Description
Beginner’s Sourdough Bread is a naturally leavened artisan loaf with a chewy crust, soft interior, and tangy flavor. This simple, no-knead recipe is perfect for those new to sourdough baking, offering step-by-step guidance to create a beautiful, rustic loaf at home.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour (or a mix of bread and whole wheat flour)
- 1 1/3 cups water (filtered or dechlorinated)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Feed your sourdough starter 4–6 hours before baking and ensure it’s active and bubbly.
- In a large bowl, mix water and starter until combined. Add flour and stir to form a shaggy dough.
- Cover and let rest (autolyse) for 30–45 minutes.
- Sprinkle salt over the dough and mix by hand until fully incorporated.
- Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, then perform stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours (3–4 sets total).
- Cover and bulk ferment the dough at room temperature for 4–6 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently shape into a round or oval, and place into a floured proofing basket or bowl.
- Cover and refrigerate for 8–12 hours (overnight cold proof).
- The next day, preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) with a Dutch oven or baking stone inside.
- Turn dough onto parchment paper, score the top, and carefully place into the hot Dutch oven.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 20–25 minutes until crust is deep golden brown.
- Remove and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
Use filtered water to avoid chemicals that can inhibit fermentation.Handle dough gently to retain gas and create open crumb.Cold proofing improves flavor and makes scoring easier.Bake with steam (Dutch oven or tray of water) for a crisp crust.Let the bread cool completely before slicing to preserve texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 310mg
- Fat: 0.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
