Use our sourdough starter to make this sourdough bread recipe. There are four steps to this process:• Making sourdough starter (see our recipe)• Making the leaven• Making the dough• Baking the bread*If your sourdough starter has been in the refrigerator, take it out 2 days before you plan to make bread with it and feed it. (Again, see our starter recipe for how to do this.)
Prep Time2 daysd
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Total Time2 daysd45 minutesmins
Course: Baking
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2loaves
Calories: 138kcal
Author: LittleCooksReadingBooks.com
Ingredients
FOR THE LEAVEN:
1Tablespoonactive sourdough startersee our recipe
1/2cupall-purpose flouror bread flour
1/3cupwater
FOR THE DOUGH:
2 1/2cupswaterdivided
1Tablespoonsalt
5 1/2cupsall-purpose flouror bread flour
Instructions
MAKE THE LEAVEN:
In a large bowl, combine 1 Tablespoon active sourdough starter (see our recipe), 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or bread flour), and 1/3 cup water.
Mix completely to form a thick batter.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap or lid and let sit at room temperature for 12 hours (or overnight).
After 12 hours (or overnight), the leaven will be ready to use if it is bubbly on top. Test the leaven by dropping a spoonful in a glass of warm water. If it floats, it's ready to use.
NEXT:
In a small bowl, mix: 1/4 cup water and 1 Tablespoon of salt. Stir. Set aside, stirring occasionally to dissolve the salt.
To the leaven, add 2 cups of water. Use your hands to break up the leaven in the water to help it dissolve. (Some clumps will remain.)
Add in 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour). Stir with a rubber spatula, making sure that no dry flour is left and a dough is formed.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or a clean dish towel) and let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes (but no longer than 4 hours). **This is called the autolyse stage.
After the rest period (autolyse stage), pour the dissolved salt water over the dough in the bowl. Pinch and squeeze the dough to distribute the salt water. (Dough will be loose and wet.)
FOLDING THE DOUGH (TOTAL: 2 1/2 HOUR PROCESS)
Starting on one side of the dough, grab the edge, lift up the edge, and then fold over the dough onto itself. Turn the bowl and repeat with the next edge, doing this a total of 4 times. **You are folding the dough and not kneading!
Let dough set (rest) for 30 minutes.
Repeat the process of folding the dough over again and then letting it rest for 30 minutes.
Repeat this process a total of 6 times, which is every 30 minutes for 2 1/2 hours. The dough will become tighter and smoother throughout the process.
After the final folding, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let it rest, undisturbed, for 30-60 minutes when it has puffed up slightly and looks a little larger than when you started. **It will NOT double in size.
DIVIDE & SHAPE THE DOUGH
Prepare a work surface by sprinkling a light layer of flour on it.
Gently, take the dough out of the bowl and place it on the floured work surface, being careful not to deflate the dough.
Use a pastry scraper (or large knife) and divide the dough in half.
Flour your hands or a pastry scraper and gently form each dough half into a round.
Rest the dough for 20-30 minutes.
While the dough is resting, line two mixing bowls (or even colandars) with clean dish towels. Dust the towels heavily with flour, using your fingers to rub the flour into the bottoms and sides. Use enough flour to form a thin layer on each dish towel. (It may seem like too much, but it's not!) These are your "proofing baskets."
Working with one dough ball at a time: Dust the first dough ball with flour. Using a pastry scraper, flip over the dough so now the floured side is down and the sticky side is up.
Shape the dough like you did earlier by folding. Starting with one side, grab the bottom of the dough and gently pull it up and over to the center. Repeat with each side until. Use your hands around the bottom edges to shape the dough into a round so it's tight. Repeat with second ball of dough.
Generously dust the tops and sides of the shaped dough with flour. Place them in the proofing baskets with the seams from shaping on the bottom (upside down).
Cover the proofing baskets loosely with plastic wrap. Let them rise for 3-4 hours at room temperature, until they poof up. (You can also allow them to rise overnight by placing them in the refrigerator for 12-15 hours).
BAKE THE BREAD!
Heat oven to 500°F.
Place two Dutch ovens or heavy pots with lids into the oven to heat.
Carefully remove one of the Dutch ovens/pots from the oven and remove the lid. Carefully place one dough round into the pot (seam side down). Repeat with second loaf in second pot. (If you only have one Dutch oven or heavy pot, just bake one bread round and then the second round after.)
Using a serrated knife, score the bread.
Cover with lid and place back in oven. Bake for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 450°F and bake the bread for 10 more minutes. **DO NOT LIFT THE LID TO CHECK THE BREAD. ALLOW IT TO CONTINUE BAKING.
After the 10 minutes, remove the lid(s) and continue baking another 15-25 minutes. After this, the loaves will be springy and dry and start to have a golden color. Continue baking until the loaves are a deep, dark golden brown (probably darker than you feel comfortable with).
Remove pots from oven and carefully (using tongs or a spatula) lift the loaves out of the pots and place them on wire cooling racks.
Cool to room temperature before slicing with a bread knife.
Store sourdough bread at room temperature in a paper bag for 3 days or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.