Step 1

Place your mixing bucket or bowl on a scale and “tare” to 0 grams. Add sourdough starter and water. Stir thoroughly to break up the starter within the water. Add the flour and mix until no dry spots remain; this might take a little bit of effort. Cover the container and allow the dough to rest for 45 minutes.

Step 2

In this initial stage, the dough should look shaggy and lumpy, and feel very sticky.

Step 3

After 45 minutes, the dough will appear much more elastic, but still be sticky to the touch.

Step 4

Sprinkle the salt over the top of the dough, and then with wet hands, begin to fold the dough over itself to incorporate the salt. To do this, leave the dough in the bowl and pick up one “side” of the mass. Stretch it up as long as it will go without breaking, then fold it over the top of the dough. Repeat on the opposite side, this time folding the bottom up and over. Now repeat with the right and left sides of the dough. Continue to do this action, called the “stretch and fold” for 2-3 minutes to incorporate the salt and begin to develop strength in the dough. Cover the container and allow the dough to rest for another 30 minutes.

Step 5

For the next 2 to 2 1/2 hours, you will repeat the stretch and fold action every 30 minutes for a total of 4-5 sets of stretch and folds. With each set, it should be a little bit more difficult to stretch the dough up and over as far. The dough will tighten up into a ball after each fold, and then relax back to the shape of the container during the 30 minute rest.

Step 6

The dough will begin to feel lighter, with more and more air pockets developing throughout. You will degass—press out some air—the dough a bit while handling it but take care not to squeeze it too much.

Step 7

To test if the dough has developed sufficient strength, perform the windowpane test. To do this, stretch a small section of dough up away from the surface and spread it between two fingers. If you can see light pass through the dough without it breaking or tearing, your dough has developed enough gluten. 4-5 sets of folds should do it, but if you need to add in another set, feel free to do so following the same 30 minute rest pattern.

Step 8

Once the dough passes the windowpane test, cover the mixing container and allow the dough to rise without disturbing it until light, with bubbles visible on the surface. If you have a clear mixing container, you will also see bubbles all throughout the bottom and sides of the dough. The dough will gain volume and become and 1.5 to 2 times bigger in size. This step can vary in time and may finish be between 4-7 hours from when you first mix the dough in Step 1.

Step 9

Very lightly dust a counter with rice or all purpose flour. Using a wet hand, coax the dough away from the sides of your mixing container until it easily pulls away and gently dump the dough onto your floured surface. Using the same motion as the stretch and folds you performed earlier, gather the mass of dough into a ball by stretching and folding the top, bottom, and left and right sides of the dough up and over into the center.

Step 10

Flip the dough over seam side down and allow to rest on the counter, covered with a tea towel, for 20 minutes.

Step 11

This is a good time to prepare your banneton or home-fashioned proofing basket. If using a banneton, dust with rice or all purpose flour and set aside until ready to use. If making your own basket, take a lint-free tea towel (something without loops) and drape it in a colander. Place a rubber band around the edge to secure the towel, then dust heavily with rice or all purpose flour.

Step 12

If your dough is very slack and has spread out almost flat again, flip the dough back so the seam side is up, and repeat the same action you did for the pre-shape. Flip the dough seam side down, and using your bench scraper, gently push the dough across the counter to form a tight-skinned ball.

Step 13

Immediately place the boule seam side up in your banneton or proofing basket and cover with plastic—a clean shower cap works wonderfully for this job and is reusable. Allow to sit at room temperature for an hour, then place in the refrigerator overnight or for 12-16 hours.

Step 14

The next morning, preheat your oven—with a lidded Dutch oven, a baking stone, or a baking sheet—to 500°F for at least one hour before putting the loaf in.

Step 15

Meanwhile, remove the loaf from the refrigerator and perform the poke test: lightly flour a spot on the top of the dough and press your index finger straight down into the dough. The hole should fill in slowly when the loaf is fully proofed. If the dough springs back and fills in right away, leave the dough out at room temperature while the oven preheats to allow it to warm up slightly and finish proofing. If the hole fills in slowly, return the loaf to the refrigerator and remove for baking once the oven is sufficiently preheated.

Step 16

Cut a piece of parchment paper slightly wider than your loaf and crumple it, then smooth it flat. Doing this helps the loaf maintain its round shape. Place the parchment on a plate or cutting board, then place it parchment-down on top of the banneton or proofing basket. Flip the dough onto the parchment-covered plate or board, then remove the basket.

Step 17

Working quickly and confidently, score the bread with your lame, razor, or knife. You can try a classic X pattern, one straight cut from top to bottom, or three parallel lines. Cutting at a 45° angle to the surface of the bread helps with the development of an “ear”, or that signature raised edge you see on artisanal loaves.

Step 18

If using a dutch oven: remove from the preheated oven and remove lid. Quickly and carefully, use the parchment as a sling to lift and place the loaf of bread into the dutch oven. Cover, and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes covered at 500°F, then carefully remove the lid, lower the oven temperature to 475°F, and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.

Step 19

If using a baking stone: either slide the parchment paper with the loaf from the plate or board onto the preheated stone, or lift it and place on the stone. Bake for 20 minutes at 500°F, then lower the oven temperature to 475°F, and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.

Step 20

If using a baking tray: use the parchment as a sling to lift and place the loaf on the preheated tray. Bake for 20 minutes at 500°F, then lower the oven temperature to 475°F, and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.

Step 21

Remove the bread from the oven and, wearing oven mitts, lightly tap the bottom of the loaf. If it sounds hollow, it is done. To be sure, insert an instant-read thermometer into the bottom of the loaf. A finished loaf will read about 205°F at the center.

Step 22

Cool completely before cutting. Store uneaten bread in a paper bag or loosely wrapped in a tea towel. If bread goes a bit stale, toasting it is a great way to instantly improve the texture after a few days.