See our Sourdough Starter recipe (link at bottom of this page) and then try your hand at your own Sourdough Bread by following this recipe! You will want to make Sourdough again and again! It’s an addictive recipe. Fair warning.
Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- Ingredients:
- 1 cup active sourdough starter
- 3 cups bread flour or a combination of bread flour and whole wheat flour
- 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Instructions:
- Day 1: Refresh Your Starter
- Take your sourdough starter out of the refrigerator and refresh it by feeding it with equal parts flour and water. Let it sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours until it becomes bubbly and active.
- Day 2: Mixing and Fermenting
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the active sourdough starter with the lukewarm water. Stir until the starter is fully dissolved in the water.
- Add the bread flour and salt to the bowl. Use a wooden spoon or your hands to mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Day 2 (continued): Folding and Shaping
- After the initial rest, perform a series of folds on the dough. To do this, grab one edge of the dough, stretch it upwards, and then fold it over the rest of the dough. Repeat this process from all four sides of the dough.
- Cover the bowl again and let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.
- Repeat the folding process two more times, allowing the dough to rest for 30 minutes between each set of folds.
- Day 2 (continued): Proofing
- After the final set of folds, shape the dough into a round ball by tucking the edges underneath and pulling the dough towards the center.
- Place the shaped dough seam-side down in a floured proofing basket or a bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel.
- Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or another clean kitchen towel and let it proof at room temperature for 3-4 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Baking:
- About 30 minutes before the dough has finished proofing, preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Place a Dutch oven or a baking stone on the middle rack of the oven to preheat as well.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, carefully transfer it to the preheated Dutch oven or baking stone. Score the top of the dough with a sharp knife or razor blade.
- Cover the Dutch oven with its lid (or use a baking sheet to cover the dough on the baking stone) and bake for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove the lid (or covering) and continue baking for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
- Enjoy! Your homemade sourdough bread is ready to be enjoyed. Serve it with your favorite toppings or enjoy it plain with a spread of butter.
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Sourdough Starter
Creating a sourdough starter is a simple process that requires just two ingredients: flour and water. Here's a basic recipe for making your own sourdough starter:
Check out this recipe