How To Make Sourdough Bread | My Basic Sourdough Recipe

1) Weigh the ingredients

Zero a mixing bowl on a scale and weigh 190 grams of water. Again, zero the scale and then spoon in 100 grams of your sourdough starter.

Weigh the 330 grams of flour in another bowl then add the flour to the wet ingredients. Use a circular or figure of 8 movements with a dough scraper or your hands to combine. 2 – 3 minutes later the mixture will be fairly even.

2) Start the autolyse

Begin autoylsing by covering the bowl with a bag or lid and set aside. Whilst the autolyse is taking place, take a small bowl and weigh a further 30 grams of water. Weigh 8 grams of salt and whisk it in the water until dissolved.

3) Mix the dough

After 30 minutes the autolyse can end. Take off the cover and add the salted water. Fold the dough over itself to push the salt-water solution into the mixture.

Once the water absorbs and the dough starts to cling together, switch techniques. Stretch the dough with any gentle kneading method you like.

The kneading should last 6 minutes or 4 in a stand mixer (use a low speed!). Once finished, the dough should not feel wet or sticky. It will be strong, slightly silky and you’ll see some lovely long strands of gluten when it’s stretched.

4) Bulk fermentation

Return the dough to the bowl or container and cover. Leave to rest on the worktop for 1 hour.

5) Stretch and fold

Next, we’ll stretch and fold the dough to redistribute the ingredients. If a stretch and fold looks a bit challenging, you can simply knead the dough for 10 seconds instead. Afterwards, pop the dough back in the bowl, cover and leave to rest for another hour.

6) Repeat the stretch and fold

Do another stretch and fold and leave covered for its final hour.

7) Test if it’s ready

After the third hour of bulk fermentation, the dough should be ready to shape and begin its final rise. It should be fairly gassy by now, but not overly. It’ll have nice long luscious gluten that stretches out to pass the windowpane test.

The temperature of the room is important. I’m doing this recipe at 22C, if it’s warmer you should reduce the time and if cooler a little longer will be needed. It will take a bit of practice to understand what sourdough bread feels like at each stage.

To fix, stretch and fold again and rest for another hour. Consider fermenting it in a warmer environment. Placing my dough in the oven with only the light on provides just enough warmth to increase the rate of yeast activation.

8) Pre-shape

Once you are happy that the bulk fermentation development is sufficient, the next step is to shape it into a ball.

Once it’s shaped, leave to rest on a lightly floured area of your worktop for 20 minutes. Covering it with a tea towel or upside-down bowl will prevent it from drying out.

9) Prepare the proofing basket

Banneton proofing baskets are readily available these days, you can see the banneton I recommend here. If you don’t have one you can use a large bowl lined with a tea towel.

Dust a layer of flour and rice flour (if you have it) on the inside of the proofing basket. Too much is better than too little, you don’t want the dough to stick!

If it’s a new basket, wet it with a water mister first so the flour has something to cling onto.

10) Final shape

Shaping a round bread

For a round-shaped banneton, reshape using the same boule technique used previously.

Shaping a long bread

If you are using a long shaped basket, the technique is slightly different.

Place the dough into the proofing basket with the smooth side downwards and the rough side (the seam) facing up.

Dust a bit of extra flour around the edges of the basket if you are worried about the dough sticking.

11) Final proof

Using a large upside-down bowl or a loose-fitting plastic bag cover the banneton without touching the dough and leave it to rise.

The final proof will take around 2 – 3 hours at room temperature. Alternatively, place the covered proofing basket into the fridge overnight.

12) Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 250C (480F) ready for the bread. It takes around an hour for baking stones to heat thoroughly. If you are using a cast-iron Dutch oven it can go into warm at the same time. If your Dutch oven is ceramic, check the manufacturer’s guidelines as many can’t go in the oven empty. If this is the case, you’ll put your risen dough into it cold which means it will take an extra 5-10 minutes to bake.

If you don’t have either, preheat the thickest baking sheet you have upside down on the oven shelf. If baking without a Dutch oven, add an extra tray with a deep lip below the stone/inverted baking sheet as well. We’ll use this later to add hot water to create steam.

13) Testing if it’s proofed

To tell if the dough is ready to bake we inspect it. The rounded base will have flattened and it’ll have risen to almost double its original size.

You can also use the poke test by pressing the dough with a wet finger and measuring how quick it takes to ping back. It should stay down for 2-3 seconds. Allow more time if it springs straight back up.

If you are using the overnight fridge schedule, the poke test won’t work. If the dough’s nearly doubled like in the picture, you’re good to go.

14) Tip the bread

Depending on whether you are using a dutch oven or not, a different method is used to remove the dough from the proofing basket.

With a Dutch oven

Cut a piece of baking paper that’s the same size as the base of the Dutch oven. Then either tip the dough onto the paper and lower into the preheated skillet. Or, place the paper in the Dutch oven and drop the dough straight in.

Without a Dutch oven

Boil a cup of water, you’ll need to add this to the oven to make steam. Next, lightly flour a baker’s peel. A flat board, chopping board or tray will work well if you don’t have one.

Top Tip: Turn the proofing basket upside down so the dough falls onto the paper or peel. Give the basket a tap if you need to release the dough

15) Score the bread

Using a lame or serrated knife, slice one long cut towards you, and turn the bread 90 degrees to cut halfway before turning 180 degrees to cut the other side.

16) To bake in a Dutch oven:

Pop the Dutch oven straight in the oven, turning down the heat to 230C (450F). It will take 40-50 minutes depending on the power of your oven. After 20 minutes, open the oven door and remove the lid. Continue to bake at 210C (410F) until the crust is golden.

17) To bake on a baking stone or tray:

1. Slide the dough onto the baking stone and then add a cup of boiling water to the lower baking tray. This will kick start the oven spring.
2. Move your hands out of the way and quickly shut the door.
3. Drop the temperature to 230C (450F).
4. After 20 – 25 minutes, open the door to release the steam and consider dropping the temperature down to 210C (410F) if the crust is well coloured.
5. Bake for a total of 35 – 45 minutes until golden.

18) Remove from the oven and cool

Take out the oven using gloves or a peel and turn it out onto a cooling rack. To check the bread is fully baked, test by tapping the bottom and if it sounds hollow.

19) Leave to cool & that’s it!

Cooling allows moisture to escape and the crust to harden. It is best to leave the bread to cool for a couple of hours before cutting. Ideally, cool your bread on a cooling rack to maximise airflow. It should be left until it reaches blood temperature before slicing, but I know it’s hard to resist sometimes!

That’s all you need to know to make your first sourdough bread. When you are ready to take your skills to the next level, visit the sourdough homepage. There are plenty of articles to help you master your sourdough skills.