I was intimidated to make my first loaf of sourdough bread. I’d heard others talk about flat and dense loaves—dough that never rose. It wasn’t until I read a sourdough book cover to cover and painted it with post-it notes, highlights, and dog-eared pages that I felt ready to put my newborn sourdough starter to work. I bought flour. I filtered water. I measured. I mixed and kneaded. I folded ever-so-gently while I held my bread until, hours later, I pulled my first sourdough from the oven.
I had my wife taste it. “Pretty good,” she said. “Yeah, pretty good bread.” Only later did she fess up that it was “actually just okay, to be honest.” But all-in-all the bread had a nice rise, a crunchy and well-colored crust, and it did taste great considering it was my first loaf of any kind of bread. And you know what? We ate the entire thing.
This Beginner’s Sourdough Bread post has several videos where I walk you through each step of the sourdough bread-making process. Be sure to see the end for a complete video walkthrough of me making this recipe!
As the new obsession set in, I started making fresh sourdough bread for every meal. There was something about the whole bread-making process that I found captivating. It was–and still is–exciting to mix such elemental ingredients and to see them produce beautiful, life-giving sustenance: it is modern-day alchemy. It’s such a simple thing, and yet it brought me so much joy to see my family and friends tear into a freshly baked loaf that I wanted to bake every day of every week.
This recipe will give you confidence as you take your first steps in baking sourdough bread from your home kitchen.
Starting to make your first loaf of sourdough bread can be daunting. That’s why I’ve put together this beginner’s sourdough bread tutorial and recipe—it will give you confidence as you take your first steps in baking sourdough bread from your home kitchen. This how-to guide starts with explaining baking terms and definitions so that we will have a common vocabulary once we get to the recipe.
And then, each step of the process has lots of information to ensure you understand what is happening and what to do. But, before we go on this beginner’s sourdough bread recipe, let’s first take a look at what sourdough bread is.
What is Sourdough Bread?
Sourdough is a specific type of bread created through a natural fermentation process involving suitable bacteria and wild yeasts in the environment (i.e., the air and even a baker’s hands) and, most importantly, on the grain itself. A sourdough starter culture is used to seed fermentation in new dough when making sourdough bread.
Generally speaking, bacteria are primarily responsible for producing organic acids (lactic acid and acetic acid) that contribute to sourdough bread’s flavor, texture, and storage qualities. The wild yeasts produce carbon dioxide gas and ethanol during fermentation. When this gas becomes trapped in the dough’s airtight gluten matrix, the dough begins to rise, resulting in a final loaf of bread with a light and airy texture.
All recipes on The Perfect Loaf are naturally leavened; in other words, you won’t find any commercial yeast or instant yeast here. There’s nothing inherently wrong with commercial yeast, but I prefer to make bread this way because of the wonderful flavor and texture, the health benefits like increased bioavailability of minerals and nutrients, increased keeping quality thanks to the acids generated during natural fermentation, and the fact that it requires so few ingredients (just three!) to make something so delicious.
For a high-level look at each step of the sourdough process, read through the Beginner’s Guide to Sourdough Bread →
Creating a Sourdough Starter
It all begins with a sourdough starter. Before we look at how to make sourdough bread, you need to create a healthy sourdough starter that shows consistent signs of fermentation each day. Creating a sourdough starter is easy: mix flour and water for a few days in succession, and eventually, thanks to the bacteria and wild yeasts on the grain, natural fermentation will begin.
If you’d like to look at how I feed my starter daily, look at my sourdough starter maintenance routine. In this guide, you will see the visual and aromatic cues to look for when your starter is ready for refreshment (feeding).
While waiting for your sourdough starter, let’s look at some terms bakers often use to discuss the various parts of the bread-making process.
Baker’s Terminology
Sourdough starter
A starter is a mixture of flour and water you allow to ferment naturally. You’ll refresh (feed) the starter indefinitely to keep the fermentation active and healthy, and you will wait for it to become fully ripe before you use any of it to make bread.
When you want to make bread, you take a small amount of your starter to create an off-shoot called a levain (see below). See my post on starter creation to read more about the starter and learn how to make one.
Levain (or leaven)
A levain is made by mixing a small off-shoot of your ripe starter with water and flour and allowing it to ferment before mixing it into a dough. You can always use your starter directly to make sourdough bread, but a levain is a small off-shoot that allows you to adjust the flour, hydration, and ripening schedule (which have implications on the bacteria and wild yeast balance).
Also, unlike your sourdough starter, which lives on as its own entity, the entirety of the levain goes into the dough and has the same fate as the bread itself: to be baked in the oven. See my post on what a levain is and how it’s different from a sourdough starter for more information.
Autolyse
Some recipes utilize a step called autolyse (“auto-lease”). It occurs at the beginning of bread baking and is a step in which only flour and water are mixed together and left to rest. The goal of autolyse is to initiate enzymatic activity in the dough to help draw out sugars from the flour. Additionally, it helps increase dough extensibility (the ability for the dough to stretch out without tearing).
In most cases, increased extensibility is good as it helps the dough expand and fill with gasses, resulting in a light and airy loaf. See my in-depth post on the autolyse technique for more information.
Bulk fermentation
The dough’s first rise is called bulk fermentation. After mixing the flour, salt, and levain into a dough, you put it all into a bowl or container, cover it, and let it rest. The dough will undergo a fermentation process during this critical step. Bacteria and yeast begin to generate organic acids and alcohols and leaven the dough, which will translate to flavor and rise in your final bread.
For more on this critical step in the bread-making process, see my in-depth guide to bulk fermentation.
Proofing
The proof is the dough’s final, or second, rise after the dough has been divided and shaped and lasts until the dough is finally baked in the oven. During this time, the dough continues to ferment, further strengthening and leavening it. I typically proof at a cold temperature in the refrigerator (also called “retarding”).
In my ultimate guide to proofing, I talk about how to spot when the dough is finished rising and ready to bake, plus a whole lot more.
Final Dough Temperature
The final dough temperature (FDT) is the dough’s temperature after mixing all ingredients. The dough’s temperature is important because it’s the main factor that affects fermentation strength: a warmer dough will ferment faster than a cooler dough.
Naturally, each component (levain, the flour, the water, and the ambient environment) has a temperature. While most of these are out of our control, we can easily adjust the water temperature, which enables us to change the FDT of the entire dough to meet whatever the recipe calls for.
I have a handy water temperature calculator you can use to quickly figure out what you need to warm or cool your mixing water to get the dough to the right temperature.
Or, so you don’t have to do any calculations, here’s a quick cheat sheet for this Beginner’s Sourdough bread recipe:
| If your kitchen temperature is | Warm or cool the mixing water to |
|---|---|
| 68°F (20°C) | 98°F (37°C) |
| 70°F (21°C) | 94°F (34°C) |
| 72°F (22°C) | 90°F (32°C) |
| 74°F (23°C) | 86°F (30°C) |
| 76°F (24°C) | 82°F (28°C) |
| 78°F (25°C) | 78°F (25°C) |
| 80°F (26°C) | 74°F (23°C) |
If your kitchen is outside of these temperatures, my guide on the importance of dough temperature in baking will walk you through calculating exactly what to warm (or cool) your mixing water to so your dough meets the FDT for any recipe.
Baker’s Percentages (Baker’s Math)
Baker’s math, or baker’s percentages, helps bakers adjust the actual quantity of the ingredients up or down, depending on how much bread they want to make. I write all the formulas on The Perfect Loaf in baker’s percentages, where all ingredient weights are a percentage of the total flour weight, which always adds up to 100%. Read through my introduction to baker’s percentages for a more in-depth explanation (including how to scale up and down a bread recipe).
TPL Members (the baking community here) have access to all the recipes here at The Perfect Loaf in spreadsheet form, making scaling up and down recipes as simple as changing a few numbers.
Baking Tools
There are a few necessary tools for baking your first loaf of this beginner’s sourdough bread. The following might look like a long list, but you probably already have many of these in your kitchen—There are a few tools necessary for baking this beginner’s sourdough bread. Note that one item is absolutely necessary: a kitchen scale. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, please consider buying one. Measuring flour with cups and scoops is entirely inaccurate!
- combo cooker like a Lodge 3qt. cast iron combo cooker or a Le Creuset Dutch oven that can withstand 500°F (260°C) in the oven and has a well-sealing lid
- large mixing bowl to mix your dough by hand
- two medium kitchen bowls to proof your dough
- two kitchen towels or a tea towel to line the proofing bowls
- bench knife to cut and shape the dough
- plastic or silicone bowl scraper
- kitchen scale that measures in grams
- instant-read thermometer
- white rice flour for dusting proofing bowl
- blade for scoring your dough (a “lame”), or a razor blade, sharp knife, or scissors
- fine-grain sea salt
- parchment paper
- pizza peel (or cutting board)
- heavy duty oven mitt
- the best bread knife for cutting your sourdough bread
You can find a full list of all the tools I use when baking on my baking tools page.
The Importance of Dough Temperature
When I first started baking, I didn’t quite grasp how important temperature is in the bread-making process. I always like to say: Treat temperature as an ingredient, just as flour, water, and salt are ingredients. What I mean by that, practically, is that if one day you mix with water that is 70°F (21°C) and then a week later mix with water that is 80°F (26°C), you will get drastically different outcomes.
Temperature determines the amount of fermentation activity you’ll see. Lower temperatures generally mean less activity; therefore, things will take longer. Higher temperatures generally mean more activity; therefore, things will take less time. Working with consistent temperatures will ensure consistency in your bread baking, and you’ll get the desired results in terms of flavor, rise, texture–well, everything.
Treat temperature as an ingredient, just as flour, water, and salt are ingredients.
If it’s cold where you’re baking, see my tips on how to bake sourdough bread in the winter. And conversely, if it’s warm where you are, see my post on how to bake in the summer. These guides will help ensure your loaves have the best flavor and volume.
Flour For Baking Bread
I used commonly available supermarket flour for this recipe: Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour, Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Flour, and Bob’s Red Mill or Arrowhead Dark Rye Flour. These are great flour choices, but any of King Arthur’s offerings are equally suitable. I chose “bread flour” as it has a higher protein percentage than all-purpose flour, which helps bring significant strength to the dough so that less mixing and kneading is required–it also makes things a bit easier for your first loaf of bread.
As you’ll hear me mention throughout this site, I do like to use as little high-protein flour in my recipes as possible as I find it leads to a slightly chewier, gummy interior—or be sure to use it in the correct way.
Baking Schedule
This beginner’s sourdough bread is a two-day-long process where the bread is mixed and prepared on day one, cold-proofed (retarded) in the fridge overnight, then baked on day two.
I love the convenience of this type of schedule: most of the work is done on the first day, then the dough can be left in the fridge until the next day, when it can be baked in the morning, afternoon, or even the evening.
The baking schedule to the right shows you a high-level view of what step takes place and when.
Beginner’s Sourdough Bread Formula
Now we get to the formula for the beginner’s sourdough bread formula. I start every recipe with two tables: Vitals and Total Formula. The Vitals table gives you a high-level view of the contents of the dough, as well as how much the recipe makes (in this case, two loaves). The Total Formula table lists the ingredients needed for the entire recipe and their respective amounts.
Vitals
| Total Dough Weight | 1,800 grams |
| Pre-fermented Flour | 7.5% |
| Levain in final dough | 20.3% |
| Hydration | 72.0% |
| Yield | Two loaves |
Total Formula
| Weight | Ingredient | Baker’s Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 811g | Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour | 80.0% |
| 152g | Bob’s Red Mill Stoneground Whole Wheat Flour | 15.0% |
| 51g | Bob’s Red Mill Dark Rye Flour | 5.0% |
| 730g | Water | 72.0% |
| 18g | Fine sea salt | 1.8% |
| 38g | Ripe sourdough starter, 100% hydration | 3.8% |
Beginner’s Sourdough Bread Method
1. Levain – 8:00 a.m.
| Weight | Ingredient | Baker’s Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 38g | Ripe sourdough starter (100% hydration) | 50.0% |
| 38g | Bob’s Red Mill Stoneground Whole Wheat | 50.0% |
| 38g | Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour | 50.0% |
| 76g | Water | 100.0% |
Remember: the levain is an off-shoot of your continually maintained sourdough starter and is likewise composed of bacteria and yeasts. You make this levain well before you mix the dough, so it has time to ferment, and eventually, it’s added to the dough to seed fermentation.
Mix the ingredients in the table above in a clean jar (I use the same sourdough starter jars) and leave it at warm room temperature, 74-76°F (23-24°C), for 5 to 6 hours. When it’s ready, it will be expanded, bubbly on top, inside, and at the sides, and have a slightly sour aroma. The photo below shows my levain before it goes into my dough mix.
2. Autolyse – 12:00 p.m.
| Weight | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 773g | Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour |
| 114g | Bob’s Red Mill Stoneground Whole Wheat Flour |
| 51g | Bob’s Red Mill Dark Rye Flour |
| 603g | Water (this has 50g less than the overall formula, reserved for Mix step below) |
The desired dough temperature (DDT) for this dough is 78°F (25°C). As described in the temperature section above, we will try to get the dough to this temperature right at the end of mixing (which is also at the beginning of bulk fermentation).
Warm or cool the autolyse water so the mixed dough reaches the FDT for this recipe. Place the flour and the water called for in the table above in a large bowl. Use wet hands to mix until no dry bits remain; the dough will be shaggy and loose. Use a bowl scraper to scrape down the sides of the bowl, keeping all the dough in one area at the bottom. Cover the bowl and place it near your levain for 1 hour.
Note that the autolyse stage does not incorporate salt or the levain in any way since the autolyse is a long one hour. Adding the levain to the autolyse would mean fermentation would begin, which could end up overproofing the dough. Salt is rarely added to an autolyse because the salt would diminish enzymatic activity during this time, which is precisely why we are doing an autolyse. The autolyse and levain are two separate entities that will be mixed together later in the process.
3. Mix – 1:00 p.m.
| Weight | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 50g | Reserved water (this water was held back in the Autolyse step) |
| 18g | Fine sea salt |
| 190g | Ripe, 100% hydration levain (from Levain, above) |
Use your instant-read thermometer to take the dough’s temperature and compare it to the FDT for this recipe. If it is higher, use cold water for the reserved water; if it is lower, use warm water.
At this point, your autolyse is complete and your levain is ready—it’s time to mix and strengthen the dough. If the dough feels very wet and shaggy, do not use all of the reserved 50g of water; use only a splash to help incorporate the salt and levain. If the dough feels good to you, use all the reserved water.
To the autolyse, add the ingredients in the table above (salt, reserved water to help adjust dough hydration and consistency, and levain). I like to spread everything on top of the dough and use wet hands to pinch all the ingredients together. Transfer the dough to a container or thick-walled bowl for bulk fermentation.
Take the temperature of the dough to get your final dough temperature. If your FDT is below 78°F (25°C), next time use warmer water, and conversely, if it’s above 78°F (25°C), use cooler water. Cover the dough.
4. Bulk Fermentation – 1:10 p.m. to 5:10 p.m.
At 74-76°F (23-24°C) ambient temperature, bulk fermentation should go for about 4 hours. Perform 3 sets of stretches and folds during bulk fermentation, spaced out by 30 minutes.
Each set of stretches and folds consists of 4 folds: one each at the North, South, East, and West sides. Wet your hands with a little water to prevent sticking, and then lift one side (North) of the dough with two hands. Stretch the dough high enough so you can fold it completely over to the other side. Rotate the bowl 180° and do the other side (South). Finish the other two sides (East and West) to complete the set. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, covered, between sets.
In the video below, you can see how I stretch and fold this dough during bulk fermentation.
After the third set of stretch and folds, let the dough rest for the remainder of bulk fermentation. During this time, fermentation aerates the dough (making it rise), continues to strengthen it, and further develops its flavor.
At the end of bulk fermentation, your dough should have risen by 20% to 50%. It should show some bubbles on the top and sides, and the edge of the dough where it meets the bowl should be slightly domed, which indicates strength. In the photo above, you can see all these signs. If you don’t see these signs, leave it for another 15 minutes in bulk fermentation and check again.
5. Divide and preshape – 5:15 p.m.
Lightly flour a work surface. Using a bowl scraper, gently scrape the dough onto the work surface and use your bench knife to divide the dough directly in half. Using your bench knife in your dominant hand, and the other hand wet (or floured, if you prefer) to reduce sticking, turn each half of the dough on the counter while lightly pulling the dough towards you. This gentle turning and pulling motion will develop tension on the dough’s top, forming a circle.
Preshaping bread dough is an often overlooked step, but it sets the stage for successful shaping later. See my guide to preshaping bread dough for more information.
Let the dough rest for 25 minutes, uncovered.
In the video below, you can see how I preshape this beginner’s sourdough bread dough:
6. Shape – 5:35 p.m.
If you’re new to shaping bread dough, check out my guide to shaping a boule (a round) in addition to the steps below.
Lightly flour the top of your dough rounds and the work surface. Working with one round at a time, flip the round so the floured top is now down on the floured work surface.
As seen in the image below, with lightly floured hands, grab the bottom of the round and stretch it lightly downward towards your body, and then up and over about 2/3 of the way to the top.
Then, grab the left and right sides of the dough and stretch them away from each other. Fold one side over toward the other and repeat with the other side.
Then, grab the top of the circle, stretch it away from your body, and then fold it down to the bottom of the dough. You’ll now have a tight package that resembles a letter.
Finally, flip or roll down the dough so the seams are all on the bottom. Using both hands, cup the top part of the round and drag the dough gently towards your body to create surface tension on the dough. The angle of your hands will gently press the dough’s bottom on the counter. This dragging helps create surface tension on the dough, which helps keep it in shape during proofing.
Let the dough rest on the bench for a few minutes to help the bottom seam seal.
In the video below, you can see how I shape bread dough into a boule shape.
Meanwhile, prepare your proofing baskets. Line two proofing baskets, kitchen bowls, or bannetons with clean kitchen towels. Dust lightly and evenly with plain white flour or white rice flour. Gently transfer each piece of shaped dough to a proofing basket, seam-side-up.
You can also top this dough with sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, and much more—see my guide to topping bread dough for more ideas and instructions.
7. Rest and proof – 5:40 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. (next day)
To prevent your dough from drying out overnight, place your bowls containing your shaped dough into reusable plastic bags and seal. I usually puff up the plastic bag around the bowl by opening it wide and then quickly closing it.
Let the dough rest on the counter for 20 minutes. Then, retard (a baker’s term meaning place into a cold area to proof) in the refrigerator at 38°F (3°C) for 16 hours (overnight).
During this time, overall fermentation will slow (especially yeast activity), but bacterial activity will continue at a reduced rate, resulting in a more complex flavor and, ultimately, deeper crust coloring.
8. Bake – Next morning: preheat oven at 8:30 a.m., bake at 9:30 a.m.
Now, it’s time to bake your sourdough bread. It’s not a difficult step, but there are some things to know. The oven needs steam for the best crust and tallest rise. I like to use a Dutch oven or combo cooker, which is very easy. These pots trap the steam released from the dough and provide the right environment for it to rise optimally.
See my full guide to baking sourdough bread for tips on scoring your dough, pots, and steaming.
Place an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven with no rack above it. Put your combo cooker or Dutch oven on the oven rack, and preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) for at least 30 minutes. If you’re using a combo cooker, place the shallow side face up on one side and the heavier, deep side face down on the other.
When your oven is preheated, remove one of the proofing baskets from the fridge, uncover it, and place a piece of parchment paper over it. Place a pizza peel, cutting board, or inverted baking sheet on top of the parchment and, using both hands, flip everything over. Gently remove the basket; your dough should rest on the parchment.
Using a razor blade, sharp knife, or baker’s lame, score the dough at a 90° angle between the blade and the dough. I chose to make a “box” pattern. If using scissors, snip the dough a few times at a very shallow angle between the scissors and the dough, forming a set of ridges down the dough’s center.
While wearing your heavy-duty oven mitt, and with caution, pull out your shallow side of the combo cooker and place it on a heat-safe rack or stovetop. Slide the dough into the combo cooker or Dutch oven. Place it back into the oven and cover the shallow side with the deep side, or put the lid on the Dutch oven. This sealed environment helps trap the moisture (escaping steam) from your dough to steam the loaf exterior as it bakes, which encourages maximal rise and a crunchy, shiny crust.
Bake for 20 minutes. Vent the oven of steam: use your oven mitt to very carefully remove the top of the combo cooker or Dutch oven. Leave the large side of the combo cooker in the oven to the side. Close the oven door and bake for 30 minutes more. When done, the loaf should have an internal temperature of around 208°F (97°C), and the crust should be a deep mahogany color and crackle/crunch when squeezed.
Use your oven mitt to transfer the bread to a wire rack carefully. Cool for 1 to 2 hours before slicing into your beginner’s sourdough bread. For the second loaf, preheat the combo cooker or Dutch oven for 15 minutes and repeat.
Follow my guide to storing bread to keep your loaves fresh for as long as possible.
Once you get the hang of this beginner’s sourdough bread process and formula, you can endlessly modify it with add-ins like walnuts, cranberries, seeds, and a host of other ingredients bound only by your imagination. But the most important thing is to bake and have fun. Remember that sometimes bread doesn’t come out as you intended–but stick with it, and you’ll be rewarded time and time again.
And of course, buon appetito!
Watch me make this Beginner’s Sourdough Bread from start to finish
In my YouTube video below, you can see how I make my Beginner’s Sourdough Bread, from creating the levain to slicing the final loaves.
Beginner’s Sourdough Bread Recipe
- Prep Time: 23 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 24 hours
- Yield: 2 loaves
- Category: Main course
- Cuisine: American
Description
The perfect bread to get started baking sourdough bread at home. This crusty, crunchy, and absolutely delicious loaf of bread is perfect for any lunch or dinner table.
Ingredients
Levain
- 38 grams stoneground whole wheat flour
- 38 grams bread flour
- 76 grams water
- 38 grams ripe sourdough starter
Main dough
- 773 grams bread flour
- 114 grams whole wheat flour
- 51 grams whole grain rye flour
- 653 grams water
- 18 grams fine sea salt
Instructions
- Levain (8:00 a.m.)
In a small container, mix the levain ingredients and keep at 74-76°F (23-24°C) for 5 to 6 hours. - Autolyse (12:00 p.m)
In a medium mixing bowl, mix the flour and 603 grams of water (reserve 50 grams until the next step). Cover and let rest for 1 hour. - Mix (1:00 p.m.)
To the mixing bowl holding your dough, add the salt, ripe levain (from step 1), and reserved 50 grams water. Mix by hand or with a dough whisk until incorporated. Transfer your dough to a bulk fermentation container and cover. - Bulk Fermentation (1:10 p.m. to 5:10 p.m.)
Give the dough 3 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals, where the first set starts 30 minutes after the start of bulk fermentation. - Divide and Preshape (5:10 p.m.)
Lightly flour your work surface and scrape out your dough. Using your bench knife, divide the dough in half. Lightly shape each half into a round shape. Let the dough rest for 25 minutes, uncovered. - Shape (5:35 p.m.)
Shape the dough into a round (boule) or oval (batard)—place in proofing baskets. - Rest and Proof (5:40 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. the next day)
Cover proofing baskets with reusable plastic and seal shut. Let the dough sit out on the counter for 20 minutes. Then, place both baskets into the refrigerator and proof overnight. - Bake (Preheat oven at 8:30 a.m., bake at 9:30 a.m.)
Preheat your oven with a combo cooker or Dutch oven inside to 450°F (230°C). When the oven is preheated, remove your dough from the fridge, score it, and transfer to the preheated combo cooker. Place the cooker in the oven, cover with the lid, and bake for 20 minutes. After this time, remove the lid (you can keep it in the oven or remove it) and continue to bake for 30 minutes longer. When done, the internal temperature should be around 208°F (97°C). Let the loaves cool for 1 to 2 hours on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
While the recipe calls for 16 hours of total proof time, you could extend this time and bake the loaves in the morning, afternoon, or even the evening on day two. Leave the proofing dough in the fridge until ready to bake.
Beginner’s Sourdough Bread Frequently Asked Questions
Why is sourdough bread good for you?
Sourdough, and its lengthy natural fermentation process, can help break down the gluten in grain, which helps aid in the body’s digestion. Additionally, fermentation helps “unlock” the nutrition inherent in the grain, allowing for better absorption.
Is sourdough bread sour?
Sourdough isn’t super sour in the traditional sense—it’s not sour like taking a bit of a lemon. But it does have tanginess which is the byproduct of lactic acid fermentation. Sourdough bread will have more sourness than one made with 100% commercial yeast due to the acids created by natural fermentation.
How can I make sourdough bread more sour?
To increase the sour flavor of this sourdough bread, add more whole grains (both to your sourdough starter and the dough itself), keep the dough warm (78°F/25°C or warmer), and lengthen the total fermentation time by keeping the dough in the fridge to proof even longer than the 16 hours specified in the recipe—24 hours is a good starting point.
How can I get a more open crumb with my bread?
First, focus on your sourdough starter to get a more open crumb for this sourdough bread: it should be refreshed (fed) often, kept warm, and used when ripe. Next, strengthen the dough sufficiently during mixing and bulk fermentation by using stretches and folds. Finally, your dough must be fully proofed so that when you press a finger into the dough, it slowly springs back about halfway (if it springs back quickly, let it proof longer; if the finger indentation stays, bake immediately).
What’s Next?
After baking this beginner’s sourdough bread, check out my Baking Guides for more in-depth discussions on all parts of the sourdough bread-making process. If you’re looking to add mix-ins to your bread, have a look at my walnut cranberry sourdough bread—it’s one of the most popular recipes here at The Perfect Loaf—and for good reason! Or, have a look at my Simple Weekday Sourdough Bread for a way to squeeze sourdough bread baking into a busy workday.
Finally, now that you have your sourdough starter bubbling away on your counter check out my sourdough starter discard recipes for ideas on how to use leftovers!
3,334 Comments
Hello, I was wondering if it’s possible to add things to this bread, like olives or garlic? If so at what point would I add them? How much would I add?
Absolutely. I’d add them right at the end of mixing or beginning of bulk fermentation. Start conservative, perhaps 10% of the dough weight, but you could go up to 20%.
Thank you very much!!
Would that be 10% of flour weight or total dough weight?
My latest batch turned out great. I ended up doing a few more stretch and folds than the recipe called for after my previous batch was very dense and gummy (although I don’t think I mixed the autolyse enough in that batch so maybe the additional folds were unnecessary). One thing I noticed was large holes that made my individual slices of bread more delicate than I’d like. Any suggestions on this?
Glad to hear that, Rich. It’s almost sounding like your bread might be under proofed to me, especially if you’re seeing scattered large holes (and some gumminess). I’d say try giving the dough a little more time in bulk fermentation (maybe 30minutes more) and be sure to hit that final dough temperature if you can! Keeping it warm will ensure good, strong fermentation.
Maurizio,
I have been following you for quite a while, am a student of the craft, and was under the impression that you were probably one of the most serious sourdough bakers out there. However, I think you may have met your match. ;-)) Enjoy!
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-bread-did-ancient-egyptians-eat
Thanks, Thomas! Yes, I saw that article, now that is some serious baking 🙂
Why do you need to build a levain at all? Could you just use a portion of your starter at its peak as the “levain”?
That’s correct, you can certainly just use part of your starter. I like to make a levain for this just to make sure everyone is on the same page with the timeline and level of maturity.
Aren’t you doing any kneading (besides the gentle mixing after the autolyse and after adding the levain) before the bulk fermentation? Shouldn’t i do slap and folds or rough kneading for 10 minutes?
Last weekend i baked my 3th batch and they keep getting better and better. Reducing the ‘gummi-ness’ is still a challenge though…
I am not, all the strengthening happens in this recipe during bulk fermentation through stretch and folds. The other reason upfront kneading isn’t necessary for this dough is because it’s moderately hydrated and uses a large portion of bread flour, which is typically very strong. However, you can always take that option: slap/fold upfront for a bit, and then add in stretch and folds during bulk fermentation as needed.
Glad to hear they’re getting better! It’s likely due to under proofed dough — give your dough the time it needs in bulk fermentation!
That’ll work!
I only have all purpose and wheat flours. How should I substitute for bread and rye?
Sure, that would work. I would probably sub out the rye for whole wheat, if you have it. Otherwise, bread flour or even all purpose would be just fine.
under my conditions (T° 25°C and H° about 75%) the flour do not absorb as much water as yours, I feel confident at maximum70% hydration. It was quite difficult to shape that 78%
Jose — that’s ok, the hydration is very relative to your flour!
If do the stretch and folds then let the dough bulk ferment overnight in the fridge when I shape the loaves in the morning how long do I have to let them proof? Also will they proof on the counter or in the fridge? Thank you in advance.
In the morning, take the dough out and preshape. Let the rounds rest 30m on the counter until they spread some and warm up. Shape the dough and place into proofing baskets, covered. Let them sit maybe 2-4 hours, depending on the temp in your kitchen, and bake when ready. The “poke test” is a good indicator here! So final proof on the counter.
Hi Maurizio! Thank you so much for your guides and recipes, especially during these dark days I find them really helpful!!
I have made several times this Beginner’s Sourdough Bread with my own Greek style, what I mean is different type of flours also I don’t own a Dutch oven or these “towel-lined kitchen bowl” you are using. I am very happy with the result but it is a very sticky dough, I can hardly shape it, it sticks on the parchment paper or the towels even when they are well dusted with flour. I get a very tasty bread with a glued perchmant paper in the bottom.
Of course it still worths the trouble, but it would be great if you could share a tip. Thank you in advance!
You bet, Dionisia 🙂 It sounds like your dough is most likely over hydrated. Try reducing the hydration by 5% and give it another go — the reduced water should bring a lot of strength to the dough and you’ll feel it immediately. Once you find a suitable hydration, you can try to push it back up, but as you do, take note of how the consistency of the dough changes: the dough will start to slacken out as you add more and more water, this means you’ll likely have to mix more upfront or add another set or two of stretch and folds during bulk fermentation.
Try to keep everything else as consistent as possible and let me know how the next attempt goes!
Hey there!! Making my second beginner’s loaf, and both times my autolyse seems super dry. I did 748 grams bread flour, 159 grams whole wheat and 641 grams water. What am I missing??? Appreciate the help.
As long as it’s just wet enough to make all the dry spots disappear it’s just fine. If you’re having trouble, try taking some of that reserved water and use that to help bring it together. If it’s just not enough, use all the reserved water and add another 25g to the dough later when mixing. That should do it!
hello, if I do not have rye flour, can I still make this bread? what changes would you recommend?
Yes, absolutely. I’d use whole wheat flour in place of the rye and do everything exactly the same.
Hello Maurizio. I was so happy to find you and followed your guidance for my starter and now my beginner’s first sourdough loaf. The crust was beautiful with perfect color and texture! However, I am originally from San Francisco and crave the super sour tang I grew up with. How can I achieve a more sour bread? Also, my loaf inside (the crumb) was more tan in color than my old San Francisco loaf, which is a quite white crumb! I’d love to achieve a whiter loaf with more sour tang. Thanks so much for your help!
Happy to have you along, Carole! There are a few things you can do to try and increase the sourness of your bread. First, you want to use your starter, and levain, when it’s very ripe. If it rises up to a certain height, let it sit there for a bit before you use it. If it starts to fall that’s ok too, just try to use it after it falls. That mature, ripe starter/levain has much more acidity than if used when it’s more on the “younger” side. Just be weary that your dough fermentation rate might be a bit faster than previous, keep an eye on it during bulk fermentation and divide the dough when it looks ready.
Additionally, you could try using some rye flour in your final dough mix. Just know that the more rye you include the more dense your loaf will be as rye does have the same gas-trapping capabilities as traditional wheat. It’s up to you on the percentage, but even 5% plays a big role.
Finally, if you can try to push the cold proof in the fridge. There’s a limit of course, but if you could go even a few more hours you should notice more sourness.
The color of the crumb is mostly from the flour you’re using (other things can condition the color as well). Usually bakers are looking for that yellowish/creamy color 🙂 If you use all white flour that’ll likely do what you’re looking for 🙂
I hope this helps!
I mixed my levain last night (mostly because it’s so cold in my house I wanted to give it extra time to do its thing) before going to bed. The levain was really active with a big rise and lots of bubbles. I marked the height if it with an elastic band. After waking up with morning, I checked on it and it has fallen. There also seems less air pockets and it seems as if the levain has gone slack. Should I abandon it? Start another one? It still smells sour, but it did not pass the float test. I realize now that with the larger amount of starter called for in this particular recipe this levain requires less time to get ready for dough mixing. I checked the starter FAQ too and couldn’t find anything specific to a fallen levain build. Thanks so much 🙂
If it doesn’t look overly fallen and smell super sour, you might still be able to use it. If it’s very sour smelling and has fallen very far in the jar, I’d use that levain to build another one and use that instead.
Hi!!
I used this recipe for a first time sourdough yesterday. I think I made some mistakes. I think the dough was too wet, I shouldn’t have added the extra 50g of water after autolyze (should have trusted my instinct).
The dough was very wet and sticky after bulk fermentation. I had real trouble shaping it. Especially since I’m a novice. I tried my best and put it in the fridge to retard.
Is there a way I can try to reshape the dough again this morning ? It’s been in the fridge around 10 hours. Or is that going to undo all the work I did yesterday? I’m worried the boule is not tight enough and will collapse when I take it out of the fridge.
Thanks!
+ 1 on this question. I had the exact same experience just now. Halved the recipe. After bulk, it seemed significantly more fluid than from what your photos and description prescribe…
Lost cause? I can start a new one tomorrow with less water…
Very important point here! I’ll try to make this more clear in the post. Thank you!
I also had a very wet dough. I added 74g of water to my levain and then an additional 641g (691g-50g) of water for the autolyse, then the remaining 50g. Is this correct? Thanks!
That’s correct, but if the dough was very wet to you, don’t add that reserved 50g of water — it’s kind of a last chance modification during mixing.
It will get easier, I promise. I have made two completely flat hockey puck loaves, using different recipes. I made this recipe and its finally turning out correctly. Like they say, the more you do it, the more you’ll understand what you are doing. This was the first time I was even able to figure out shaping.
If you are in an area that is more humid than Maurizio, then you may not need as much water.
If the dough looks super slack in the morning, you could do a light reshape on the counter while the oven is preheating. Then toss it in!
Both loaves turned out beautiful. Very happy with them considering my first attempt!! Tiny bit of gumminess on the bottom of the first loaf. So cooked the second one a little longer.
Will work on my shaping skills next time.
Thanks ☺️
Hi Maurizio
Greetings from Malaysia! Massive props for the incredible website – an insane amount of detail, insight and extremely well written content. I took a crack at this beginners sourdough few days ago and although my loaf lacked lift and came out a bit like a hockey puck, I had a ton of fun putting it together and it tasted great. I’m gonna go again tomorrow and see if I can improve on it. A quick question – does baking in an extremely humid climate have an effect on the dough during the whole process and if so, would you adjust it to compensate in any way?
I hope one day my loaves look even half as good as yours 🙂
Michael
Thanks for the kind words, Michael, I really appreciate that. You might want to try and reduce the hydration a bit if the dough felt overly sticky/wet/slack, even just a little bit (like 2-5%) will bring a lot of strength to the dough. You might notice a slight increase in fermentation rates as well, but there are a lot of conditions to take into account there — and temperature is the most important.
Keep at it and happy baking!
Hey Maurizio – second loaf came out so much better than the first. Dropped the hydration a bit and shaped them much better. It turned out quite gummy though and I’m yearning for that open crumb. Think I know what to do based on your answers to others here and sifting through your website. We forge on 🙂
Thanks again and stay safe!
Glad to hear it, Michael! Happy to help and happy baking. Wishing you good health.
You want to make your levain from your starter in the morning before the starter is fed (refreshed). You want to take a part of your starter when it’s at its highest point in your jar (or close to it) to make your levain — this is also the time when you’d normally do a refreshment. The reason is you want to use that starter when it’s at it’s maximum population of yeast and bacteria, if you refresh it first and then use it you’ll be using mostly inert flour and water. Hope that make sense and helps! Happy baking 🙂
Hello from Canada! Thank you for this excellent resource. I have a question, maybe a silly one…I have two dutch ovens – is there any reason that I can’t bake both loaves at the same time?
Thank you 🙂
You’re welcome! You can certainly do this, no issue at all 🙂 Happy baking!
When you perform the 3 sets of stretches, do you do them in the beginning of the bulk fermentation, middle, or more towards the end or doesn’t it matter.
Ok…I let the dough rest in the beginning and at the end and did the stretches in the middle. At 5:15 I wasn’t seeing any bubbles forming and the edges were not slightly domed. I have now left it alone for another 1 1/2 hrs and I’m starting to see some action. Letting it go until 7:10 when I will divide in half. I ‘m assuming that the extra time can only be for the good??
Perfect! Nice dome and bubbles. It pays to listen to your dough.
Glad to hear that, Barbara. As written in the recipe, the first fold takes place 30 minutes after the start of bulk fermentation and every 30 minutes thereafter. Once the last set is performed, the dough rests the remainder of bulk fermentation. I like to do the majority of the folds early in bulk rather than later.
Great! That’s good to know for next time. Made the waffle recipe for breakfast this morning, different but good. Looking forward to pancakes next Sunday. Today I Have 1 loaf out of the oven and waiting for the second loaf. One thing I have noticed is that my bread doesn’t rise as high as I would like it to. I think I am contributing this to the proofing bowls I am using so my bread flattens out a little more. Have proofing bowls on order so it’ll be interesting to see if I am correct. Another thing I noticed from last week was my bread getting done too early and slightly burning on the bottom. I did read through your notes on this and have taken steps to remedy it. I also put a gauge in my oven and found it to be about 25 degrees off so had to adjust for that as well. All in all I am so happy to have found your site. Thanks!
Hi Maurizio,
Thank you for sharing your recipes – I made the pain de mie yesterday and your banana bread the day before and both came out perfectly! My sourdough boules, however, haven’t turned out quite so well yet and have been very flat with no rise in the oven. I do a bulk fermentation in a warming cupboard (around 27 degrees Celsius – my kitchen is quite cool so I thought a warmer fermentation might be better)) before putting in the fridge overnight. I read a comment from you below saying that dough should not rise much in the fridge but mine probably rise around 40% and when I take them out to bake they don’t hold their shape nor do they rise. I thought this was a sign of over proofing so I decreased the time: the first loaf I proofed for 17 hours, the second for 12 hours. Even so, both had the same result (although the loaf that was proofed longer tasted better). Do you have any ideas about what could be going wrong? I was thinking of trying a cooler fermentation and seeing what happens, although I’m not sure if that will make a difference.
Thank you!
Hi Angharad, I’m having a similar issue. Not sure what’s going on.. my dough seems to be very flat once I pull out of the fridge.
See my reply to Angharad!
It’s possible your dough is over proofing, especially if you’re seeing no rise in the oven. But it’s also possible the dough is either over hydrated or not strengthened enough and thus spreads in the oven when you go to bake it. I would try reducing the bulk fermentation time to 3.5 hours at 27C, then shape the dough very strong and tight. After it’s shaped, straight to the cold fridge (don’t let the dough sit out before putting in the fridge) for 12 hours. Bake in the morning. I think this will help!
How do we know if it’s over hydrated? I always felt that last 50g of water made my dough too runny. Can we skip it?
Yes you can skip it, that’s exactly why it’s held back — only add it if you feel like the dough can handle it.
Hi Maurizio,
Thanks for your thoroughly informing and delightful recipes. I baked this beginner’s loaf last week and it turned out perfectly.
I’m half way through my second now but didn’t account for leaving early for work tomorrow when I started prepping this morning. How do you feel about halting the fridge time so I can bake before bed tonight instead?
Will this effect the flavours/rise/consistency — does it matter too much in your opinion?
Cheers, Adelle
That’s great to hear, Adelle! You can do this, just let it proof on the counter for 2-4 hours. It will bake up very nice this way but you might notice less of a sour flavor and overall complexity — still delicious nonetheless!
Maurizio, thanks for answering comments. That is so cool. I have 2 questions.
1.) The same as Mike below (guidance for proofing at room temp – realizing flavor probably not as strong).
2.) This recipe makes a 900g loaf. Say I want to make a 500-600g loaf (so I am not eating so much bread haha … cause if I bake it, lets be honest, I’m gonna eat it). Would cook times be much different? Do you have a guide on weight and cook times?
Thanks! Ben
You can just cook it until the bread gets to 208 using a probe thermometer.
You bet! Answers:
1) See my answer to Mike, below.
2) Expect to bake for less time with smaller loaves, but it’s hard to say how long. Bake until you get an internal temp between 206-210°F and the exterior is nice and colored. The crust should crack when you gently squeeze. It’ll bake up wonderfully!
Hope that helps!
Awesome, thanks so much! I did try a same day bake, it worked great. Rose 3 hrs on my counter. Also tried loaves 500-650g and these cooked 20 min covered and seemed to need only 15 min uncovered. So great! Love the recipe. I added in some walnuts on my last loaf and I am converted
Hi Maurizio, Sorry if this has been asked before but roughly how long do you think you would let the final proofing run for this loaf if you were doing it warm (at say 25C/78F) rather than retarding in the fridge? I know it’s a real shame to lose the flavour that you get from the retarded proof – but it would be really helpful to know for learning purposes (and for those occasions when fridge space just isn’t an option). Thank you! Mike
A same day bake is a wonderful thing, don’t discount an excellent sourdough bread made in one day! I find it has less complexity overall, but sometimes this is a nice change and it’s a good way to bake around your schedule.
It really depends on how the dough is that day, but at those temps I’d say anywhere between 2-4 hours on the counter. Use the “poke test” to determine when they are ready: poke the dough gently a few places and see how the indentation fills back in, If it’s slow — and perhaps doesn’t quite fill all the way back in — it’s ready to bake. If the indentation fills back in quickly it needs more time. The poke test is not a foolproof method, but it will be quite accurate for a dough like this.
I hope this helps and happy baking, Mike!
That’s great, thanks Maurizio – it’s very useful to have this guide. Really appreciate you taking the time to reply to comments!
Maurizio, is there any reason why you let the dough cold ferment for 16 hours? In the basic tartine recipe, fermentation time is 10-12 hours. Or is it only convenience so you don‘t have to get up earlier? 🙂 I think it‘s quite long, but in comparison to the US, our fridges run at 6-7 degrees celsius here in Germany so maybe it might also be because the dough needs more time because it‘s retarding colder?
Looking forward to your answer and my bake tomorrow! 🙂 Thank you!
Stefan
Stefan — a convenience thing for this recipe. If you want to do 12 hours you can certainly do that, and if your fridge is a little warmer than the ones here in the USA that might be more appropriate! Hope your bake went well, enjoy 🙂
Hi, thank you so much for sharing all of your knowledge, it has allowed to me to create a very happy starter! I have whole wheat bread flour, spelt flour and all purpose flour to make my loaf and a 50% spelt 50% all purpose starter. What quantities would you recommend for my flour for my sourdough? I have been trying to adapt your simple weekday sourdough recipe. I am new to sourdough and do not quite understand the pros and cons of using my flours and the quantities that would produce a nice, manageable sourdough bread!
Glad to hear that, Amy! Use your whole wheat flour and AP flour for this recipe, substitute out the rye flour for more whole wheat. This will work very well!
My bread turned out a little dense and gummy (using whole wheat + all purpose flour). After I took it out of the basket, it seemed to flatten/spread. And the final bread ended up a little flat and wide, where the top looks more like an flat oval than a round half circle. The crumb is also not as open as the ones in the example post. I followed the recipe pretty closely, but gave the dough an extra fold.
Any idea of where I might have gone wrong? This is my first time with this recipe, though I’ve used one of Ken Forkish’s before. And I get the same result.
Thank you so much for this resource!
I’ve asked a few baker friends and they said that it seemed like my dough was too slack and that I could try kneading it longer before bulk fermentation. Would that help?
Yes, that would help for sure, especially since you’re using AP flour instead of bread flour (which is totally fine). Additionally, be sure you’re using your starter and levain when they are mature and ripe, you want to see strong signs of fermentation when you go to use them. Finally, give your dough the time it needs in bulk fermentation! You want to see lots of rise, bubbles, and activity.
Hope this helps and happy baking!
I am not able to get any kinds of flour other than white and whole wheat, can this recipe be used with those? Thank you for your great tutorial!
Yes, absolutely. Just substitute out the rye for whole wheat. Happy baking!
Hello! I have one hour left in bulk fermentation. The dough feels sticky, and it’s sticking to my bowl. Is this normal? Thank you!
Sounds normal! If you’re worried it’s not strong enough, give it another set of stretch and folds to smooth it out and give it more strength.
Thank you!
Hello! I have one hour left in bulk fermentation. The dough feels sticky, and it’s sticking to my bowl. Is this normal? Thank you!
Why does the weekday recipe have so much less starter in the Levain?
Because my simple weekday sourdough bread recipe has a levain that takes 12-14 hours to mature, whereas this one matures in 5 hours. The higher the percentage of sourdough starter in the levain, the faster it will mature.
Hey Maurizio, i forgot to feed my starter yesterday but really want to make this bread today. Would the starter still be good enough for the levain?
It’s so hard to say. I’d probably do a fast 5 hour levain build as shown here in this recipe and see how it looks after the 5 hours: if you see lots of activity and it’s acting normal, you’re probably fine to use it in a dough mix. If not, you could then use that levain to make another 5 hour one and mix with that.
Thank you so much!
I tried your beginner’s sourdough yesterday….my first attempt at sourdough. It was really warm in NC and I wanted to take advantage of the warm temperature in my kitchen. The dough did fine it had bubbles and seemed happy after the first fermentation. I have to shape 3 loaves due to the size of my bannetons (the mfg said 680 grams was the sweet spot). This morning they hadn’t risen at all (that I could tell), though they did get oven spring when I baked them. They are just so tiny!!! Each round of dough weighed about 625 grams before they went into the fridge. Any idea why the final product looks like it could be for a child’s tea party? 😂 I really want to master this….who would believe that flour and water could rule my life? 😂 Thank you so much for any advice!!!
Well 625g is a small loaf for me, but it’s not a teacake that’s for sure 🙂 My guess is you didn’t get enough fermentation in the dough, perhaps the temps were still a bit too cool or another factor. You definitely should see rise in your loaves when you go to bake them, they should feel puffed up and alive! Perhaps they were underproofed? If so, give the dough longer in the first rise, let them sit out for 30m or so on the counter before the fridge, and then bake them after 12 hours or so. Let me know how that goes!
Thank you so much!! I will make these adjustments and try again! The loaves are delicious and the crumb is full of holes and lovely. You are so incredibly generous with your time and your knowledge.I am eternally grateful. 😊
Hi Maurizio, thank you for sharing all your knowledge, I have learned so much through your posts and made a few quite successful loaves with the beginners guide! However I now live in Denmark and I have been getting my flour from a local organic mill (it has a protein percentage of 12.5%) it’s hard to find specific flours here such as bread flour / AP flour / High gluten flour, since I adapted the recipe to what I have available here, I have been getting a lot of sticky messes. During the first stretch and folds there will be a clear development in the dough but near the end the dough does not get smoother and after bulk it lacks structure. When I get it onto the bench it and try to pre-shape it will hold slightly but as it sits it’ll just flatten out. My FDT was 27C at the end of bulk so not really sure if this is directly connected to the flour as I suspect, and if so is there an adjustment I can make? or may I be neglecting something else? Any advise would be very very helpful! Thank you.
Really glad to hear that, Nicole! You might have to reduce the hydration in your recipes, it sounds like perhaps it’s too much for the flour. I’d also recommend skipping the autolyse step completely (this could have a negative impact on your dough with your flour). These two things might help quite a bit right there, if you’re still having issues we’d have to discuss further via email. Let me know if you still have problems and we can try to work around all of this!
When removing the baskets from the refrigerator in the morning, should the dough have risen or grown in size?
You won’t see a lot of rise when the dough is proofed in the fridge overnight — it’s cold! If you feel like the dough is under proofed, let it sit out of the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking to give it more room temp time which will push fermentation farther.
Hi Maurizio! I cut the dough recipe in half but used the full levain as you wrote above. 184 g of it and now my dough is really wet. Did i just mess everything up??
Just stick with it. Shape the dough a little extra tight and things should work out fine!
I doubled my second batch after the first went so well. But I don’t have room in the fridge for 4 bowls, Is there another way to keep them in the fridge
overnight and then shape them?
You could bake two tonight after they are shaped and left out for 2-3 hours to finish proofing, and then bake two tomorrow after proofing in the fridge. Just one option!
Maurizio,
I just baked my first loaves…yay! But they have little shape and are very dense…Boo Also the flavor seems too “wheaty” for me. I’m ready to make adjustments but I’m not sure what to try next. Thanks in advance for your detailed information.
Awesome, Mary! It could be that your loaves were underproofed. There are a few indicators your dough could be under: explosive rise in the oven, dense interior with potentially scattered large holes, and gummy texture to the interior. Finally, it’s possible the bottom of the loaf might be slightly bowed upward (like the letter “U” — the top will kind of dome).
Make sure to build your levain from a starter that’s strong and mature (meaning it’s risen to it’s peak height before you take some to use). From there, bulk fermentation is very important! Make sure your bulk fermentation goes sufficiently far, you want the dough to look smooth, it should have risen considerably, and have bubbles here and there. If you tug on the dough a bit it should offer resistance to your tugging, it’ll feel stronger.
Above all, give the dough the time it needs! If it’s cooler in your kitchen, things might take longer than my timeline here.
Let me know how the next attempt goes and wishing you good health.
Thanks so much…feeding starter now. I think I’ll try again in a couple of days to give my starter time to strengthen.
Hi Maurizio..!!!
Thanks for this blogpost :)) new to you ws and sourdough baking, but think your posts will be of great help.
If I would like to make just one loaf of bread should I then half the amount of leaving I make/ use as well?
Thanks in advance for your reply..!!
Emine, you’re very welcome! Yes, just halve all the ingredients and you’re good to go 🙂