Are you a sourdough pro? Not me. I am a lucky novice, but this recipe is just about foolproof, and because I’ve been getting questions about how I make this loaf, I’m sharing all the details with you.
If you’ve always wanted to try making your own sourdough, stay with me. This recipe actually belongs to KING ARTHUR BAKING, and I’ve adapted it to suit my needs and my schedule. Their blog post called Don’t Be a Bread Hostage caught my attention and helped make sense of the wide universe of sourdough rules and tips out there. The recipe referred to in this article is called Pain de Campagne (Country Bread), which is on their site too.
I bought Fresh Sourdough Starter here. It arrived quickly (within a couple of days), and came with instructions to begin feeding it the same day. I followed instructions carefully. To my delight, the starter was ready to bake with in about 3 days. The maintenance instructions also help you keep the party going for more weekly sourdough fun.
I ended up buying a few pieces of helpful equipment. I already had a Le Creuset Dutch oven, glass jar(s), and a digital scale (this OXO one is nice) – all of which have come in very handy.
I did buy a silicone round loaf lifter (to move the dough into the hot Dutch oven); proofing basket with liner and a cover. I bought my basket and liner from King Arthur and found a cover I liked on Etsy, but there are lots of them on Amazon too. I also found a nice bread lame to score the loaf when ready to bake.
I bought a Raisenne dough warming pad, which you probably don’t need, but mine has been useful on chilly days when our room temperature is around 68. It can also reduce bulk proofing time on the counter.
I also bought an instant-read bread thermometer made by Thermapen. It’s kind of like this one that you can find on Amazon. It may not be necessary either, but it’s given me extra confidence to know it’s perfectly baked inside.
As mentioned above, this recipe is from King Arthur Baking. I’ve adapted the instructions and make a single loaf instead of two.
Happy baking!
EASY SOURDOUGH COUNTRY BREAD
450 grams unbleached bread flour
50 grams whole wheat flour
400 grams tepid water
10 grams table salt
20 grams starter
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. It’s fine to use sourdough starter straight from the refrigerator if that’s where you keep it, though it’s best if you’ve fed it at least once in the past week.
Mix ingredients by hand until the dough forms what’s called a shaggy mass (where ingredients are still a little rough and lumpy looking). You are simply combining ingredients here, so do make sure no visible traces of dry flour are left.
Cover bowl and let dough rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Stretch and fold time! Fold the dough by grabbing a section from one side with a wet hand, lifting it up, then pressing it down to the middle to seal. Repeat this with the remaining three sides of the dough. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Fold the dough two more times, giving it a 15-minute rest between the two, for a total of three sets of folds in 45 minutes. As you perform the folds you’ll notice that the dough smooths out, gaining strength and becoming more elastic.
Cover the dough tightly after the final fold, and leave it at room temperature (approximately 72°F) for about 12 hours. It’s helpful to mark the height of the dough to gauge how much it rises.
Pre-shape time! Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently form into a round shape. Cover with a towel, and let rest seam-side down for about 10 or 15 minutes.
Final shape time! Generously dust a lined round brotform or towel-lined large bowl with whole wheat or brown rice flour. Shape the loaf into a tight round (or boule). This link gives more “how to shape” instructions. Place it seam-side up into the prepared brotform or bowl, and cover them with a plastic bag or shower cap.
If your dough doubled (or came close to doubling) during the 12-hour rise period, immediately place the boule in the refrigerator. But if your dough was a bit more sluggish, let the boule rest at room temperature for another 60 minutes to give it a head start on the second rise.
Let the boule rest in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours, depending on your schedule.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven. Start by placing a Dutch oven (I love my Le Creuset) or other lidded bread baker, onto a rack in the lowest third of your oven. Preheat oven (and Dutch oven) to 500°F for 45 minutes (you’ll want to ensure that your Dutch oven is tough enough to withstand preheating, because not all are).
Turn loaf out onto a piece of parchment paper and slash it with a bread lame or sharp knife.
Remove the preheated Dutch oven from the oven. Carefully transfer the loaf to the Dutch oven, with the help of parchment paper or bread sling.
Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and place in in the oven.
Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 450°F and bake the covered loaf for 20 minutes. Remove the lid from the Dutch oven and bake the loaf for 20 to 25 minutes uncovered, until deep golden brown. If you have a bread thermometer you are testing for between 205 to 210 degrees.
Remove the loaf from the oven and carefully turn it out of the Dutch oven onto a rack to cool completely.
Store leftover bread, loosely wrapped, for several days, or freeze for longer storage.
Copyright © Vicki Brett-Gach | Ann Arbor Vegan Kitchen
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