Thanks for joining this class! We explored the fundamentals of baking sourdough bread, from creating a lively starter to baking a golden, crusty loaf.

Recipe:

Time:

30 mins - Mixing
10-12 hrs - Rising
45 mins - Baking
60-90 mins - Cooling

Serving:

1 loaf

Ingredients:

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not use bleached flour for feeding starters or making bread. The bleaching will prohibit rising! I prefer whole-ground rye or wheat for strengthening the starter.

50g “Ripe” (i.e. fed) Sourdough Starter
350g of Water at 78F
500g of Flour
Can be a mix of different types. I like 400g bread flour - 12.7% protein, white flour & 100g whole wheat.
Should not be more than 30% of whole grain.
9g Fresh Ground Sea Salt
Can be reduced to 6g if you are watching sodium intake but I don’t recommend it as it changes the texture.

Instructions:

Feed the starter earlier in the day to make certain it is “ripe” i.e. active.
In the evening (about 7 pm), start by mixing a ripe starter with flour & water. When mixed, it will appear very “shaggy” but this is quite normal. When mixed, sprinkle with salt on top, cover with a wet cotton towel or a plastic cover & set aside for 30 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a slightly damp countertop. (Mist the countertop with fresh water or use your fingers. This keeps the dough from sticking to everything.)
At this point, you can choose several methods for kneading the dough. You might want to Google “slap & fold”, “stretch & fold”, or kneading in a machine.
Repeat steps 3&4 for a total of 4 times, allowing bread to rest after each stretching for about 30 min. Make sure and keep covered with plastic or a wet towel. It will get smoother with each stretching.
Bulk Rise: Cover the bowl with a damp towel (or plastic cover) and let rise overnight at room temps. This will take about 8-10 hrs but will need adjusting when the weather is warmer (faster) or cooler (longer). It should double in size.
Shape: In the morning, coax the bread to a lightly floured work surface. (I prefer rice flour from here on.) You are starting to shape the loaf at this point. You want to treat it very carefully, trying not to burst any air that will create “bubbles”. Best to watch the videos for info on shaping. Mostly you want to create tension on the outside of the loaf.
Here is where you will move the dough to a banneton.
Second Rise: Cover the banneton with a wet towel for 30-60min. The dough is ready when it looks puffy and has risen slightly but not double in size.
Preheat oven to 450F. Cut parchment to create a sling.*
Score bread, with whatever pattern you are comfortable with. Rice flour on top helps to make the cuts cleaner.
Reduce heat to 425F & bake dough on a center rack covered for 25min covered & then 20 min uncovered. You can make the crust more crisp if you take the bread out of the pot & back another 10 minutes without the pot. Check internal temp to make sure it is done. Should be about 200F or 95C.
Cool at least 1-2 hours for best cutting. Can be stored in a plastic bag but moved to the refrigerator within 2-3 days (depending on the weather.)

Recommended websites and books with all kinds of beginner info:

Sourdough Bread: A Beginner’s Guide - The Clever Carrot
Beginner’s Sourdough Bread - The Perfect Loaf
SOURDOUGH LOAF FOR BEGINNERS - Bake with Jack
How I Bake Sourdough Bread Every Day In LESS Than 30 Minutes - Culinary Exploration
BK - Artisan Sourdough Made Simple, by Emilie Raffa
BK - The Perfect Loaf by Maurizio Leo (a bit more advanced)

See attachment for printable recipe and resources.