THE ABSOLUTE EASIEST SOURDOUGH BREAD
INGREDIENTS
30g Mature Sourdough Starter
400g Bread Flour or All-Purpose Flour
Alternatively, you could use 360g Bread Flour or All-Purpose Flour + 40g Whole Wheat Flour
255g Water
9g Salt
STEPS
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine water, starter, and flour, and stir until all flour is completely saturated. Optionally, you can stir using your stand mixer for about 1-2 minutes.
Cover the dough and let it rest at room temperature for 25 minutes (this step is optional but recommended).
Add the salt, then knead the dough for 7-8 minutes in a stand mixer or by hand, until the dough becomes very smooth and elastic.
Form the dough into a rough ball and place it back into your bowl.
Cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise until it has grown in size by anywhere from 1.5X-3X (about 6-12 hours). I prefer to let the dough double in size, which takes about 8-10 hours at a room temperature of 72F.
Form the dough into a taught ball by folding it over itself about 4-8 times around the perimeter of the dough.
Place the dough onto a lightly-floured surface with the SEAM-SIDE UP in order to coat the non-seam side in flour
Flip the dough over onto an unfloured portion of your surface. The seam-side should now be facing down.
Drag the dough along your surface several times to develop tension.
Cover the dough with a floured dish towel, and allow the dough to rest for about 25 minutes (this step is optional but recommended).
Repeat the shaping and tension-forming process from steps 6-9 (without adding any additional flour), then place the dough into a floured banneton, with the SEAM-SIDE FACING DOWN.
Cover the banneton with a dough cover or place it into a sealed plastic bag, then allow the dough to rise at room temperature until about doubled in size again.
This should take about 8-12 hours at room temperature and by the time the dough is done proofing, it should spring back slowly when poked with your finger.
Preheat your oven to 500F (260C) with your baking vessel inside, and transfer your dough into the refrigerator.
Once the oven has been preheating for at least an hour, transfer the loaf to your baking vessel and bake with steam (i.e. with the Dutch oven lid on, or with trays of ice in the oven) for 18 minutes.
Remove the steam (either the Dutch oven lid or ice trays), then reduce the oven temperature to 450F (230C), and continue to bake for about 8-15 minutes, until the loaf is browned to your liking.
Allow the loaf to cool for at least one hour before cutting into it.
SAMPLE BAKING SCHEDULE #1 (TO BAKE IN THE EVENING)
DAY 1
10:00 PM - MIX DOUGH AND REST
10:30 PM - ADD SALT AND KNEAD
10:35 PM - BEGIN BULK RISE
DAY 2
8:30 AM - PRE-SHAPE DOUGH AND BENCH REST
9:00 AM - FINAL SHAPING AND TRANSFER TO BANNETON
7:00 PM - START PREHEATING OVEN AND BAKING VESSEL
8:00 PM - BAKE
SAMPLE BAKING SCHEDULE #2 (TO BAKE IN THE MORNING)
DAY 1
10:00 AM - MIX DOUGH AND REST
10:30 AM - ADD SALT AND KNEAD
10:35 AM - BEGIN BULK RISE
8:30 PM - PRE-SHAPE DOUGH AND BENCH REST
9:00 PM - FINAL SHAPING AND TRANSFER TO BANNETON
DAY 2
7:00 AM - START PREHEATING OVEN AND BAKING VESSEL
8:00 AM - BAKE
PRODUCTS USED IN THIS VIDEO
ALL OF MY BAKING EQUIPMENT
DOWNLOAD MY FREE SOURDOUGH QUICKSTART GUIDE
MY COOKING EQUIPMENT AND RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
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