Classic Sourdough Bread Loaf (Print Version)

Tangy wild yeast loaf with crisp crust and chewy interior

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 4 cups bread flour
02 - 1½ cups water (room temperature)
03 - ⅓ cup active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
04 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

→ Optional for dusting

05 - Rice flour or additional bread flour

# How-To:

01 - In a large bowl, mix the flour and water until just combined. Cover and let rest for 1 hour (autolyse).
02 - Add the sourdough starter and salt. Mix thoroughly until the dough is cohesive and fully incorporated.
03 - Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes over 2 hours, keeping the dough covered between sets to develop strength.
04 - Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until roughly doubled in size.
05 - Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a tight round or oval loaf, creating surface tension.
06 - Transfer the shaped dough to a floured proofing basket (seam side up). Cover and refrigerate 8-12 hours for cold fermentation.
07 - Preheat oven to 450°F with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes to ensure proper heat retention.
08 - Gently invert the dough onto parchment paper. Score the top with a sharp blade or lame in desired pattern.
09 - Transfer loaf with parchment into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with lid and bake for 20 minutes to create steam.
10 - Remove the lid and bake another 20 minutes until crust is deep golden brown and internal temperature reaches 205-210°F.
11 - Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing to allow internal crumb to set properly.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The patience required teaches you to slow down and trust the process
  • Nothing compares to tearing into a warm loaf fresh from your own oven
  • Each bake becomes a conversation between you and the wild yeast living on your counter
02 -
  • A Dutch oven creates the steam necessary for that crispy, crackling crust, so a baking sheet will not give you the same results
  • The dough is ready to bake when a small poke springs back slowly but leaves a slight indentation
  • Scoring is not just decorative, it directs the expansion and prevents your loaf from bursting at weak spots
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale for every measurement, because flour volume varies dramatically based on humidity and how it is scooped
  • The windowpane test, stretching a small piece of dough until it is translucent, tells you when gluten development is sufficient

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