2 min read

Sourdough Bread

When I first learn how to bake, I went through a video describing how to make a sourdough bread. The whole complicated process and time consuming to make this bread really frustrate me and I thought no I don't think I can ever do this. But then for so many reasons I had a calling, a motivation to just try. I never had a sourdough bread in my life at that point, so it is not because I already knew how it tastes and wanted to enjoy the bread again. I mean I just knew this bread is something worth learning and no matter how hard it is to make, I will have to try it. It turns out I was right. I love sourdough bread and the whole process to produce it. It taught us about patience, delicateness and the beauty of hard work. If you are looking for something to challenge yourself, you are at the right place. Let 's try making a sourdough bread.

Sourdough Bread Recipe

Equipments:

Dutch oven
Proofing Basket
Scoring Bread Lame

Preparation:

If you already have and know how to make sourdough starter, you can skip this and go to the ingredients. If you have not, then be prepared to wait for 7-10 days to create your sourdough starter before you come back to this page for making the bread.

Here is the link to make sourdough starter: https://www.oneteaspoonart.com/post/sourdough-starter

Sourdough Bread Ingredients for 1 loaf (duplicate if you want to make 2 at once):

340g (2 cups) bread flour
90g (3/4 cup) whole wheat
9g (1 1/4 teaspoon) fine sea salt
70g (1/4 cup) leaven
330g water

Procedure:

A night before, prepare leaven (8-12 hours before adding in the dough) by mixing:

10g sourdough starter (active, fed)
30g whole wheat flour
30g water

Next morning - Day 1

11:00 am: Start the autolyze (a.k.a. fully hydrated flour). Mix bread flour, whole wheat and water. Mix until the dough comes together. Take 3-5 minutes. Don’t over mix. Proof for 1 hour.
12:00: Mix sourdough starter and salt in the dough. Bulk fermentation starts (4 hours in total).
12:15: #1 stretch and fold. Rest 15 minutes.
12:30: #2 stretch and fold. Rest 15 minutes.
12:45: #3 stretch and fold. Rest 30 minutes.
13:15: #4 stretch and fold. Rest 30 minutes.
13: 45: #5 stretch and fold. Rest 30 minutes.
14:15: #6 stretch and fold. Rest 1 hour 30 minutes.
15:45: Transfer the dough to a clean surface. Pre-shape the dough. Let rest 15 minutes.
16:00: final shape. Then place the dough in proofing basket. Proof overnight in the fridge.

Next morning - Day 2:

Preheat the oven to 500 F. Place a dutch oven in and let it sit in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Take the dough out of the fridge, place on a parchment paper, score the dough so it can easily open up when rising.
Take the dutch oven out right after the scoring is done. Hold the parchment paper and carefully place the dough inside the dutch oven. Close the lid and place in the oven.
Reduce the oven down to 470 F and bake for 20 minutes first.
After 20 minutes, remove the lid, reduce the temperature down to 450 F, let the bread bake for 20 minutes more.

Here is my sourdough bread gallery: