Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe for Home Bakers

Are you eager to start baking your own sourdough bread at home? This timeless tradition, dating back centuries, offers a uniquely satisfying experience, not just in flavor but also in the process itself. With this simple guide, you'll learn an easy sourdough bread recipe that yields a deliciously crusty loaf with a tender, airy interior. Ready to start? Let's dive into the world of home sourdough baking!

Why Sourdough?

Sourdough bread stands out for its distinctive tangy flavor, which comes from the natural fermentation process. Here are a few reasons why you might want to dive into sourdough:

• Nutritional benefits: The long fermentation process breaks down phytic acid, making nutrients in the bread more accessible to our bodies.
• Easier digestion: Many find sourdough easier to digest due to the fermentation that starts to break down gluten.
• Unique taste: The depth of flavor developed during fermentation is unmatched by commercial yeasts.

What You'll Need

Before we start, gather your ingredients and tools:

• 400g bread flour
• 100g whole wheat flour
• 375g water (around 75-78°F)
• 75g active sourdough starter
• 10g salt
• A large mixing bowl
• A dough scraper
• A proofing basket or cloth-lined bowl
• Dutch oven or baking stone (optional but recommended for best results)

👨‍🍳 Note: The water temperature can affect the fermentation speed. Use water that's not too hot to maintain the vitality of your starter.

Step-by-Step Sourdough Recipe

1. Creating the Dough

1. In your mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, whole wheat flour, and water. Mix until no dry flour remains.
2. Add the sourdough starter and mix well. Cover and let the mixture rest (autolyse) for 30 minutes.
3. After autolyse, sprinkle the salt over the dough. Using your hands or a dough hook, integrate the salt into the dough.

2. Bulk Fermentation

Now, you’ll embark on the bulk fermentation stage:

1. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to ferment at room temperature (around 75°F) for 3 to 5 hours. During this time, perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. This helps develop gluten.
2. After your folds, let the dough rest undisturbed for the remainder of the fermentation time.

🕰️ Note: The fermentation time will vary based on room temperature and your starter’s vigor. A bubbly, airy dough indicates readiness.

3. Shaping the Dough

Once the dough has bulk fermented:

1. Lightly flour your work surface. Gently transfer the dough onto the surface using a dough scraper.
2. Pre-shape the dough into a round, letting it rest for about 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
3. Proceed to shape your dough into the final loaf form, either round or batard, using the stretch and fold method.

4. Proofing

Place your shaped dough into a well-floured proofing basket or cloth-lined bowl for the final rise:

• Cover and let it proof in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours, which enhances flavor development.
• Or, if time is short, proof at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until it looks puffy.

5. Baking

When ready to bake:

1. Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with your Dutch oven inside if using one.
2. If baking in a Dutch oven, carefully transfer the dough into the preheated pot, score the top with a sharp knife or lame, then cover with the lid.
3. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 20-30 minutes until the crust is a deep golden brown.
4. If not using a Dutch oven, use a baking stone and steam your oven for the first 10-15 minutes of baking.

🍞 Note: If the crust darkens too quickly, reduce the oven temperature by 25°F to allow the loaf to bake through.

6. Cooling

Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack to develop its full texture before slicing.

Wrapping Up

Embarking on the journey of making sourdough bread at home is an adventure into patience, craftsmanship, and the joy of creating something truly unique from simple ingredients. From the rhythmic stretch and folds to the anticipation of the final bake, each step is an opportunity to connect with age-old traditions. Remember, this easy sourdough bread recipe provides a starting point; each bake is a lesson in learning your starter, your environment, and your taste preferences. Enjoy the process, savor the outcomes, and share the goodness of your homemade sourdough with friends and family.

What is the difference between starter and leaven?

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A sourdough starter is your base fermented mixture of flour and water that you maintain over time. Leaven, on the other hand, is a portion of the starter that you feed with more flour and water just before baking to create the leavening agent for your bread.

How do I know if my dough has fermented enough?

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Your dough is ready when it has significantly increased in volume, has lots of bubbles on the surface, and passes the float test: A small piece of dough should float in water if it’s fermented enough.

Why is my sourdough bread dense?

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Over-mixing, under-proofing, or not developing enough gluten during the kneading process can result in a dense loaf. Ensure adequate hydration, proper fermentation time, and gentle handling of the dough.