Easy Homemade Sourdough Bread

Step 1

The night before you want to make your bread, feed your starter so that's it's bubbly and active in the morning.

Step 2

The next morning, add the active starter and water to a large bowl and combine with a whisk or fork. Add in the flour and mix together just until you see no more dry white flour. It will be very shaggy and messy. Set a timer for 30 minutes and place your bowl in a warm area.

Step 3

As soon as you mix in your flour, take your 2 ounce container and place it on your food scale and zero the scale out. Add 40 grams of your shaggy dough to the small container. Wet your fingers and smooth out the dough into the container then close the lid.

Step 4

Place your filled 2-ounce container in the center of your dough (see photos above) and cover everything with either a damp towel or plastic wrap.

Step 5

After the 30 minutes, uncover your dough (you can set the 2 ounce container aside) and you're going to add in your salt and do your first set of stretch and folds then add your small container back in. (See above for how to do your stretch and folds)

Step 6

REPEAT STRETCH AND FOLD on your dough every 30 minutes until you've done it 4 times. (2 hours) Be sure to keep the small container in the center after each time.

Step 7

Bulk Fermentation:

Step 8

After the last stretch and fold is done, leave the dough alone in a warm location until the dough in the 2-ounce container is pressing up against the lid. This is how you'll know when your dough has "proofed" enough. If you did not use the container method, you're looking the dough to be almost doubled in size.(this can take anywhere from 3-16 hours depending on the temperature of your location. Mine only takes about 3 hours using the "bread proof" setting on my oven. But in the cold months on a counter it can take MUCH longer).

Step 9

Once your dough has proofed, it's time to shape. Lightly sprinkle your surface and your fingers with flour. Spread your dough out into a rectangle. Fold each side in like a letter (see photos above) Then roll up into a ball. Take your hands and place them near the bottom of the dough ball and gently drag the ball across your surface to create tension on the surface of the dough ball.

Step 10

Let the dough rest on the counter for 10 minutes then repeat the last step of tightening the dough by dragging it across the surface as you hold the bottom of the dough ball. (if you have too much flour on your surface, you won't be able to create any tension. You want just a tiny bit so it's not sticking but still slightly pulling.)

Step 11

Plave your dough ball (smooth side down) in a bowl lined with a floured towel or cloth napkin. Cover and refrigertate for at least 1 hour or over-night.

Step 12

Pre-heat your oven with your dutch oven pot inside to 500°.

Step 13

Lay out a piece of parchment paper then turn your dough ball over on to the paper.

Step 14

Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and smooth the four with your hand. Use a sharp knife, razor, or bread lame to cut whatever shape you desire. This is a necessary step to give the bread a place to expand.

Step 15

Lift the dough using the parchment and place into the hot dutch oven. Carefully add 3 ice cubes into the pot along the outer sides of the parchment.

Step 16

Re-cover the pot, lower the heat to 450° and bake, covered, for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, remove the over and bake for another 30 minutes.

Step 17

Allow the finished loaf to cool for at least 2 hours before cutting. It will still be cooking while it sits.