I have been perfecting my Sourdough Bread recipe since the beginning of 2024, though I made my starter in 2020. I started doing sourdough during the covid lockdown in the spring of 2020. I made my own starter, which I jokingly call my Covid baby. Up until 2024, I kept my starter in the fridge and only fed it once every two weeks. I would sometimes use the starter for discard recipes, but never really tried to make true sourdough. One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2024 was to make more of my own baked goods. I wanted to stop buying bread, buns, baked goods and maybe pasta. The first thing I had to do was master the basic sourdough recipe. After a lot of trial and error, this recipe is what I use for most of my loaves.
For one loaf of Sourdough Bread, you will need:
300 g cold water (we have well water, so I use it from the tap)
50-100g bubbly sourdough starter (usually fed within 12 hours)
50 g whole wheat flour (I use Dakota Maid, which is grown and milled locally.)
450 g bread flour (I use Dakota Maid, which is grown and milled locally.)
10 g salt (I just use iodized salt, but a lot of people like Kosher salt or Pink Himalayan Salt)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix by hand or with a mixer until just blended. Do not over mix! Cover and let sit 30 minutes at room temperature. For the next 2 hours, perform 4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes. After you’ve done that 4 times, cover and let sit until doubled and puffy. Depending on the room temperature, the time from the first mix to fully proofed is about 12 hours. I do a lot of mixing up the bread after work, then proofing overnight. Shape the loaves then place in a tea towel lined bowl and cover with the towel. Place in the fridge for 6-48 hours. When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 450º with Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes. Turn dough out onto parchment, dust with rice flour and score as desired. Place dough into hot dutch oven. Bake loaf for 35 minutes covered then uncover and bake for 5-20 more minutes until the inside reaches 205º F. Put the lid back on if it’s getting too brown and not reaching 205º. Let bread cool on the counter as long as you can stand it before eating.
Here is my typical timeline, which takes about 48 hours from start to finish.
Day 1:
8pm: feed starter so you have enough to mix your recipe tomorrow. Cover and let sit.
Day 2:
5pm: mix bread using above recipe
5:30pm: first set of stretch and folds
6:00pm: second set of stretch and folds
**The second set of stretch and folds is one I add in my inclusions–fresh Jalapenos and Cheddar Cheese, Cranberries and White Chocolate, Roasted Garlic, Rosemary and Parmesan Cheese….they are all so delicious!
6:30pm: third set of stretch and folds
7:00pm: fourth set of stretch and folds. Cover and let rise overnight.
Day 3:
5:30am: shape loaves, place in a tea towel lined bowl and wrap towel around to the top. Place in the fridge.
5:00pm: Preheat oven to 450º with Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes.
6:00pm: Turn dough out onto parchment. Dust with rice flour and score as desired. Place dough inside hot dutch oven. Bake loaf for 35 minutes covered then uncover and bake for 5-20 more minutes until the inside reaches 205º F. Put the lid back on if it’s getting too brown and not reaching 205º.
6:45pm: Let bread cool on the counter as long as you can stand it before eating.
In need of sourdough starter? Let me know and I can hook you up! Have you tried baking sourdough and had success? Are you intimidated by sourdough? Do you have questions or need help? I’d love to hear from you! Interested in buying sourdough bread and goodies and live nearby? Check out Vicki’s Kitchen on Facebook! Also check out this post for my favorite sourdough making tools and supplies.
What The Huck! 