Here’s a classic sourdough bread recipe 🥖 — naturally leavened, tangy, and full of flavor. I’ll break it down step by step so it’s easy to follow.
🥖 Sourdough Bread
Ingredients (Makes 1 loaf)
- 1 cup (240 g) active sourdough starter
- 1½ cups (360 ml) warm water
- 4 cups (480 g) all-purpose or bread flour
- 2 tsp salt
Instructions
1️⃣ Feed Your Starter
- Ensure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly
- Feed it 4–8 hours before making the dough
2️⃣ Mix the Dough
- In a large bowl, combine starter and water
- Add flour and mix until all is hydrated
- Let rest 30 minutes (autolyse)
3️⃣ Add Salt & Knead
- Sprinkle salt over dough
- Knead gently for 5–10 minutes or use stretch and fold technique
4️⃣ Bulk Fermentation
- Cover the bowl with a cloth
- Let dough rise at room temperature 4–6 hours
- Every 30–60 minutes, stretch and fold the dough 3–4 times
5️⃣ Shape the Loaf
- Turn dough onto a floured surface
- Shape into a round boule or oval batard
- Place in a proofing basket or bowl lined with floured cloth
6️⃣ Final Proof
- Cover and let rise 1–3 hours at room temperature
- For deeper flavor, refrigerate overnight (cold fermentation)
7️⃣ Preheat Oven
- Place a Dutch oven or baking stone in the oven
- Preheat to 450°F / 230°C for at least 30 minutes
8️⃣ Bake
- Carefully transfer dough to hot Dutch oven
- Score the top with a sharp knife
- Cover and bake 20 minutes
- Remove lid, bake 20–25 minutes more until golden brown
- Tap the bottom — it should sound hollow
9️⃣ Cool
- Let bread cool completely on a rack before slicing
- Cutting too early will make it gummy
💡 Tips for Perfect Sourdough
- Hydration: wetter dough → more open crumb
- Fermentation: longer, slower rises = tangier flavor
- Scoring: allows controlled expansion in oven
- Storage: keep at room temp 2–3 days or freeze slices
If you want, I can also give a “quick sourdough no-knead version” that takes less than 24 hours and still tastes amazing.
Do you want me to do that?