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Sourdough Bread Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 51 reviews

This classic sourdough bread recipe features a chewy center, a crisp golden crust, and is made using natural sourdough starter. The dough requires no kneading, relies on stretch and fold techniques, and is baked to perfection in a Dutch oven, resulting in bakery-quality bread at home.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 4 cups (500g) bread flour or all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons (10g) salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 1⅔ cups (375g) warm water
  • 1 cup (200g) active sourdough starter

Instructions

  1. Mix flour and water: In a large mixing bowl, combine 4 cups of flour and 1⅔ cups of warm water. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then let it rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Add starter and salt: After resting, add 1 cup of active sourdough starter and 2 teaspoons of salt. Mix well until fully combined.
  3. First fermentation and stretch & folds: Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let the dough sit at room temperature. Every 30 minutes for 2 hours, perform a set of stretch and folds. To stretch and fold, pull one side of the dough upward and fold it over itself, then turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat three more times.
  4. Bulk rise: After the final fold, cover the bowl again and allow the dough to rise for 6 to 8 hours until it doubles in size and appears bubbly and puffy.
  5. Shape and cold proof: Gently transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a round or oval loaf by folding and tucking the edges underneath. Place it seam-side up into a floured proofing basket or towel-lined bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
  6. Preheat oven and Dutch oven: The next day, place a Dutch oven into your oven and preheat to 450°F (232°C).
  7. Prepare dough for baking: Remove the dough from the fridge and turn it out onto parchment paper. Score the top of the dough with a sharp knife or razor blade to allow for oven spring.
  8. Bake covered: Carefully lower the dough into the hot Dutch oven using the parchment paper. Cover and bake for 20 minutes.
  9. Bake uncovered: Remove the lid and bake uncovered for another 25 minutes to develop a golden, crispy crust.
  10. Cool: Take the bread out of the Dutch oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing to ensure the crumb sets properly.

Notes

  • Using a Dutch oven traps steam, which helps develop a crisp crust and good oven spring.
  • Make sure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly before using for best rise.
  • Cold proofing in the fridge slows fermentation and enhances flavor.
  • Allow bread to cool completely before slicing to prevent a gummy texture.
  • If you don’t have a proofing basket, use a bowl lined with a well-floured kitchen towel.

Keywords: sourdough bread, no knead bread, homemade bread, Dutch oven bread, natural leavening, artisan bread

Find it online: https://familyfavplates.com/sourdough-bread-recipe/