Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe

In a large bowl, combine the 650 grams water and 200 grams starter. Break apart the starter with your fingers until evenly dispersed throughout the water.

Add the 85 grams whole wheat flour, 500 grams medium bread flour, and 315 grams high gluten bread flour. Combine with a Danish whisk or with fingers until no dry bits of flour remain. Cover and let rest 45 minutes.

Remove the cover from the bowl. The dough should be much softer and hydrated. Sprinkle the 20 grams of salt and 20 grams of water over the top of the dough. Pinch the dough together until all of the salt and water is mixed into the dough. This is the beginning of bulk fermentation.

Cover and let rest 40 minutes.

Remove the cover from the bowl. Wet your fingers with water to prevent the dough from sticking as you handle it. Stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over to the other side. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and stretch and fold dough again. Repeat two more times, completing this first series of stretches and folds on all four sides of the dough. Cover and let rest 40 minutes.

Complete a series of four stretches and folds.Cover and let rest for 40 minutes.

Complete a series of four stretches and folds. Cover and let rest for the remainder of bulk fermentation.

Allow dough to rest for the remainder of bulk fermentation. This could take anywhere for 2 to 4 hours. Bulk fermentation is complete when the dough has increased in volume about 20-30%, has a few bubbles on top, and the edges are ridged and slightly pulling away from the bowl.

Wet your fingers with water to handle the dough. Gently loosen the edges of the dough from the bowl. Turn the bowl upside down, releasing the dough from the bowl.

Wet your dough scraper with water and divide the dough into two equal pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, use your dough scraper to round out the dough, tightening and smoothing the surface.

Let dough rest uncovered for 30 minutes.

Working with one loaf at a time, flip the dough over and shape into either a boule or batard. See video for details. Place in floured proofing baskets top side down. Cover with a plastic bag. See notes for same day baking option.

Place covered loaves in the refrigerator overnight or up to 48 hours. This is an important step that slows down the fermentation process, allowing for a deeper flavor and making the bread more digestible.

Position oven rack on position just lower from the center. Place dutch oven on top and preheat it with the oven to 475°F/245°C. Allow oven to preheat at least 30 minutes. (*see notes for baking tips)

Once oven is preheated, remove loaf from refrigerator. (*see notes) Place parchment paper over the top of the basket. Quickly flip the basket over, releasing the loaf onto the parchment. Now the loaf should be top-side-up. Dust with rice flour. Score loaf as desired.

Remove the dutch oven from the oven and take off the lid. Quickly transfer the loaf into the dutch oven by lifting it with the sides of the parchment. Place the lid back onto the dutch oven and bake for 14 minutes.

Without opening the oven, decrease oven temperature to 450°F/232°C and bake an additional 14 minutes.

Remove lid from dutch oven. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until loaf is desired golden brown.

Remove from oven and place on wire cooling rack. Allow loaf to cool completely before slicing (at least 2 hours).