sourdough recipe

Here is a reliable, beginner-friendly recipe for a classic Everyday Sourdough Bread. It uses a standard 72% hydration, which makes the dough easy to handle while delivering a crispy crust and an open, chewy crumb.

Ingredients & Schedule

• Active Sourdough Starter (bubbly, fed ~4–8 hours prior): 100 g

• Water (room temperature): 350 g

• Bread Flour (or unbleached all-purpose): 500 g

• Fine Sea Salt: 10 g

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Mix the Dough (Autolyse): In a large bowl, whisk together 100 g active starter and 350 g water until combined. Add 500 g bread flour and mix with a spatula or your hands until all flour is hydrated into a shaggy dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.

2. Add Salt: Sprinkle 10 g salt over the dough. Dimple it in with your fingers and stretch/fold the dough in the bowl for 2–3 minutes until the salt is evenly incorporated and the dough starts to feel smooth.

3. Stretch and Fold (Bulk Fermentation): Over the next 2 hours, perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds spaced 30 minutes apart:

   • Grab one edge of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over the top to the opposite side.

   • Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Do this for all 4 sides.

   • Cover between sets.

4. Bulk Rise: After the last fold, cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature until it increases in volume by roughly 50%, shows small air bubbles on the surface, and feels light/domed (typically 3 to 5 hours depending on room temperature).

5. Shape:

   • Lightly flour your work surface and turn out the dough.

   • Gently pull the edges outward, then fold the top down to the center, sides into the middle, and bottom up (like an envelope).

   • Flip it seam-side down and use your hands to drag the round loaf (boule) toward you across the counter to create surface tension.

   • Let rest uncovered for 10 minutes, then re-tighten into a smooth sphere if needed.

6. Cold Proof (Retard): Dust a proofing basket (banneton) or a bowl lined with a tea towel with rice flour (or bread flour). Transfer the dough seam-side up into the basket. Cover with a plastic bag or cover, and refrigerate for 12 to 16 hours (overnight).

7. Bake:

   • Place a Dutch oven with its lid inside your oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C) for at least 45 minutes.

   • Turn the cold dough out onto parchment paper. Dust the top lightly with flour and score a deep arc across the top using a sharp razor or bread lame.

   • Carefully place the parchment and dough into the preheated Dutch oven. Add 1–2 ice cubes under the parchment (optional, for extra steam).

   • Bake with lid on: 20 minutes.

   • Bake with lid off: Lower temperature to 425°F (220°C) and bake for another 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown.

8. Cool: Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely for at least 2 hours before slicing. Cutting into warm sourdough will make the interior gummy.