Sourdough
Bread

There are essentially 5 steps to making sourdough bread. 

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• Mix the Dough: Combine water, sourdough starter, salt and flour in bowl, stir to form a sticky dough ball.

  • Pour 375 grams of water into a bowl​

  • Add 50 to 100 grams of sourdough starter

  • Stir to combine; then add 11 grams of salt

  • Finally, add 500 grams of bread flour

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• Bulk Fermentation: This is just a fancy name for the first rise. During the first two hours of the bulk fermentation, you’ll perform a series of stretches and folds, which will give the dough strength and elasticity.

  • Stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. You should notice the dough getting stronger and more elastic with every set of stretches and folds. This is the 4th set​

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• Shape + Bench Rest: This step ends the bulk fermentation. You’ll shape the dough, let it rest, then shape it once more.

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• Proofing the Dough: In this recipe, you’ll cold proof the dough in the fridge, ideally for 24 to 48 hours, though you can get away with a shorter proof.

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• Scoring + Baking the Dough: After the dough has proofed, you’ll turn it out onto a piece of parchment paper, score it; then transfer it to a preheated baking vessel.

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• Transfer to preheated Dutch oven. Bake covered at 450ºF for 30 minutes; uncover, lower the temperature to 400ºF, and bake for 15 minutes more

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• Remove from oven and let cool one hour before slicing.