Everyday Sourdough Bread
Classic everyday sourdough recipe, yielding two golden loaves, with a blistered crust, medium open crumb, and that delicious, naturally tangy sourdough flavor.
Servings: 2 loaves
Equipment
- electric stand mixer optional
- 2 banneton bread baskets
- 6 qt. dutch oven
- 1 bread lame
- spray water bottle optional
Ingredients
Levain
- 50 grams sourdough starter
- 50 grams 00 bread flour (13% protein)
- 50 grams medium or light rye flour or whole wheat flour
- 100 grams warm water
Everyday Sourdough Bread
- 900 grams 00 bread flour (13% protein) (I use Caputo 00 flour)
- 90 grams whole wheat flour or French T150
- 10 grams medium or light rye flour or French T130
- 730 grams water #1 cool
- 200 grams levain or ripe sourdough starter
- 20 grams fine sea salt
- 20 grams water #2 (bassinage) cool
Extras
- rice flour for dusting bannetons
Instructions
Build Your Levain
- This recipe starts with a separate levain made from your main sourdough starter. If you already have a ripe, bubbly, active starter ready to use, you can skip this step and use it in place of the levain.
- To make the levain, mix the sourdough starter, flours, and warm water in a clear jar with a lid. Mark the level of the mixed levain with a rubber band or marker. Cover and let sit at warm room temperature (78–80°F) for 2–3 hours, until bubbly and doubled in size. Once the levain has reached its peak height, it’s ready to use.50 grams sourdough starter, 50 grams 00 bread flour (13% protein), 50 grams medium or light rye flour , 100 grams warm water
- At this point, feed your main sourdough starter (your “mother”) and either leave it at room temperature or return it to the refrigerator.
Mixing Dough with Stand Mixer
- Mix Dough and Fermentolyse: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 200 grams of ripe levain and water #1, then mix by hand with a dough whisk to blend the two. Next, add the 00 and whole-wheat flours. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed (No. 2 on a KitchenAid) for 2-3 minutes. Using a higher speed will overheat the dough.900 grams 00 bread flour (13% protein), 90 grams whole wheat flour, 730 grams water #1, 200 grams levain or ripe sourdough starter, 10 grams medium or light rye flour
- Stop halfway through to scrape the bowl's bottom and sides with a bowl scraper, catching any dry bits. This initial mix will help build a strong gluten structure in the dough. The dough should not get warmer than 82°F (28°C).
- Cover and let rest at 78–80°F for 40 minutes. This is the fermentolyse, where the dough rests before the salt is added. You’ll add the salt along with a small amount of reserved water (bassinage) during the final mix.
- Final Mix of Salt and Water: Sprinkle the salt and water #2 over the dough. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until combined, 1-2 minutes. Scrape the dough into a large ceramic or glass bowl, or a plastic dough tub. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.20 grams fine sea salt, 20 grams water #2 (bassinage)
Optional Mixing By Hand
- Mix By Hand: In a large mixing bowl, use a dough whisk to whisk the levain and water together until well combined. Add the flour and mix by hand until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms. Cover and rest for 40 minutes.
- Final Mix of Salt and Water: Sprinkle the salt and water #2 over the dough. Use your hand to squeeze them into the dough, then perform a few stretch-and-folds to incorporate them fully. Grab one side of the dough, pull it upward, then stretch it back over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat for two turns, or until the salt and water are evenly incorporated. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
Coil Folds
- Now that the dough has been fully mixed, you will give it 3 sets of coil folds at 30-minute intervals.
- Coil Fold #1: Lightly wet your hands, and tuck them underneath both sides of the dough. Scoop underneath and slowly lift, allowing the dough to stretch upward. The ends may still cling to the bowl at this stage, that’s okay. Tuck whatever you can underneath itself.
- Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. It may take two turns before the dough begins to resist, hold its shape, and form a more round blob rather than loose, shaggy dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes at 78–80°F.
- Coil Fold #2: Repeat the coil folds. The dough should already feel less shaggy, more stretchy, and more cohesive. Cover and rest for another 30 minutes.
- Coil Fold #3: Repeat the coil folds. The dough should continue to strengthen, becoming increasingly elastic and cohesive. Cover and let rest for 2–3 hours. Keep the dough at room temperature 78–80°F otherwise, it will take longer in a cooler environment.
- End Bulk Fermentation: About 4–5 hours total should have passed since you first mixed the dough. Look for these signs that bulk fermentation is complete: the dough has risen about 40%, small scattered bubbles have formed across the surface, the dough easily pulls away from the sides of the bowl without tearing, the center begins to dome, and the dough feels more elastic.
- If the dough doesn’t look ready, let it ferment for another 30 minutes and check again.
Pre-Shape & Shape
- Prep bannetons with a light coating of sifted rice flour.rice flour
- Pre-Shape: Lightly flour your work surface and gently scrape out the dough. Using a bench knife, divide it in half. Lightly shape each piece into a round. Leave uncovered and rest for 30 minutes.
- Final Shape: Shape each loaf into either a round boule or oval batard using lightly wet hands. Place each loaf seam-side up in a proofing basket and pinch the seams together.
Cold Proof
- Cover the baskets and refrigerate for 12-48 hours.
Next Day Score and Bake
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for 1 hour with the Dutch oven inside.
- When ready to bake, remove one loaf from the refrigerator. Turn it out of the banneton onto parchment paper or a silicone bread mat. Lightly mist the surface with water or dust with rice flour, then score the loaf with a bread lame.
- Carefully transfer the loaf to the preheated Dutch oven. Use oven mitts to cover with the hot lid and place on the middle rack. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C). With your oven mitts, remove the lid and bake for another 14–15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 208°F (97°C) and the crust reaches your desired darkness.
- Remove the loaf from the Dutch oven and transfer directly onto a wire rack. Let cool for 2 hours before slicing.
- Repeat with the second loaf, reheating the Dutch oven and returning the oven temperature to 500°F (260°C) before baking.
Notes
- Storage
- Room Temp: Store leftover sourdough bread in an airtight container or bread bag at room temperature for a day or two.
- Freezer: Cut the bread into slices and put a piece of parchment in between each slice. Wrap in freezer safe film and freeze for up to three months.