Original Post: https://www.sweetandsavorybyshinee.com/sourdough-bread/
Easy Sourdough Bread
Servings: 1 loaf
Calories: 1896kcal
This no-fuss, easy sourdough bread has a lacey crumb, the perfect amount of tang, and a crispy crust. Enjoy step-by-step instructions for beginners & experts alike.
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Ingredients
- 350 grams warm water about 90°F
- 100 grams ripe sourdough starter
- 500 grams bread flour Note 1
- 10 grams salt
- brown rice flour for dusting
Instructions
Before you start:
- Feed the starter 8-12 hours prior to making the bread dough. You need a nice and ripe starter. Test the starter by dropping a small amount into a water. If it floats, it’s ripe and ready to use!
To mix the dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water and ripe starter. Mix until most of the starter is broken up and mixed into the water.
- Add flour and salt.
- Use a silicone spatula, or your hand, or the dough hook attachment, knead the dough until all the flour is incorporated, about 2 minutes. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Then knead it again for 5 minutes, if using a stand mixer, or about 8 minutes, if kneading by hand. (Note: Don’t be alarmed by soft and sticky dough. It’s exactly as it should be, and it’ll get easier to handle.) Cover the dough with plastic wrap (or shower cap) and rest for 30 minutes.
To laminate & bulk ferment the dough:
- Turn the dough out onto a clean counter, lightly sprayed with water. Gently stretch the dough out as far as it can go. Then lift the bottom end and fold it over the center of the dough. Then do the same with the top side of the dough. Now, lift the sides of the dough and fold it over onto the center as well. Then tuck the corners to form a nice smooth ball. Using a bench scraper, turn the dough into tight ball to create a surface tension. Please watch my video demonstration for better understanding. (TIP: Lightly dampen your hands with water. It minimizes the dough sticking to your hands.)
- Put the dough back into the bowl, cover and bulk ferment for 5-6 hours at room temperature (around 70°F). (Note: If you have time, I also encourage you to do additional 1-2 lamination about 1 hour apart. It helps to strengthen the gluten structure and promotes nice open crumb.)
To pre-shape:
- Turn the dough out onto a clean counter, lightly sprayed with water. With lightly dampened hands, stretch and fold the dough again as described in step 6. Form the dough into a tight ball and let it rest for 10 minutes, covered. Resting allows the dough to relax and it’ll be easier to shape it.
- Flip the dough smooth side down and stretch the top portion slightly and fold it over the center. Do the same thing with the bottom portion. You should now have a log shaped dough. Then from the short end, roll the dough as if you’re rolling a burrito. Tightly pinch the seams.
- Generously dust the banneton basket with brown rice flour and put the bread dough into it, seam-side up.
To proof the dough:
- Cover the banneton with plastic wrap, or the same shower cap. And let it proof for 1 hour at room temperature, then place it in the fridge for overnight, 8-10 hours, for cold proofing. OR proof the dough for 2 hours at room temperature and bake right away. (Note: Slow cold proofing helps to develop more flavor. But in my experience, it didn’t affect the oven spring.)
To bake the bread:
- Preheat the oven with bread cloche to 425°F (218°C) for at least 1 hour. (If using Dutch oven, you may or may not preheat it. I’ve tried either way and didn’t see significant difference.)
- Poke test: Poke the dough in the banneton with your finger about half an inch deep. If the dough springs right back, then it’s under-proofed. If the dough doesn’t spring back at all, it’s over-proofed. You want your dough spring back slowly and leave a small indentation.
- Carefully invert the proofed bread dough onto the hot cloche. Spritz the top of the bread with water and score it to your desired pattern. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. (TIP: Spraying water helps to create more steam and encourages a good oven spring. The bread crust also gets nice blisters from water sprays.)
- Then remove the cover and bake the bread for another 15 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the bread onto a wire rack and cool completely for at least 3 hours before slicing into it. (TIP: If sliced too soon, the bread will be unpleasantly gummy.)
Notes
Yields: 1 loaf weighs around 780 grams.
Note 1: I recommend high protein bread flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur, as they openly share the protein content of their bread flour unlike other brands.
Storing Tips:
- Sourdough bread is best enjoyed within 24 hours of baking it.
- Store cooled sourdough bread in a large tea towel or a large plastic bag.
- A large sealed plastic bag will ensure the inside stays soft, but softens the crust. A large tea towel ensures the crust stays crisp, but the bread dries out faster. Choose whichever feels more important to you!
- If the sourdough loaf is cut, place the loaf cut-side down before you cover with a towel.
- Sourdough bread is best enjoyed within 24 hours of baking it.
- Store cooled sourdough bread in a large tea towel or a large plastic bag.
- A large sealed plastic bag will ensure the inside stays soft, but softens the crust. A large tea towel ensures the crust stays crisp, but the bread dries out faster. Choose whichever feels more important to you!
- If the sourdough loaf is cut, place the loaf cut-side down before you cover with a towel.
Nutrition
Calories: 1896kcal
Carbohydrates: 382g
Protein: 63g
Fat: 9g
Sugar: 2g
Sodium: 3905mg