bottom of the loaf soft.)
5. Bake for 20 minutes on 500F with lid ON.
6. Bake for 15 minutes at 425F with lid OFF.
7. Let it cool at least 1 hour before cutting open.
** Use your starter once it is at it’s peak.
THIS IS ACTIVE STARTER
RECIPE WITH PICTURES
3. Stir. (You can use a danish whisk, but I just use a fork.)
4. Add in 500 grams of flour. Stir until combined, then mix by hand until fully mixed.
6. Add 8 grams of salt and a splash of water.
Pinch into dough, and mix by hand.
7. Cover with a damp cloth, and rest for 30 minutes.
My vintage stove stays warm, so I leave my bowls here in between folds to speed up the ferment.
12. Cover banneton with now dry cloth, and place in fridge over night (12-18 hours).
2. Remove banneton from fridge and flip bread out onto parchment paper.
3. Score (A nice bread lame is worth it here!)
5. Bake for 20 minutes on 500F with lid ON.
6. Bake for 15 minutes at 425F with lid OFF.
When it comes to beginning or feeding a starter, coil folds, and all the things, there’s so much expertise out there.
But I found all of the varying information overwhelming.
I’m far from expert, but I found a recipe I rely on weekly and wanted to offer it if you’re ready.
Happy Baking!
XX