How to make the best Sourdough bread

Making a good sourdough bread requires some patience and attention to detail. Here’s a general step-by-step guide to help you make a delicious sourdough loaf:

Ingredients:

• 400g bread flour (high protein flour works best)
• 100g whole wheat flour (or rye flour for added flavor)
• 350g water (filtered or tap water without chlorine)
• 100g active sourdough starter (a mixture of equal parts flour and water that’s been allowed to ferment)
• 8g salt

Instructions:

1. Refresh your sourdough starter: If your sourdough starter has been in the refrigerator, take it out and feed it equal parts of flour and water. Allow it to sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours or until it becomes active and doubles in size.

2. Autolyse: In a large bowl, mix the bread flour, whole wheat (or rye) flour, and water until it forms a shaggy dough. Let it rest for 30 minutes. This process, known as autolyse, allows the flour to hydrate fully, making it easier to handle and improving the dough’s texture.

3. Add the starter and salt: After the autolyse, add the active sourdough starter and salt to the dough. Use your hands or a dough scraper to incorporate the ingredients thoroughly.

4. Kneading/Folding: Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10-15 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic. Alternatively, you can use a folding technique. To fold, grab one side of the dough, stretch it, and fold it over the rest of the dough. Rotate the bowl and repeat the process until you’ve done it about 4-5 times.

5. Bulk Fermentation: Place the dough back into the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and let it ferment at room temperature for 3-5 hours. During this time, perform a series of “stretch and fold” every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. This helps develop the gluten and strengthen the dough.

6. Shaping: Once the dough has doubled in size, lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out. Gently shape it into a round or oval loaf. You can use a banneton (a proofing basket) lined with a cloth or a well-floured bowl to help the dough hold its shape.

7. Final Proofing: Place the shaped dough into the banneton or bowl, cover it, and let it proof at room temperature for another 2-4 hours, or until it increases in size and passes the “poke test.” To perform the poke test, lightly press your finger into the dough. If the indentation slowly springs back, it’s ready.

8. Preheat your oven: About 30 minutes before the final proofing is complete, preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with a Dutch oven or a lidded oven-safe pot inside.

9. Scoring: Carefully turn the proofed dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Use a sharp knife or a lame to make shallow slashes on the surface of the dough. This allows the bread to expand evenly while baking.

10. Baking: Carefully place the parchment paper with the dough into the preheated Dutch oven or pot. Cover it with the lid and bake for 20 minutes. Then, remove the lid and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes or until the crust turns golden brown.

11. Cooling: Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing. This allows the crumb to set properly.

Remember that sourdough baking can be influenced by various factors like temperature, humidity, and the specific characteristics of your sourdough starter. So, it may take a few attempts to perfect your sourdough bread, but the reward is a delicious homemade loaf with a wonderful tangy flavor and beautiful texture. Enjoy!