My Small-Starter, Loose-Rules, Homemade Sourdough Bread Method
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Recipe type: bread
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 1 loaf
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups bread flour (see above for alternative ratios)
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour (see above for alternative ratios)
  • 1½ cups room temperature water
  • ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons starter (see my non-measuring method above)
  • 1¾ teaspoons salt
  • extra flour for dusting
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, mix the bread flour and whole wheat flour with the water. Use your hands to mix everything together into a rough dough. Cover the bowl and let it sit for 2 hours.
  2. Add the starter and salt. Use your hands to mix everything together for a couple of minutes until the starter and salt feel mixed in. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then come back to it and work the dough in a circular shoveling motion (I recommend watching a few Youtube videos of folks making sourdough to see what I mean!) until it starts to form one cohesive piece.
  3. Cover the bowl and let it sit in a warm spot in the kitchen for the "bulk fermentation." The amount of time the dough needs to ferment will depend on the temperature in your house, and it can be anywhere from 4-6 hours. I like to let my sourdough ferment on the longer side, which can be up to 8 hours depending on what time I get started.
  4. Every hour or so during this time, you'll do a "stretch and fold." This video (and there are so many other on youtube!) is a great example of this simple technique.
  5. By the end of the bulk fermentation, the dough should have almost doubled and you should see air bubbles forming on the surface. If you are going to use a loaf pan, at this time you can transfer the dough into it, cover, and place in the refrigerator overnight. For a round, artisanal-style loaf, next you need to shape the dough. Sprinkle a clean surface with flour. Gently transfer your dough onto the surface. To shape the dough, gently fold all four sides over each other, like you're wrapping a package. Then, continually pick up the dough so the top surface can fold over itself, allowing the top of the dough to become taught. I recommend watching a video (like this one) to get the technique.
  6. Once the dough is nice and round, gently transfer it to a floured banneton or colander lined with a tea towel. Cover, and place in the refrigerator for the cold fermentation (ideally at least 12 hours).
  7. In the morning, preheat the oven to 500°F. Line a dutch oven with parchment paper or sprinkle it with cornmeal.
  8. Gently flip your dough out of the banneton and into the dutch oven, so it's upside down with the smooth side facing up. Use a sharp knife (or bread lame if you have one) to score a couple of lines about ½" deep into the dough.
  9. Cover the dutch oven and bake for 25 minutes. Turn the heat down to 475°F and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for another 15 minutes, then toss about ¼ cup of water into the bottom of the oven to steam (this makes a nice crispy crust) and bake for another 5 minutes. If you're using a loaf pan, simply bake at 475°F for 40 minutes.
  10. Remove from the oven and let the bread cool in the dutch oven (or loaf pan) for at least 1 hour. Remove, slice, and enjoy!
Recipe by The Colorful Kitchen at https://thecolorfulkitchen.com/2020/04/07/my-small-starter-loose-rules-homemade-sourdough-bread-method/