Sourdough Loaf
A rustic artisan sourdough loaf with a crackly, deeply caramelized crust and an open, chewy crumb, leavened entirely with a naturally fermented starter. A patient, multi-stage bake with a tangy, complex flavor.
By YumYum Editorial · Baking & Desserts
Prep: 30 min · Cook: 45 min · Total: 75 min · Serves 12
Ingredients
- 100 g active sourdough starter, bubbly and doubled
- 375 g warm water
- 500 g bread flour
- 10 g salt
- to taste Rice flour or extra bread flour, for dusting
Instructions
- Mix the active starter with warm water until dissolved, then add bread flour and mix until no dry patches remain. Let rest (autolyse) 30-60 minutes.
- Sprinkle salt over the dough and fold it in thoroughly by hand until fully incorporated.
- Begin bulk fermentation at room temperature (75-78°F), performing 4-6 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours.
- Continue bulk fermenting undisturbed until the dough has risen about 50-75% and looks bubbly and jiggly, roughly 4-6 hours total.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a tight round or oval boule, and place seam-side up in a floured banneton.
- Cover and refrigerate for a cold retard of 8-16 hours to develop flavor and make scoring easier.
- Preheat a Dutch oven inside your oven to 500°F (260°C) for 45 minutes. Turn the cold dough out onto parchment, score the top with a sharp blade, and transfer to the hot Dutch oven.
- Bake covered 20 minutes, then remove the lid, reduce heat to 450°F (230°C), and bake 20-25 minutes more until deeply browned. Cool at least 1 hour before slicing.