How to Make Sourdough Bread | A Beginner's Guide

If you’re looking for a straightforward, no-fuss sourdough bread recipe, you’re in the right place! I’ve tried baking sourdough using other methods (such as stretch and fold), but they tend to be pretty time-consuming and don’t actually make for a significantly better loaf! I’ve been making bread this way for the past 6 months and have had great results – I’d love if you tried :)

Ingredients:
400 g all-purpose flour
6 g salt
160 g sourdough starter
230 g water

Tools:
A food scale, banneton (or bowl/towel), lame (or sharp knife), & Dutch oven (or a big pot with a lid)

Suggested Schedule:
Feed: 8 am
Mix/Knead: 5.30 pm
Shape: 9.30 pm
Bake: 7.30 am

STEP 1 (1:40): Feed starter. On the morning of Day 1, feed your sourdough starter (more details in my next video), and put on the counter to rise.

STEP 2 (1:56): Mix/Knead Dough. Around 5.30 pm, mix flour, salt, water, and your starter together and then pour on a non-floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes using whatever method you’d like! I prefer a combo of the “fold” and “spread” methods I mention in the video (timestamp).

STEP 3 (3:08): Counter Proof. Put in a bowl, cover, and let sit at 21-23C for 4 hours (more or less if cooler/warmer - want it to around double in size).

STEP 4 (3:41): Shape/Fridge Proof. Around 9:30 pm, generously flour a banneton, then pour out the risen dough onto a clean surface and pull it toward you to tighten the surface (see technique at 4:02). Do the motion around 10 times. Then put the formed dough ball into the banneton top-side down, cover with a towel, and put in the fridge.

STEP 5 (4:18): Bake. Around 7:30 am the next morning (Day 2), put your dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 475F. After it’s preheated, take the formed, risen loaf out of the fridge. Score it with a lame (or any sharp knife) and put it in the oven (still at 475F) for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, simply take off the lid and continue baking at 475F for another 17 minutes (or until you’re happy with the colour of the loaf). Let it sit for 15 minutes after taking it out, then cut into it and enjoy!

Music:
Fluffy by Smith The Mister smiththemister.bandcamp.com
Smith The Mister bit.ly/Smith-The-Mister-YT
Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/stm-fluffy
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