| | | | |

No Fuss Sourdough Artisan Bread

This classic sourdough artisan bread has the most perfectly crunchy crust and is soft, lacey, and spongey on the inside. It’s the kind of sourdough that you can probably eat half a loaf in one sitting… Soaked in butter of course. Sourdough artisan bread is perfect by itself but just as delicious repurposed into French toast, garlic bread, sandwiches, grilled cheese and more! The options are endless.

sourdough loaves on a counter

**Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning that at no extra cost to you, I will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.**

We can’t be a blog called “The Sourdough Artisan” without having at least one recipe for a classic sourdough artisan bread and let me tell you, this one is INCREDIBLE. It has the most epically crispy, crunchy crust with the softest insides. It stays soft even days after baking. It’s fantastic toasted, fantastic grilled, and amazing by itself without doing a thing to it!

This recipe is SIMPLE. No fuss. It doesn’t add in a bunch of unnecessary extra steps and can easily be mixed up one afternoon and left in the fridge for 1-2 days. Don’t let the sourdough bread process intimidate you because this recipe will show you how simple it can be!

woman holding loaf of sourdough bread

What is Sourdough Bread?

Sourdough bread is a unique kind of bread that is made with a sourdough starter.

Sourdough starter is an active culture made from a mixture of water, flour and natural wild yeast. You may have heard the term “SCOBY” which stands for a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. The starter thrives because the wild yeast feeds off the flour and water creating a bubbly mixture that works to ferment the flour it’s added to.

The starter can be used to leaven (“rise”) bread instead of commercial yeast. It can also be used to ferment grains and make them more digestible.

You can make Sourdough Starter with just a little flour and water in your own kitchen! You can also purchase a starter or get some starter from a friend who bakes sourdough.

How to Feed + Maintain a Sourdough Starter

You don’t just use sourdough starter once and then you’re done. Your sourdough starter, with proper care, can last for 10’s, 20’s, and even hundreds of years! This is why I’m so passionate about my sourdough baking. My starter is the gift that keeps on giving!

Sourdough starter requires some maintenance, but once it becomes part of your weekly schedule, it’s not a lot of work. Sourdough starter can be fed as little as once a week (if stored in the refrigerator) or as frequently as every 12-24 hours if you keep it on your counter and bake with it daily.

I use my sourdough starter about once a week. I like to make Mondays my baking day so I pull my starter out of the refrigerator on Sunday night, feed it, and let it become active on my countertop. In the morning I get to baking!

I usually bake two loaves of this sourdough artisan bread, and a few of our favorite pizza crusts for the week! If I still have a lot of starter left over when I’m done baking and the starter has become kind of flat, I use it to make one of our favorite sourdough discard recipes! Then I give it another nice feed and send it back to the refrigerator for the week.

Here, I break down the best and easiest way to feed your sourdough starter so that it stays robust and healthy.

Sourdough Discard Versus Active Sourdough Starter 

If you are thinking “What’s the difference between sourdough discard and active sourdough starter?” – You aren’t alone! This is one of the confusing things about sourdough that TRULY isn’t all that complicated.

Discard starter is the sourdough starter in its NONACTIVE state- This means, no bubbles. Not yet fed. How my starter is when I’ve just pulled it out of the fridge or when it’s on the counter but I haven’t fed it in 8 hours or so. Never actually discard your discard. It can be used in so many recipes! Sourdough pop tarts, sourdough banana bread, and sourdough churros are a few of our favorites!

Active sourdough is bubbly and doubled in size. Typically 4-8 hours after it’s been fed is the most active phase. Active starter acts as a leaven and is what makes this delicious bread rise. Discard adds some fermentation properties (specifically if it’s been left to ferment for a longer time) but most of the time will not cause anything to rise. It adds a little bit of tang to your recipes which my kids (and I) absolutely love! 

Pictured below: Active Starter!

Why Bake Sourdough Bread?

Sourdough has risen in popularity since Covid-19 and it’s pretty incredible how mainstream it has become. So many people love sourdough for its unique, tangy flavor. It also tends to have the crispiest crust that crunches when you bite into it and the softest, porous inner layer.

While I’d 100% eat sourdough for the flavor alone, it also is a healthy bread with a lot of positive benefits you can reap for you and your family.

bread laying on a white counter

Health Benefits of Sourdough Bread:

As a nurse, I’ve studied the human body extensively. Over the years I spent working in an abdominal transplant unit, I became accustomed to seeing severe gastric illnesses and became convinced of this one thing: Disease begins in the gut.

However, it wasn’t until years later when I began dealing with my own GERD symptoms that I began researching how inflammation and malabsorption can be caused by the way we consume our grains.

For centuries, our ancestors fermented grains to increase the bioavailability of minerals and make digestion easier… How did they know to do this without big scientific studies and gut biopsy? That will forever be a mystery. However, at some point in ancient civilization, it became common practice to ferment grains in a process we now call “sourdough”.

With the scientific information we now have at our fingertips, we understand that fermenting grains is beneficial because it breaks down the phytic acid contained in flours and grains.

Phytic acid is the major storage form of phosphorus in our foods. It occurs naturally in many grains but unfortunately, studies have found that it is also the major cause of food malabsorption in many individuals!Source

According to a 2015 study “Phytic acid binds to minerals and makes them unavailable due to its chelating property. It has been reported that phytic acid inhibits the absorption of iron, zinc calcium, magnesium, and manganese”. (source).

Fermenting grains helps to break down the phytic acid that contributes to abdominal inflammation and malabsorption.

10 Keys to Success With Sourdough Artisan Bread

1. Start your bread when your sourdough starter is at the peak of activity!
This is usually about 6 hours after you feed your starter, but depends on the heat/humidity in your kitchen. Observe your starter after you feed it, checking in on it once an hour or so. The peak is when the starter has risen doubled in volume and has become quite bubbly. You’ll notice around the 8-12 hour mark the starter may fall just slightly and be less bubbly. It’s best to use a “peak” starter versus a starter that isn’t super active yet OR is losing activity.

2. ALWAYS use a scale to make this bread.
A kitchen scale is quite essential for sourdough baking. With discard recipes, you may be able to get away with US Standard measurements but to get the precision a rustic bread like this requires, it’s important to have a scale to get the perfect amounts of each ingredient!

3. Forget traditional kneading and get ready to get your hands dirty.
Sourdough is a high-hydration dough. This means it can feel very wet/sticky when you begin the kneading process. This is normal. The usual, rough, pushing and pulling kneading movement is ineffective with sourdough. Instead, learn to perfect the “Stretch and Fold” and “Coil fold”. You need to be gentle with this dough. It will pay off!

3. Proof your dough til it has increased in volume by around 50-75%.
Many sourdough bakers will suggest letting the dough double in size but I have found this to create issues with over-proofing. Try to stop the first proof when your dough has increased by about half instead!

4. Proof by sight, not a set hour amount.
I used to follow sourdough recipes to a tee. If the recipe said to proof for 8 hours, that’s what I did. I’ve learned that everyone’s kitchen and climate are different and therefore their sourdough will behave differently too. Try to keep a watchful eye on your sourdough to determine when it has increased in volume by 50-75% rather than sticking to a stringent hour rule.

5. Use a well-seasoned banneton basket to help shape your bread.
Bannetons are amazing baskets that help during the second fermentation time for sourdough. Sourdough can be sticky and hard to shape and the worst discovery is that your dough is stuck to the bowl or basket when you are ready to bake. This will lead to a very ugly loaf (it’ll still taste great though). I love my banneton basket and when properly seasoned it can make the shaping process a breeze!

6. Let your dough proof longer in the refrigerator during the second fermentation.
I learned this tip from alexandracooks.com and it is a good one! Letting my bread sit in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours made the texture softer, lacier, AND makes the flavor pop!

7. Baking in a dutch oven is essential.
This creates an enclosed space for the bread to rise under pressure and become super crispy on the outside. I prefer to start my bake at a very high temp of 500 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes and then reduce the heat for the rest of the bake. I find this creates the best, crispy crust!

Stages of Sourdough Bread Baking

It’s important to understand the essential steps of sourdough bread baking. Almost all sourdough bread recipes will follow a general outline like this:

Stage 1: Feed Starter

The essential first step which requires feeding your starter equal parts flour and water.

Stage 2: Mix Dough

4-8 hours after feeding the starter, combine it with the rest of the dough ingredients to create bread dough.

Stage 3: Bulk Fermentation + Stretch & Folds/ Coil Folds

Also referred to as the “first proof”, this stage begins with a series of “stretches and folds” and “coil folds” over the first 2 hours. After the first 2 hours are up, the dough is allowed to rise on the counter til it increases in volume up to 75%. Usually, this takes about 8-10 hours.

Stage 4: Shaping

The dough is shaped into a loaf or boule and placed in a proofing basket to complete the second fermentation/cold proofing.

Stage 5: Cold Proofing

The bread goes in the refrigerator (usually overnight) to proof for 12-48 hours.

Stage 6: Score + Bake

The bread is removed from the fridge, scored with a bread lame, placed in a dutch oven, and baked for about an hour.

Sourdough Artisan Bread Baking Schedule

Getting down a baking schedule that works was essential for my sourdough journey. It is VERY important what time of day you start baking sourdough because you don’t want to end up doing stretches and folds at 12:30 AM because you started at a weird time (ask me how I know). Here I break down my favorite baking schedule for sourdough artisan bread!

OPTION 1:
This is the option I follow because the stretch and folds occur mostly around my kid’s nap time. I mix the dough right before prepping their lunch.

7 AM: Feed Sourdough Starter
11 AM: Mix dough
12-2 PM: Stretch and Fold
2 PM-9 PM: Bulk Fermentation
9 PM- Shape and Place in Fridge
Bake the Next Day in PM


OR

OPTION 2:
This option is great if you work a standard 9-5! Anyone can bake sourdough so don’t your work schedule keep you from this deliciousness!

10 PM- Feed Starter (right before bed)
6 AM- Mix Dough
6:30- 8:30- Stretch and fold
8:30- 6:30- Bulk Fermentation
6:30-7 PM – Shape and Place in Fridge
Bake the next day in PM

Supplies:

There are a lot of “nice-to-have” baking items for sourdough bread, but the truth is you can get away with just a few simple supplies that you probably already have.

For all our favorite sourdough baking supplies, check out our Shop!

Ingredients:

1. Flour

I use a mixture of bread flour and all-purpose flour for this recipe. You could also use one or the other if you prefer but I highly recommend using bread flour if at all possible. Bread flour has higher gluten content which is helpful when building the gluten network in your bread. You can also sub in a little whole wheat or rye flour but I can’t make promises about the texture of the dough. I love how the bread turns out with mostly bread flour and a bit of AP flour.

2. Water

Use filtered water. I like to slightly warm my water because it helps the sourdough starter dissolve and mix more easily.

3. Active Sourdough Starter

This is a starter that is bubbly and risen until about double in size. An active starter hits its peak around 6-8 hours POST-FEED.

4. Salt

The last magical ingredient that adds a ton of flavor. I never use table salt. I like to freshly grind sea salt to create the best flavor.

Important Sourdough Terminology

Sourdough has a lot of unique terms that can be confusing when new to sourdough. Let’s demystify a few of these terms:

  • 100% Hydration: All this means is the starter has been fed equal parts flour and water. Hydration can be adjusted in recipes by creating a levain (see below).
  • Levain: Just another version of feeding a sourdough starter. Instead of feeding the whole jar, some recipes recommend taking out a few tablespoons of starter and feeding it water and flour in a separate bowl. The entire amount is then used for the recipe. Levain allows you to adjust hydration for a single recipe without altering your entire starter.
  • Stretch and Fold: This is an amazing sourdough kneading technique that involves gently stretching the dough straight out of the bowl and then folding it down on itself.
  • Coil folds: This is another sourdough kneading technique where the dough is lifted out of the bowl in the middle of the dough segment and then folded down on itself in a coil.
  • Scoring: The process of using a very sharp knife or bread lame to create slashes on the surface of the bread. Some slashes are decorative but others are deeper and allow the bread to expand during baking.
  • Bulk Fermentation: Also known as proofing. The first fermentation of the sourdough dough. I think of this as the dough being in one big “bulk” wad of dough. It’s not separated into loaves or neatly shaped yet.
  • Second fermentation: Also called a cold-proof, this is the process after the dough has been shaped where you place the shaped loaf in the refrigerator to ferment overnight or longer!
  • Windowpane Test: A test to see if the amount of gluten formation in your dough is adequate. This is done by stretching a piece of dough between your fingers into a square to see if it can stretch thin enough to be able to see through it without ripping.
  • Poke Test: A test during the second fermentation to determine if the dough is ready to bake. Poke one finger into the dough. If the dough springs back immediately, it needs to proof longer. If the dough very slowly springs back, it is ready to bake. I don’t utilize the poke test in this recipe because it is not very accurate for a cold-proofed dough.

How To Make Sourdough Artisan Bread: Step By Step

Step 1: Feed Starter

About 4-8 hours before you want to make sourdough bread, activate your starter by mixing equal parts starter, water and flour. I like to follow THIS feeding method to get a super active, bubbly starter that produces light and airy sourdough bread.

Step 2: Mix Dough

Using a kitchen scale for precision, add 375 grams of warm, filtered water to a large bowl.

Next, add 100 grams of active sourdough starter to the bowl. Stir to combine until the starter is mostly dissolved in the water.

Next add 400 grams of bread flour, 100 grams of all-purpose flour, and 12 grams of sea salt.

Use a wooden spoon to stir. I usually prefer to use my hands towards the end to make sure the dough is well incorporated. Don’t knead it at this point.

kneading sourdough starter

Loosely cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes, untouched.

Step 3: Bulk Fermentation + Kneading

After 30 minutes, uncover the bowl and transfer the dough to a large glass measuring bowl for bulk fermentation. A clear bowl with measuring marks on it will allow you to truly gauge when the dough has risen to the ideal volume.

At this point, we will begin our Strech and folds + Coil folds. I follow the following this strategy:

3 Stretch & Folds timed 30 minute apart + 2 coil folds timed 30 minutes apart

The whole process should take about 2.5 hours. You can always skip 1 or 2 of these folds but I’ve had the best results with this amount.

Stretch & Fold:

Build strength in the dough by gently pulling the dough up and out of the bowl. Let it stretch but don’t let it rip. Fold the dough back into the middle of the bowl. Turn the bowl one-quarter clockwise and perform another stretch and fold. Do 4 stretches & folds per set.

Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave out for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, perform a second set of stretches and folds. Return the bowl to the counter to rest for another 30 minutes.

I like to perform 3 sets of stretches and folds, letting the dough rest for 30 minutes between each set.

Coil Folds:

After the third stretch and fold, perform 1-2 coil folds. To coil fold, simply lift the dough up from the middle and let it naturally stretch down. Gently fold it into itself. Complete 4 coil folds per set.

womans hands doing coil fold

NOTE: This type of kneading strengthens the dough. You will notice your dough goes from rough and sticky to smooth and elastic. This whole process takes about 2.5 hours but that actual “hands-on” portion is very minimal. Don’t let it stress you out. If you are only able to do 2 or 3 sets of stretches and folds, it’s better than nothing!

Loosely cover your bowl and place it in a warm, dry spot in your kitchen to proof for around 8 hours. This is called bulk fermentation.

Bulk fermentation can take anywhere from 6-12 hours. The big range is because sourdough is very dependant on the weather outside and the temperature of your home. If your home is quite hot, the dough will likely rise much faster. If you live in a cold climate, you may notice it takes 10 hours to get the dough as puffy as you want it. This is why I recommend always “proofing by sight”. Stop your bulk fermentation when you notice the dough has increased by 50-75%. Otherwise, you may end up with over-proofed dough. I have done this too many times to count.

over proofed sourdough bread on parchment paper

This picture shows over-proofed dough. The dough was already spreading when I turned it out on parchment paper before baking. The bread still tasted good but the texture was flat.

Step 4: Shaping + Cold Fermentation

Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured surface. I like to use rice flour because it doesn’t burn on the surface when baking. Shape the dough into a round or “boule” shape and let it rest on the counter for about 20 minutes. You can loosely cover it with plastic wrap if you desire.

Meanwhile, prepare your banneton basket for the second fermentation. I love using a banneton basket but if you don’t have one, you can use a greased bowl or a bowl with a well-floured tea towel inside.

NOTE: Make sure you season your banneton basket with lots of rice flour! Otherwise, the dough will stick and ruin the shape of your sourdough!

sourdough bread in banneton baskets

Shape your dough into a round again and then place it inside the banneton. Wrap your banneton in plastic wrap or place it inside a large ziplock bag and place it in the fridge for 12-48 hours. I usually let my dough cold ferment overnight, through the next morning and bake sometime in the afternoon or eveningat least 24 hours.

The longer cold ferment seems to increase the flavor definition of the sourdough artisan bread and also gives me an airier texture I enjoy. Plus, the health benefits of sourdough are enhanced with a longer fermentation. This gives the SCOBY more time to break down the phytic acid and benefit digestion.

Step 5: Score + Bake

Preheat your oven to 550 degrees Fahrenheit with your Dutch oven inside. Lay a sheet of parchment paper out on your counter. Turn your banneton basket upside down over the parchment paper to release the bread dough.

sourdough bread on parchment paper

Next, using a sharp knife or preferably a bread lame, slash the surface of the dough, about 1/2 an inch deep to create scoring. This helps the bread expand. Slashing the dough off to one side and down the length of the loaf creates what is called the sourdough “ear”. You can also do a simple X or get really fancy with your scoring. The choice is yours!

scoring sourdough

Carefully (because remember the dutch oven is piping hot) place the parchment paper and bread dough into the Dutch oven with the lid on, and place it in the oven.

Lower the oven to temperature to 450 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes, covered. Remove the lid and drop the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Let the bread bake for another 10 – 15 minutes. I like to bake dark so I give it at least 15.

fresh baked sourdough artisan bread

Remove from oven and cool on the counter. They say you should let it cool before slicing but there is nothing more superb on earth than a piping hot slice of sourdough artisan bread with loads of fresh butter! Enjoy!

Step 6: Store

This sourdough artisan bread never makes it long without being devoured but if you place it in an airtight ziplock bag, it will stay soft and fresh for 3 days at room temp.

If you plan to make it last longer than 3 days, I suggest slicing the whole loaf and placing in a freezer bag in the freezer. That way you can pull out a piece or two for breakfast toast, garlic bread, etc…

Sourdough Resources:

Baking sourdough is a journey. Here are a few of my favorite resources for troubleshooting and improving your sourdough baking process!

If you try this recipe, please share it with friends and family and don’t forget to leave this bread a review. It’s SO helpful for our site! Thanks!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

No Fuss Sourdough Artisan Bread


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Total Time: 49 hours
  • Yield: 6 1x

Description

The ultimate crunchy, crusty sourdough bread recipe. A beautiful crispy outside is cut open to reveal the softest, spongiest sourdough crumb on the inside and the flavor is out of this world.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 100 g sourdough starter, bubbly and active
  • 375 g 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tbsp warm filtered water
  • 400 g Bread flour
  • 100 g all purpose flour
  • 12 g sea salt

Instructions

Feed Starter:

  1. 4-8 hours before you want to make sourdough bread, activate starter by feeding it equal parts water and flour. Let it sit for 4-8 hours to become bubbly and doubled in size.

Make Dough:

  1. Add 375 grams of warm filtered water to a large bowl. Add 100 grams of active starter and mix with a wooden spoon until starter is mostly dissolved. Add the bread flour, all purpose flour and salt. Mix to combine using hands as needed. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

Stretch and Fold + Coil Fold

  1. Build strength in the dough by gently pulling the dough up and out of the bowl. Let it stretch but don't let it rip. Fold the dough back into the middle of the bowl. Turn the bowl one-quarter clockwise and perform another stretch and fold. Complete 4 stretches & folds per set.
    Cover the dough and, and let it rest for another 30 minutes and repeat the stretching and folding action. Do this process of stretch and folds + 30 minute rest for 3 rounds.
    After the third stretch and fold, perform 1-2 coil folds. To coil fold, simply lift the dough up from the middle and let it naturally stretch down. Gently fold it into itself. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes between the coil folds.

Bulk Fermentation

  1. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise at room temperature for about 6 to 8 hours. Watch the dough carefully to see when it has increased in volume by about 50-75%. You should see bubbles forming on the surface. Remember that sourdough will rise much more quickly in a warm environment. During the summer, the bulk fermentation may only take 6 hours.
    Note: Remember to not over-proof this dough. Over-proofed sourdough is a sloppy mess and impossible to shape.

Shape Loaf

  1. Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured surface. I like to use rice flour because it doesn't burn on the surface when baking. Shape the dough into a round or "boule" shape and let it rest for 20 minutes. You can loosely cover it with plastic wrap if you desire.
    Prepare your banneton basket for the second fermentation by coating the inside with rice flour. If you don't have a banneton, use a bowl with a well-floured tea towel inside.
    NOTE: Make sure you season your banneton basket with lots of rice flour! Otherwise, the dough will stick and ruin the shape of your sourdough!
    Shape your dough into a round again and then place it inside the banneton, seam side UP!
    Wrap your banneton in plastic wrap or place it inside a large ziplock bag and place it in the fridge for 12-48 hours.

Cold Fermentation

  1. Wrap your banneton in plastic wrap or place it inside a large ziplock bag and place it in the fridge for 12-48 hours.
    I prefer the crumb of this bread when it has fermented for 24-48 hours. The added benefit is a more fully-fermented bread which is healthier and easier to digest.
    After you have completed your second fermentation, remove the dough from the refrigerator.

Bake

  1. Place a Dutch oven in your oven, and preheat your oven to 550°F (290°C). Prepare a sheet of parchment paper. Invert your banneton basket over the parchment paper.
  2. Next, using a sharp knife or preferably a bread lame, slash the surface of the dough, about 1/2 an inch deep to create scoring. This helps the bread expand. Slashing the dough off to one side and down the length of the loaf creates what is called the sourdough "ear".
  3. Carefully (because remember the dutch oven is piping hot) place the parchment paper and bread dough into the Dutch oven with the lid on, and place it in the oven.
    Lower the oven to temperature to 450 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes, covered. Remove the lid and drop the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Let the bread bake for another 10 – 15 minutes. I like to bake dark so I give it at least 15.
  4. Remove from oven and cool on the counter. They say you should let it cool before slicing but there is nothing more superb on earth than a piping hot slice of sourdough bread with loads of fresh butter! Enjoy!

Store

  1. This bread will stay soft and fresh for 3 days at room temp in an airtight bag or container.
    If you plan to make it last longer than 3 days, I suggest slicing the whole loaf and placing in a freezer bag in the freezer. That way you can pull out a piece or two for breakfast toast, garlic bread, etc…

Notes

  • This recipe is based on Alexandra Cooks recipe HERE. Changes include using some AP flour instead of all bread flour, adding 2 coil folds, adjusting bake times for a crispier crust. 
  • Start your bread when your sourdough starter is at the peak of activity!
    This is usually about 6 hours after you feed your starter, but depends on the heat/humidity in your kitchen. Observe your starter after you feed it, checking in on it once an hour or so. The peak is when the starter has risen doubled in volume and has become quite bubbly. You’ll notice around the 8-12 hour mark the starter may fall just slightly and be less bubbly. It’s best to use a “peak” starter versus a starter that isn’t super active yet or is losing activity.
  • ALWAYS use a scale to make this bread.
    A kitchen scale is quite essential for sourdough baking. With discard recipes, you may be able to get away with US Standard measurements but to get the precision a rustic bread like this requires, it’s important to have a scale to get the perfect amounts of each ingredient!
  • Proof your dough til it has increased in volume by around 50-75%.
    Many sourdough bakers will suggest letting the dough double in size but I have found this to create issues with over-proofing. Try to stop the first proof when your dough has increased by about half instead!
  • Proof by sight, not a set hour amount.
    I used to follow sourdough recipes to a tee. If the recipe said to proof for 6 hours, that’s what I did. I’ve learned that everyone’s kitchen and climate are different and therefore their sourdough will behave differently too. Try to keep a watchful eye on your sourdough to determine when it has increased in volume by 50-75% rather than sticking to a stringent hour rule.
  • Use a well-seasoned banneton basket to help shape your bread.
    Bannetons are amazing baskets that help during the second fermentation time for sourdough. Sourdough can be sticky and hard to shape and the worst discovery is that your dough is stuck to the bowl or basket when you are ready to bake. This will lead to a very ugly loaf (it’ll still taste great though). I love my banneton basket and when properly seasoned it can make the shaping process a breeze!
  • Let your dough proof longer in the refrigerator during the second fermentation.
    I learned this tip from alexandracooks.com and it is a good one! Letting my bread sit in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours made the texture softer, lacier, AND makes the flavor pop!
  • Prep Time: 48 hours
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: Appetizer, Breakfast, Main Course, Snack
  • Cuisine: American, healthy

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star