Classic Sourdough Recipe

Baking a classic sourdough loaf is like creating a little bit of kitchen magic. The warm, tangy smell that takes over your kitchen is your tasty reward for some patience and a bit of dough-wrangling. This recipe will walk you through making a crunchy, golden loaf with a soft inside that's perfect for tearing into. Whether you're a bread-baking pro or just starting out, this recipe makes it easy to get into the rhythm of natural bread-making with just flour, water, and salt. Get ready to bake a loaf that's great for any meal and feels incredibly satisfying to make.

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Classic Sourdough Loaf Recipe

Ingredients:

• 325 grams warm water
• 100 grams active sourdough starter
• 500 grams bread flour
• 10 grams salt

Instructions:

1. Autolyse:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine 500 grams of bread flour with 325 grams of warm water. Mix until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes. This process allows the flour to fully hydrate.

2. Adding Starter and Salt:

• After the autolyse, add 100 grams of active sourdough starter to the mixture. Mix well until the starter is fully incorporated. Then, sprinkle 10 grams of salt over the dough and mix again until evenly distributed.

3. Bulk Fermentation:

• Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rest at room temperature (about 70-75°F or 21-24°C). During this phase, perform four sets of stretch and folds to strengthen the dough. Each set should be done 30 minutes apart.
  • First Set: 30 minutes after adding the starter and salt, wet your hands, lift one side of the dough, stretch it upwards and fold it over the rest of the dough. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat this stretch and fold process until all sides have been folded (about 4 folds).
  • Second Set: Repeat the stretch and folds after another 30 minutes.
  • Third Set: Repeat after another 30 minutes.
  • Fourth Set: Perform the final set of stretch and folds 30 minutes later.
• After the last set of folds, let the dough rest for the remainder of the bulk fermentation, about 3 to 4 hours more, until the dough has risen and is noticeably puffy but not necessarily doubled in size.

4. Pre-shape and Bench Rest:

• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rough ball. Let it rest uncovered for 20 minutes.

5. Final Shaping:

• After the bench rest, shape the dough into a tight ball or a batard (oval shape) depending on your preference and the baking container you will use. Place the dough seam-side up into a well-floured banneton basket or a bowl lined with a floured towel.

6. Cold Fermentation:

• Cover the shaped dough loosely with a plastic bag or damp cloth and refrigerate overnight, at least 12 hours. This cold fermentation will develop flavor and texture.

7. Baking:

• The next day, preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with a Dutch oven inside for at least 45 minutes before baking.
• Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper, score the top with a razor blade or a sharp knife to allow it to expand during baking.
• Carefully place the dough (still on the parchment paper) into the hot Dutch oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C) and bake with the lid on for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, remove the lid and reduce the temperature to 425°F (218°C). Continue baking for another 15-20 minutes until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

8. Cooling:

• Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing. This allows the bread’s structure to set and enhances the flavor.

Enjoy your classic sourdough bread with its crispy crust and chewy interior, perfect for any occasion!

Classic Sourdough Loaf

A simple, three-ingredient classic sourdough loaf with a crisp crust, chewy crumb, and signature tangy flavor. Perfect for beginners and seasoned bakers alike.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sourdough

Prep Time: 12 hours hours

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

12 hours hours

Servings: 16 slices

Calories: 119kcal

Ingredients

• 100 grams sourdough starter active
• 325 grams water warm
• 10 grams salt
• 500 grams bread flour

Instructions

• Autolyse: Mix flour and water in a large bowl. Rest covered for 30 mins.
• Add Starter and Salt: Mix in starter, then salt until well incorporated.
• Bulk Ferment: Cover and rest at room temp. Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds 30 mins apart.
• Pre-shape and Rest: Turn out dough, shape into a ball, rest 20 mins.
• Shape: Shape into a tight ball or oval. Place in floured banneton or towel-lined bowl, seam-side up.
• Cold Ferment: Cover, refrigerate overnight (12+ hours).
• Bake: Preheat oven to 500°F with Dutch oven inside. Score dough, place on parchment, into Dutch oven. Bake at 450°F covered for 20 mins, uncover, reduce to 425°F, bake 15-20 mins until golden.
• Cool: Cool on wire rack for 1 hour before slicing. Enjoy your loaf!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 244mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.3mg