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Homemade Sourdough Bread, Step by Step
By Alexandra Stafford
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Last Updated: 03/17/2026
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
If you love fresh sourdough bread with a golden, crisp crust and a light, airy crumb, this recipe is for you. Itās one of the simplest homemade sourdough bread recipes, and one of the best, too. It requires only 25 minutes of hands-on work and no autolyse or preferment. Below you will find guidance for every step of the way. šš
This post will show you how to make the simplest of simple sourdough breads. There is no autolyse or preferment, which means the dough itself comes together in less than five minutes.
For those intimidated by sourdough bread baking, this recipe, as well as this sourdough focaccia recipe, are the recipes I suggest making first, both for their simplicity and flavor. Another great beginnerās bread recipe to try is this overnight, refrigerator focaccia or my motherās simple peasant bread recipe, both of which require minimal effort but yield spectacular results.
This post is divided into 13 sections:
- What is Sourdough Bread?
- What is a Sourdough Starter?
- How to Feed a Sourdough Starter
- When is My Starter Ready to Be Used?
- Equipment
- How to Make Sourdough Bread: A 5-Step Overview
- How this Sourdough Bread Recipe Differs From Others
- Simple Sourdough Bread: A Step-by-Step Guide
- #1 Sourdough Bread Baking Tip
- Troubleshooting: Where Sourdough Goes Wrong
- Sourdough Baking Resources
- Other Sourdough Bread Recipes to Make
- Sourdough Bread Baking Schedule
What is Sourdough Bread?
Sourdough bread is bread that has been leavened naturally, meaning it has been leavened by a sourdough starter as opposed to by commercial yeast or a chemical leavening agent such as baking powder or baking soda.
What is a Sourdough Starter?
A sourdough starter is a fermented mix of flour and water containing wildĀ yeastĀ andĀ bacteria (lactobacilli).Ā Provided it is healthy and active, a sourdough starter is what will make your bread rise.
You can āmake a sourdough starter from scratchā in just about a week. I only recommend doing so if it currently is summer (or a very warm fall) where you are. While it is immensely satisfying to build a starter from scratch and subsequently use it to make a beautiful loaf of bread, I am a huge proponent of purchasing one for a few reasons, namely: when you purchase a starter, you are guaranteed to have a strong, vigorous starter from the start. In other words, you can start baking with confidence right away.
Here are two online sources for reasonably priced sourdough starters:
How to Feed a Sourdough Starter
In order to keep your starter alive, you have to feed it ā itās not unlike having a pet, but know this: caring for a sourdough starter is akin to caring for a very low maintenance pet, one that requires feeding only once every two to three weeks to stay alive, but one that requires feeding much more regularly if you like to bake frequently.
When I am not baking regularly, I store my starter in the fridge in the above-pictured vessel with its lid on. As noted above, it can hang out there for 2-3 weeks (if not longer) without being touched. To wake it up or activate it, I like to feed it twice before using it. Often, Iāll remove it from the fridge after dinner and feed it: this involves discarding most of it (down to a few tablespoons or 50 grams) and replenishing it with equal parts by weight flour and water. (Please read this post, which explains in detail how to activate, feed, and maintain a starter.)
I will repeat this process in the morning: discard most of it, then replenish it with equal parts by weight flour and water. By midday, or when my starter has doubled in volume, it is ready to be used.
To store your starter, you should feed it, let it rise till it nearly doubles, then cover it and stash it in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks until you are ready to use it again.
How Do I Know if My Starter is Ready to be Used?
If your starter doubles (or triples!) in volume within 4 to 8 hours after a feeding, it is ready to go. And ideally, you want to use your starter 4 to 8 hours after you feed it or when it has doubled. Every time I feed my starter, I place a rubber band around the vessel to mark its height. This helps me see when it has doubled in volume and is, therefore, ready to be used.
If your starter is not doubling within 4 to 8 hours of feeding it, you should spend a few days strengthening it. This will involve discarding most of it ā truly, donāt be afraid to be aggressive with how much you are discarding ā and replenishing it with equal parts by weight flour and water. If you do this twice a day for several days, your starter will be in great shape.
What Equipment Do I Need?
At a minimum, youāll need:
- a sourdough starter (see above)
- flour, bread flour if possible, my preference is King Arthur Flour
- salt
- water
Ideally, youāll also have:
- digital scale
- straight-sided vessel for monitoring the bulk fementation
- bench scraper
- flour sack towels
- parchment paper
- banneton, such as this one or this one
- razor blade
- heavy lidded vessel, such as this one or this one
What is the Best Dutch Oven for Sourdough Bread?
I love my Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven, which Iāve had for years! The Lodge is a great value at around $49, but if you like the idea of making batards, baguettes and other oblong-shaped loaves, I canāt recommend the Challenger Bread Pan enough, which costs $299. The placement of the handles makes for easy removal and closure of the lid, and it creates beautiful, crusty loaves every time.
How to Make Sourdough Bread: A 5-Step Overview
There are essentially 5 steps to making sourdough bread. Each of these steps is explained in more detail below.
- Mix the Dough: This is simply a matter of combining water, sourdough starter, salt and flour in bowl, and stirring to form a sticky dough ball.
- Bulk Fermentation: This is just a fancy name for the first rise. During the first two hours of the bulk fermentation, youāll perform a series of stretches and folds, which will give the dough strength and elasticity.
- Shape + Bench Rest: This step ends the bulk fermentation. Youāll shape the dough, let it rest, then shape it once more.
- Proofing the Dough: In this recipe, youāll cold proof the dough in the fridge, ideally for 24 to 48 hours, though you can get away with a shorter proof.
- Scoring + Baking the Dough: After the dough has proofed, youāll turn it out onto a piece of parchment paper, score it; then transfer it to a preheated baking vessel.
How This Sourdough Bread Recipe Differs From Others
This recipe differs from others in three main ways:
- No Autolyse. Why? Iāve never found employing an autolyse makes a big difference in the final texture of the bread, and I find the process of doing an autoylse frankly to be kind of a pain. What is an autolyse? Autolyse is a technique that calls for mixing flour and water together and allowing them to sit for several hours before adding the salt and sourdough starter. This process allows gluten to develop in dough prior to mixing. It also makes the dough more extensible. This is due to the hydrating effects of soaking the flour, as well as ā and this is getting a bit scientific ā from the enzymatic activity of protease, which breaks down some of the gluten that forms as the dough hydrates. This process weakens the doughās elasticity, in turn increasing its extensibility. If you are after a super open crumb, autolyse is something to consider.
- 50% (roughly) Increase in Volume. If you come from the yeast-leavened bread world, you are accustomed to letting your dough double in volume during the first rise. When I first got into sourdough, I was applying this same method, and while I had success, I realized I was often letting my dough overferment ā I was pushing the bulk fermentation too far. As soon as I stopped the bulk fermentation when the dough increased by 50-75% in volume, I got a much better oven spring.
- Long Cold Proof. After the bulk fermentation, youāll shape the dough, and store it in the fridge ideally for 24 hours but it can hang out there for 48 hours or even a bit longer. This long, cold proof will make for a much lighter, open, airy crumb. (Note: If you were to leave the dough in the fridge for 12 hours or less, which you can do, the crumb will be tighter and denser.) After you remove the dough from the fridge, you score it, and transfer it immediately to the oven ā there is no need to do a room temperature proof first.
Simple Sourdough Bread: A Step-by-Step Guide
To start, pour 375 grams of water into a bowl:
Add 50 to 100 grams of sourdough starter.
Stir to combine; then add 11 grams of salt:
Finally, add 500 grams of bread flour:
Stir to combine:
Transfer the dough to a straight-sided vessel. Cover it, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Perform a set of stretches and folds:
If time permits, perform four total sets of stretches and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. You should notice the dough getting stronger and more elastic with every set of stretches and folds. This is the 4th set:
After the 4th set of stretches and folds, cover the vessel, and set it aside until it increases in volume by 50%-75%.
The time will vary depending primarily on the strength of your starter and the temperature of your kitchen. Rather than rely on a time period, however, you should rely on visual cues.
This video shows the dough nearly doubling (increasing by 100%) in volume, but the more I bake sourdough, the more I realize I have better success when I stop the bulk fermentation when the dough increases by 50%-75%. It may take some trial and error to know what works best for you. You may find a 75% increase in volume is best or you may find that to be too long. Sourdough is all about experimenting and adapting based on your experiences.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface:
Shape the dough gently into a round and let it rest for 20-40 minutes. This is called the bench rest.
Meanwhile, prepare a bowl or banneton with a flour sack towel and rice flour.
Shape the round again; then place in prepared bowl for proofing. Transfer to fridge for 12 to 48 hours.
Remove bowl from fridge, and turn it out onto a sheet of parchment paper.
Score it.
Transfer to preheated Dutch oven. Bake covered at 450ĀŗF for 30 minutes; uncover, lower the temperature to 400ĀŗF, and bake for 15 minutes more:
Remove from oven and let cool one hour before slicing.
Youāll need a sharp knife (like this one or this one) when itās time to slice:
#1 Sourdough Bread Baking Tip
The refrigerator is your friend. Use it.
The most common mistake I see people make when making sourdough bread is letting the bulk fermentation go too long. They mix the dough at night; then wake up to dough that has tripled in volume and is a sticky mess.
To prevent over-fermenting your dough, use your refrigerator as needed. After you complete the 4 sets of stretches and folds, you can put your dough in the fridge at any time. If you are tired and need to go to bed, transfer the dough to the refrigerator; then pick up where you left off in the morning: remove the dough from the fridge and let it continue to rise until it increases in volume by roughly 50%.
To accurately gauge when your dough has risen to roughly 50% in volume, I highly recommend investing in a straight-sided vessel such as thisĀ 4-qt CambroĀ (or this one, which is BPA-free!). When dough rises in a bowl, judging when it has risen sufficiently is tricky. Thereās no question with a straight-sided vessel.
Troubleshooting: Where Sourdough Goes Wrong?
If you have ever had trouble baking sourdough bread, your issues likely stem from one of four places:
- Using a weak starter or not using starter at its peak.
- Using too much water relative to the flour.
- Over fermentation: letting the bulk fermentation (first rise) go too long.Ā
- Using too much whole wheat flour, rye flour, or freshly milled flour.
I address each of these issues in this post: Why is my sourdough so sticky? 4 Common Mistakes, so please give it a read if youāve had trouble with sourdough bread baking.
Sourdough Resources
- Sourdough Troubleshooting: This post addresses 4 common mistakes people make when baking sourdough bread and answers many FAQās as well.
- The Nutritional Benefits of Sourdough Bread + 6 Healthy Toast Topping Ideas
- Feeding Your Sourdough Starter
- Essential Equipment For Sourdough Bread Baking
- A tip for getting a more open crumb? Shape a batard as opposed to a round:
Other Sourdough Bread Recipes to Make
- Simple Sourdough Focaccia
- Sourdough Bread, Whole Wheat-ish
- Simple Sourdough Pizza
- Simple Sourdough Sandwich (or Toasting) Bread
- Sourdough Ciabatta
- Sourdough Discard Recipes
Sourdough Bread Baking Schedule
If you are new to sourdough bread baking, the timing of it all may feel overwhelming ā you may find yourself asking: How can I do this without baking at midnight?
Itās a very good question! As noted above, your biggest friend when it comes to sourdough bread baking is your refrigerator. If after youāve performed your stretches and folds, you donāt have time to stay up for the dough to complete the bulk fermentation, stick the vessel in the fridge and pick up where you left off the next day or the day after that.
Here is a rough schedule I like to follow. Adapt it to work for you:
Wednesday Evening: Remove starter from fridge. Feed it by discarding most of it and replenishing it with equal parts by weight flour and water.
Thursday Morning: Feed starter by discarding most of it and replenishing it with equal parts by weight flour and water.
Thursday Afternoon: Mix dough, let it rise. On Thursday evening, when the dough has completed the bulk fermentation, Iāll shape it and stick it in the fridge to proof. (As noted: If the dough hasnāt completed the bulk fermentation, Iāll stick the vessel in the fridge, and pick up where I left off the following day.)
Friday Evening or Saturday Morning: Score and Bake it. There is no need to let the dough come to room temperature before baking it. Simply remove it from the fridge, turn it out, score it, and bake it!
Print
Homemade Sourdough Bread, Step by Step
- Total Time: 18 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
Description
If you love fresh sourdough bread with a golden, crisp crust and a light, airy crumb, this recipe is for you. Itās one of the simplest homemade sourdough bread recipes, and one of the best, too. It requires only 25 minutes of hands-on work and no autolyse or preferment. Below you will find guidance for every step of the way. ššš
Inspired by The Clever Carrot
If you are new to sourdough, watch the step-by-step video here: Simple Sourdough Bread or in the post above.Ā
Troubleshooting: If you have issues with your dough being too sticky, please read this post: Why is my sourdough so sticky? The 4 common mistakes.
Notes:
- You need an active sourdough starter. I have had success activating starters from:
- As always, I highly recommend investing in a digital scale before beginning any bread baking adventure.
- This is the Dutch Oven I use for sourdough bread. I used this Dutch oven for years, and itās a great one, too.
- Flour sack towels are a great investment because they ensure your dough will not stick while it is proofing.Ā
- I love using rice flour for dusting (as opposed to ap or bread flour) because it doesnāt burn. When you use a flour sack towel, however, you donāt need to use any flour.Ā
- Find all of my sourdough essentials here:Ā Essential Equipment For Sourdough Bread Baking
- I love a high-hydration dough, and I have great success using 380 grams of water in this recipe, so feel free to play around and push the hydration here.Ā
- Salt: I have had success using both kosher salt and fine sea salt here. When I use kosher salt, I use the Diamond Crystal brand. When I use sea salt, I use the Baleine Fine brand. Regardless of the brand, I use 12 grams.Ā
- Shaping: If youāre looking to get a more open crumb, try shaping a batard (as opposed to a round). Watch this video for guidance. Also: The recipe below follows the traditional shape once, rest, then shape again method. I often skip the preshape now and simply shape the dough once. I still get a nice open crumb.Ā
- Adding Other Ingredients: See this post on adding āinclusionsā:Ā Rosemary-Olive Sourdough Bread (+ A Better Way to Add Inclusions to Your Sourdough Bread)
How much Sourdough Starter to Use?
- Because my kitchen is cold for much of the year, I like using 100 g (1/2 cup) of starter as opposed to 50 g (1/4 cup).Ā When determining how much starter to use, consider a few things: If you live in a warm, humid environment, 50 g should suffice. If you plan on doing an overnight rise, 50 g also should suffice. If you wantĀ to speed things up or if you live in a cold environment, consider using 100 g starter. Note: If you use 100 g of starter, your dough may rise more quickly, so keep an eye on it. As always, rely on the visual cues (increasing in volume by 50%) when determining when the bulk fermentation is done.Ā
- AĀ straight-sided vesselĀ makes monitoring the bulk fermentation especially easy because it allows you to see when your dough has truly doubled.Ā
Ingredients
- 50 ā 100 g (1ā4 ā 1/2 cup) bubbly, active starter ā I always use 100 grams, see notes aboveĀ
- 375 gĀ (1 1/2 cups plus 1 tbsp) warm water, or more, see notes above
- 500 g (4 cups plus 2 tbsp) bread flour
- 9 to 12 g (1.5 ā 2.5 teaspoons) fine sea salt, see notes above
Instructions
- Make the dough: Whisk the starter and water together in a large bowl with a fork or spatula. Add the flour and salt. Mix to combine, finishing by hand if necessary to form a rough dough. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.Ā
- Stretch and fold: After 30 minutes, grab a corner of the dough and pull it up and into the center. Repeat until youāve performed this series of folds 4 to 5 times with the dough. Let dough rest for another 30 minutes and repeat the stretching and folding action. If you have the time: do this twice more for a total of 4 times in 2 hours. Note: Even if you can only perform one series of stretches and folds, your dough will benefit. So donāt worry if you have to run off shortly after you mix the dough.
- Bulk Fermentation (first rise): Cover the bowl with a damp towel or, ideally, a lid or something that will create an airtight seal to prevent the dough from drying out. Let the dough rise at room temperature, about 8 to 10 hours at 70Ā°F (21Ā°C) or even less if you live in a warm environment. The dough is ready when it has increased by 50-75% in volume, has a few bubbles on the surface, and jiggles when you move the bowl from side to side. (UPDATE: In the past I have recommended letting the dough rise until it doubles in volume. If youāve had success with this, continue to let the dough double. Recently, I have been stopping the bulk fermentation when the dough increases by 50% in volume, and I feel I am actually getting better oven spring in the end.) (Note regarding timing: If you are using 100 g of starter, the bulk fermentation may take less than 8 to 10 hours. If you live in a warm, humid environment, the bulk fermentation may take even less time. In the late spring/early summer, for example, my kitchen is 78ĀŗF and the bulk fermentation takes 6 hours. It is best to rely on visual cues (increase in volume by roughly 50%) as opposed to time to determine when the bulk fermentation is done. A straight-sided vessel makes monitoring the bulk fermentation especially easy because it allows you to see when your dough has truly increased in volume by 50%.)
- Shape (See notes above): Coax the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape it into a round: fold the top down to the center, turn the dough, fold the top down to the center, turn the dough; repeat until youāve come full circle. If you have a bench scraper, use it to push and pull the dough to create tension.Ā
- Rest: Let the dough rest seam side up rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line an 8-inch (20-cm) bowl or proofing basket with a towel (flour sack towels are ideal) and dust with flour (preferably rice flour, which doesnāt burn the way all-purpose flour does). Using a bench scraper or your hands, shape it again as described in step 4. Place the round into your lined bowl, seam side up.
- Proof (second rise): Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour or for as long as 48 hours. (Note: I prefer to let this dough proof for at least 24 hours prior to baking. See video for the difference in the crumb of a loaf that has proofed for 6 hours vs one that has proofed for 24 hours. If you choose to proof the dough in the fridge for an extended period of time, you may want to tuck it into a loosely tied bag ā produce bags from the grocery store are great for this purpose ā to ensure the dough does not dry out. The original recipe calls for a 1-hour rise, and if you have had success doing that, by all means, keep doing it.)Ā
- Place a Dutch oven in your oven, and preheat your oven to 550Ā°F (290Ā°C). Cut a piece of parchment to fit the size of your baking pot.
- Score: Place the parchment over the dough and invert the bowl to release. Using the tip of a small knife or a razor blade, score the dough however you wish ā a simple āXā is nice. Use the parchment to carefully transfer the dough into the preheated baking pot.
- Bake: Lower the oven to temperature to 450ĀŗF (230ĀŗC). Carefully cover the pot. Bake the dough for 30 minutes, covered. Remove the lid, lower the temperature to 400ĀŗF (200ĀŗC) and continue to bake for 10 ā 15 minutes more. If necessary, lift the loaf out of the pot, and bake directly on the oven rack for the last 5 to 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before slicing.
- This loaf will stay fresh up to 3 days stored at room temperature in an airtight plastic bag or container. It freezes beautifully, too.Ā
Notes
- This recipe has been adapted from Artisan Sourdough Made Simple. Changes I have made to the original recipe include:
- Using 11 g salt as opposed to 9 g.
- Performing 4 stretch and folds during the first 2 hours of the bulk fermentation, which build strength in the dough.
- Doing a cold proof for at least 24 hours before baking, which produces a lighter airier crumb. In the video, you can see the difference between the crumb of a loaf that has proofed for only 6 hours vs a loaf that has proofed for 24 hours.Ā
- Finally, I like preheating my Dutch oven, which makes a crisper crust.
- Prep Time: 18 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
5,961 Comments on āHomemade Sourdough Bread, Step by Stepā
So the first time I did this recipe with a donated starter, absolute perfection. Second time with my starter (whole wheat/bread flour vs ap flour of the first) my dough is so sticky after mixing. Like super sticky canāt even fold because itās coating the bowl sticky. Same food scale measurements and ingredients aside from the original starter. Any advice?
Do you still have some of the donated starter? If so, continue to feed that one. If not, make an offshoot using your ww flour starter: place 50 grams of it in a jar, add 100 grams each ap flour and water, stir, place it in a cozy spot, let it double, then use it.
I started out using whole wheat flour to make my first few doughs and had the extreme stickiness issue. What I found online was that I had left it out too long during the bulk ferment. Tried again for 6 hours instead of overnight (itās very warm and humid where I live) and the stickiness was fixed.
Great to hear you found the solution! Yes, over-fermenting can lead to very problematic doughs. Thanks for circling back š
Thank you for the prompt reply! Ā
I bought the Double Round Loaf Space, 16.5cm Diameter, and the 5 in proof baskets. I have tried once and used 300 grams in 5 in basket and smaller than I wanted. Ā How many grams to each proof basket for the max size loaf and cooking time?Ā
Another question : I made a double batch and used a 6 qt vessel to rise. After rise I divided and then let it bench rest before placing in baskets. Is that when I divide it? Ā I was trying to keep from having multiple vessels. Thank you! Ā
Hi! Have you tried simply making this recipe, dividing it into two equal portions (which by my calculations will be roughly 495 grams each), and baking each in each well? I would try that, and if the loaves are too big, then youāll know 400 grams is maybe the sweet spot. I would bake them covered for 25 minutes, then uncovered for 10 minutes or until browned to your liking.
Regarding your second question: yes, that is correct.
Can you use a stand mixer to make the dough?
Sure! Iāve only used stretches and folds here, which serves the same purpose: to strengthen the dough. A stand mixer will strengthen the gluten more quickly. Iām not sure youāll get the same open/amorphous crumb with a stand mixer, but the bread will definitely rise and spring in the oven nicely.
If I place it in the fridge overnight before it can complete its first bulk fermentation of 6-10hours do I still need to let it proof in the fridge for 6-24hours the next day after allowing it to reach room temp and allowing to complete its first rise?
Hi! The only really critical step is that at some point, the dough needs to increase in volume by 50% ā this really can only happen at room temperature because the fridge drastically slows fermentation (basically down to a halt). So, you can use the fridge during the bulk fermentation as needed. After you pull it from the fridge, it will need to rise until it increases by 50%. After this, youāll proceed with the recipe: turning it out, shaping it, etc. You do not have to return it to the fridge at this point. You can if that works for your timeline. If youād rather let it proof at room temperature, you can do that, too: youāll let the shaped loaf proof in its banetton until it is ready ā this will take a few hours. It should feel light to the touch. You can try the poke test, if you are familiar with that: poke it gently with your finger, and the dough should spring back slowly. Personally I find the poke test a little misleading/tricky to read, but it is a tool you can use.
Let me know if that clarifies.
So letās say we did the stretch and folds and put it in the fridge for time. Woke up to let it rise to 50%, then shape & fold, and then donāt have to put it in the fridge againā¦but it still has to sit out and proof at least?
Correct! It will need to proof at room temperature for at least a couple of hours before baking ā it should feel light to the touch and when pressed gently with a finger, the dough should spring back slowly.
I love this recipe! It is amazing! I wanted to know if I could freeze this so I can make it at a later date and not have to go through the whole 2-3 day process? Thank you!
I was also wondering how I could adapt this ( if I can) to use a toaster oven?Ā
Hi! How big is your toaster oven? And how are you planning on baking it? On a mini stone? Or do you have a mini Dutch oven? I love this idea!
It has French doors and it seems like itāll fit a whole loaf in it. I do not have a mini stone or mini Dutch oven. I wanted to make it full sized, but I donāt know what I could put it inā¦
Yeah, I think the problem with using a toaster oven is that you wonāt be able to create much steam. If you could fit a loaf pan in it, you could make this recipe instead: Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread
I bake mine in a toaster oven. I use a 4 quart pot with a lid. It barely fits, but the bread bakes great. I live in the desert in Texas and bake outside so as not to heat up the house.
Great tip, Tess. Thanks so much for sharing š
Great to hear Skylar. I do not find sourdough dough to freeze very well ā it loses its oomph. Youāre better off freezing the bake bread, which does freeze very well and reheats beautifully.
Did you update this recipe. I used your recipe all last summer. And I loved it because it felt easy and straight forward. The recipe seems slightly different. Do you still have the old recipe you can email me?
Hi! Nope, I have not updated the recipe in any significant way for many many years now. You may see at the top of the post that it has been āupdatedā but that could be as simple as adding a word or deleting a sentence, etc.
Iāve tried this recipe twice and it was too tense both times. I canāt figure out what Iām doing wrong.
Hi!
Are you using a scale to measure?
What type of flour (brand included) are you using?
Do you use a straight-sided vessel for the bulk fermentation?
Are you new to sourdough?
Are you confident in the strength of your starter?
Hi,
I am new to sourdough and am using a large ball jar for bulk fermentation. My starter doubled in size each time, was bubbly and smelled good. Lol maybe itās in my measurements? When feeding my starter I do 50 g of starter, water and flour.
Ok, great re scale. What type of flour (brand included) are you using?
You could try feeding your starter: 50 grams starter, 100 grams flour, 100 grams water. Place it in a cozy spot to rise. It should double in volume within 6-8 hours from feeding it. If itās not doing that, itās probably not strong enough.
I have made this twice and after step 1 my dough is stickier than what is shown in the video despite following all of the instructions and ingredient quantities. What is going wrong? Do I add more flour?Ā
Hi!
Are you using a scale to measure?
What type of flour (brand included) are you using?
Do you live in a humid environment?
Are you new to sourdough?
Are you using a scale to measure? ā Yes
What type of flour (brand included) are you using? ā Mulino Perfetto Pizza Flour
Do you live in a humid environment? ā YesĀ
Are you new to sourdough? ā Yes
Thanks for this! I think the issue is this: Mulino Perfetto Pizza Flour
Pizza flour, especially Typo 00 flour, does not absorb water the way bread flour does, which is why your dough is much stickier. Next time, you could reduce the water ā I would hold back 75 grams of waterā¦ you can always add it back slowly until the dough reaches the consistency of what you see in the photos/videos above.
I think you will have better results, however, if you use bread flour here. Typo 00 flour is known for the āextensibleā gluten structure it creates in doughs, which is why it is great for pizza. Bread flour will create a more āelasticā gluten structure, which is great for oven spring. Bread flour is stronger, too, which is what you want for a free-standing loaf like this one.
Thanks SO MUCH! I made two loaves with your recipe and they turned out beautifully! I love your simple process and clear instructions. I had been using the same recipe for the last 4 years, very pleased to change a bit.
Great to hear, Mireille! Thanks so much for writing š
Hi Alexandra. Iāve made this multiple times. Itās delicious by the way. Sometimes itās too small for my 5.2 qt dutch oven and it presses into the dimpled lid making my crust look polka dotted, not desired. I bought a larger 7 qt but then it is too flat, though I could have overproofed my dough for sure. Which size do you recommend for this recipe? I may need to adjust rising for the smaller dutch oven. Iād love any advice. Thank you in advance.
Hi! I use either this 5-Qt Lodge Double Dutch oven or this Challenger Bread Pan, which is slightly larger and longer.
The larger pan shouldnāt cause your loaf to flatten. If you build enough strength in the dough, it should spring up and hold its shape no matter how large the pan. What kind of flour are you using? Are you doing four sets of stretches and folds? (Doing four sets will build strength in the dough, which is what you need for a free-standing loaf.) Are you cold proofing and, if so, for how long?
Thank you for your reply. I am doing the full set of stretches and folds over 2 hours. I am using King Arthur bread flour, the blue label. I have left in fridge consistently to cold proof for 24 hours to achieve that more open crumb as shown in your video. I am trying again with only that 50% rise, since my bread has been ending up overproofed and flat. Is it normal to feel like the dough is not āreadyā at only 50% rise? It definitely didnāt pass the usual visual markers of being ready, though of course I am not immediately baking so maybe thatās correct?
It sounds as though you are doing everything right! Are you using a straight-sided vessel for the bulk fermentation?
I am using a straight wall pitcher per your advice. I just ordered the Lodge after another short loaf this afternoon. Will try again tomorrow with different time variables. I am determined to have a tall loaf!
Ok, great. IF you are using a straight-sided vessel, you could try letting the dough increase by 75% in volume. It may take some trial and error for you to see what works best: a 50% increase? a 75% increase? or even a doubling in volume.
I just started making homemade bread this year for a variety of reasons. I had planned on starting with yeast breads as I heard it was easier for beginners but then I was gifted a starter so I started with sourdough after all. I had done plenty of reading and watched lots of videos. I found this recipe and have used it probably around eight times or so and itās turned out pretty well each time. I am still working on perfecting it but even when I did my first loaf (didnāt rise as much as I would have liked) it still turned out delicious and no one in my family has complained about the fresh homemade bread even if it wasnāt perfect. Mistakes are just learning opportunities after all! Would absolutely recommend this recipe to other beginners (and have done so with for a friendās daughter who is also getting into sourdough as well) it is easy and very forgiving.
Itās so nice to read all of this, Jeannie. Thanks so much for writing and sharing your experience ā so encouraging for others.
Such a nice sourdough recipe! I live in a very humid country and your tips on humidity is something Iāve never heard before! Thank you so much as I think that might have been a lot of my issues with past recipes, though I canāt say for sure since I havenāt used any recipe but yours since finding it! Amazing work, thank you soo much!
So nice to read this, Tracy š Iām glad the tips helped. Thanks so much for writing.
Hi! Iāve made this 2 X now, and taste is great but it always gets to 205degrees before getting good color on the loaf. What could I be doing wrong?Ā
Hmmmā¦ what kind of flour are you using? And what type of Dutch oven? And is the bread baking in the deeper part of the dutch oven or the shallow part?
Hello! I made this recipe twice and it has come out great!! Next time I would like to try to split the final product into two loaves. Would you recommend changing the cooking time if I split it and made 2 smaller loaves?Ā
Thank you,
KatieĀ
Great to hear, Katie! Reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes at each phase (covered and uncovered) but ultimately bake the loaf till it is browned to your liking while it is uncovered ā in other words, rely on the visual cues.
Ali, Thank you for the quick response and suggestion for baking times. I am excited to give it a try and see how the smaller loaves come outĀ
Is the 50% rise (during bulk fermentation) 50% pre stretch and fold or post stretch and fold?Ā
Post stretch and fold.
First time making sourdough bread. Thank you for this recipe and detailed instructions. I made my own starter using King Arthur whole wheat flour. Ā Baked my first loaf today using King Arthur bread flour. The bread turned out great!
Great to hear, Bruce! Thanks so much for writing and sharing this š
I am a newbie to sourdough bread and have used this recipe several times, usually with decent results. Ā I like fresh bread and live alone so I cut the recipe in half each time and bake it in a loaf shape Ā
I Ā am never quite sure how long to bake half a loaf so sometimes the crust ends up a little hard for me. I have noticed a few recipes call for a little olive oil, I brush the bowl with it for a little flavor but also for easier clean up. Ā . Ā
Would this recipe work with a 9Ć5 double loaf pan? Just made 2 beautiful loaves in small turkey roasters but prefer the uniform slices using loaf pans. You recipe is delicious and easy to work with! Ā Tia
Can I divide the dough and put each half i. A oval bannet or all in one?