Ingredients
For one medium-to-large loaf, you will need:
- 500 g bread flour
- 350 g water, preferably at room temperature
- 100 g active sourdough starter
- 10 g salt
- A little rice flour or regular flour for dusting
Bread flour is ideal because its higher protein content helps develop gluten, which gives the loaf strength and allows it to hold the gases produced during fermentation. You can also replace part of the bread flour with whole-wheat flour for a nuttier flavor and more nutritious loaf.
Preparing the Dough
Start by mixing the flour and water in a large bowl. Stir until all of the flour is hydrated and no dry patches remain. At this stage, the dough may look rough and sticky. That is completely normal.
Cover the bowl and let the mixture rest for approximately 30 to 60 minutes. This resting period is called autolyse. It allows the flour to absorb the water and begins gluten development naturally, making the dough easier to handle later.
After the rest, add 100 g of active sourdough starter and 10 g of salt. Mix everything thoroughly using your hands or a dough scraper. Squeeze and fold the dough until the starter and salt are evenly distributed.
Your dough will initially feel sticky and loose, but it should gradually become smoother as gluten develops.
Stretching and Folding
Instead of kneading sourdough vigorously, many artisan bakers use a technique called stretch-and-fold.
Wet your hand slightly, grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward without tearing it, and fold it over the center. Turn the bowl and repeat from another side. Continue until you have folded all four sides.
Perform a set of stretch-and-folds about every 30 minutes during the first two hours of fermentation. Three or four sets are usually enough.
As you repeat the process, you will notice a significant change. The dough will become smoother, stronger, and more elastic. Eventually, it should hold its shape much better than it did at the beginning.
Bulk Fermentation
After the stretch-and-folds, cover the dough and allow it to continue fermenting at room temperature. This stage is called bulk fermentation.
Depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the strength of your starter, this can take approximately four to six hours, although it may take longer in a cool environment.
Do not rely entirely on the clock. Look at the dough. During successful fermentation, it should become noticeably larger and puffier. You may see bubbles along the sides or underneath the surface. The dough should have a soft, elastic appearance and should jiggle slightly when the bowl is moved.
Avoid letting it ferment excessively. Over-fermented dough can become weak, sticky, and difficult to shape.
Shaping the Loaf
Once bulk fermentation is complete, gently transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.
Try not to press all the air out of it. The bubbles created during fermentation contribute to the final crumb.
First, gently shape the dough into a loose round and allow it to rest for approximately 15–20 minutes. This is called the bench rest.
Next, shape it more tightly. Fold the edges toward the center and gently turn the dough over. Using your hands, drag the dough carefully across the work surface to create surface tension.
A well-shaped loaf should feel elastic and hold its form rather than spreading immediately.
Place the shaped dough seam-side up in a well-floured banneton. If you do not have a banneton, a clean bowl lined with a heavily floured kitchen towel works well.
Cold Fermentation
Cover the dough and place it in the refrigerator for approximately 8–16 hours.
This long, cold fermentation is one of the secrets behind flavorful artisan sourdough. The slower fermentation allows the dough to develop a deeper aroma and more complex flavor.
It also makes the dough easier to score and transfer into the oven because cold dough is firmer and less sticky.
For convenience, you can prepare the dough in the evening, refrigerate it overnight, and bake it the following morning.
Baking the Bread
The next day, preheat your oven to approximately 250°C (480°F) with a Dutch oven inside. Allow it to heat for about 45 minutes so that the pot becomes thoroughly hot.
When you are ready to bake, carefully remove the hot Dutch oven. Take the dough directly from the refrigerator and turn it onto a sheet of parchment paper.
Using a sharp bread lame or very sharp knife, score the top of the dough. A simple long slash is enough for a classic artisan appearance.
Scoring gives the expanding gases a controlled place to escape during baking. Without scoring, the loaf may burst unpredictably.
Carefully place the dough into the hot Dutch oven and cover it with the lid.
Bake covered for approximately 20 minutes at 250°C. The covered environment traps steam, which keeps the crust flexible during the initial rise and helps create excellent oven spring.
After 20 minutes, remove the lid and reduce the temperature to approximately 230°C (450°F). Continue baking for another 20–25 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown.
For a darker, more flavorful crust, you can bake it a few minutes longer.
Cooling
One of the hardest parts of sourdough baking is waiting.
Once the bread is removed from the oven, place it on a wire rack and allow it to cool for at least one hour before slicing.
The inside continues to cook and set as it cools. Cutting the bread too early can result in a gummy or compressed crumb.
When completely cooled, use a serrated bread knife to slice it.
Troubleshooting
If your bread is dense, your starter may not have been active enough, or the dough may have been under-fermented.
If the dough becomes extremely sticky and difficult to shape, it may have fermented for too long, especially in a warm kitchen.
If the loaf spreads instead of rising upward, the dough may need stronger gluten development, better shaping, or a longer cold proof.
A pale crust usually means the bread needs more baking time or a higher finishing temperature.
Remember that sourdough is strongly affected by temperature. A dough that takes five hours to ferment in a warm kitchen might require considerably longer in a cool kitchen.
Final Tips for Success
The most important ingredient is an active starter. Your starter should be bubbly, fragrant, and capable of rising significantly after feeding. If it is weak, your bread may struggle to rise.
Use a kitchen scale whenever possible. Measuring flour by volume can introduce significant differences in hydration, while weighing ingredients provides much greater consistency.
Most importantly, learn to observe the dough. Sourdough is a living fermentation process, so temperature, flour, starter strength, and humidity can all change the timing.
Homemade artisan sourdough bread may require a little practice, but each loaf teaches you something new. Once you understand fermentation and learn how the dough should look and feel at each stage, the process becomes much easier.
The reward is a beautiful loaf with a crisp crust, chewy interior, rich flavor, and the satisfaction of having made it entirely from scratch. Serve it warm with butter, use it for sandwiches, or simply enjoy a fresh slice on its own. With patience and practice, homemade sourdough can become one of the most satisfying breads to bake in your own kitchen.
