Cakes & Bread
Classic Crusty Homemade Sourdough Bread
Prep
30 min
Cook
45 min
Servings
10
Level
Hard
Sourdough bread is a naturally fermented bread with a crispy, crusty crust and a chewy, airy interior, made without any instant yeast at all. Its gentle tangy flavor, characteristic of long fermentation, gives this bread a unique character compared to regular bread. Perfect for beginners who want to start learning artisan bread baking at home with their own sourdough starter.
🧂 Ingredients
🍽️ Servings: 10
Adjust the servings and the ingredient amounts & nutrition below update automatically.
- 100 grams active sourdough starter (fed 4-8 hours beforehand)
- 500 grams high-protein all-purpose flour
- 350 ml room temperature water
- 10 grams fine salt
- 2 tbsp rice flour or semolina for dusting
🛒 Products You Might Need
Juicer Machines with 5.8" Large Chute, 2-in-1 Cold Press Juicer for Whole Vegetables Fruits 400W, Masticating juicer Easy to Clean Juice Extractor Machine for Making Nut Mike, Juice, Premium Gray
Anybear 200W Cold Press Juicer, 4.3" Whole Fruit Chute, Juice Recipes
$119.99
Meat Slicer Machine for Home, 200W Food Slicer with Two 7.5" Blades
$129.99
Ninja Air Fryer Pro, 5 Qt, 4-in-1, Grey, AF141
$81.99
* Affiliate links — you can help support KulinerBDG by shopping through them
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1 Make sure your sourdough starter is active and has risen to its peak (it should float when tested in water). Feed the starter 4-8 hours before using it.
- 2 In a large bowl, combine the water and active starter, stirring until the starter dissolves slightly into the water.
- 3 Add the flour to the water-starter mixture and mix with your hand or a spatula until there's no more dry flour; the dough will look rough and sticky. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let it rest (autolyse) for 30-60 minutes.
- 4 Sprinkle the salt over the dough, then squeeze and fold the dough in the bowl until the salt is evenly incorporated, about 3-5 minutes.
- 5 Perform the stretch and fold technique: wet your hands, pull one side of the dough up and fold it into the center, rotate the bowl 90 degrees, and repeat 4 times. Let rest for 30 minutes.
- 6 Repeat this stretch and fold process every 30 minutes, 4-6 times total, over a total of 2-3 hours (this is called bulk fermentation). The dough will feel stronger, smoother, and slightly puffier.
- 7 Once bulk fermentation is complete (the dough has risen about 30-50% and has bubbles on the surface), turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape the dough into a round by pulling the edges down toward the bottom until the top surface is tight and smooth.
- 8 Place the dough seam-side up into a banneton or a bowl lined with a cloth dusted with rice flour. Cover and place in the refrigerator for cold proofing for 12-18 hours (overnight).
- 9 The next day, preheat the oven with a Dutch oven/heatproof pot inside at 480°F (250°C) for 30-45 minutes before baking.
- 10 Remove the dough from the refrigerator and flip it onto parchment paper so the seam side faces down. Score the surface of the dough with a sharp knife or lame in a pattern of your choice; this is important so the bread rises evenly while baking.
- 11 Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven, place the dough along with the parchment paper into the Dutch oven, cover tightly, and bake at 450°F (230°C) for 20 minutes with the lid on.
- 12 Remove the lid from the Dutch oven and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when the bottom is tapped.
- 13 Remove the bread from the Dutch oven, place it on a wire rack, and let it cool for at least 1 hour before slicing so the interior texture sets perfectly.
💡 Tips
• Don't rush the shaping step if the dough hasn't gone through a full enough bulk fermentation; a ready dough has risen 30-50% and feels light and full of air bubbles.
• Test your starter with the 'float test': take a small bit of starter and drop it into water; if it floats, the starter is active enough to use.
• Overnight cold proofing in the fridge isn't just about scheduling convenience — it also gives the bread a more complex flavor and a more balanced tanginess.
• If you don't have a Dutch oven, you can use a regular baking sheet and place a pan of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven to create steam that helps give the crust its crispy texture.
📊 Nutrition Facts / serving
180 kkal
Calories (kcal)
6 gramg
Protein
0.7 gramg
Fat
37 gramg
Carbs
💬 Comments (0)
Log In to leave a comment!
No comments yet. Be the first! 😊