New to homemade sourdough bread or simply improving your craft? Emilie’s Everyday Sourdough from her book Artisan Sourdough Made Simple is a fabulous starting point for new sourdough bakers or simply to hone your sourdough skills. DIY a Sourdough Bread Starter to create a beautiful wild yeast sourdough loaf!
A Sourdough Journey
Prior to going to pastry school, I’d never tried making homemade sourdough bread, although I had read books about it. Intimidated by the terminology, flours, feeding schedules, shaping techniques and knowing, I never took the time or had the courage to dive in.
During pastry school I worked with yeasted bread until I could make it in my sleep. But it was naturally leavened sourdough that continued to mystify me. Only having a few opportunities in school to work with it, I never really gained the hands on knowledge I’d anticipated. So, I continued to read about it, gleaning little nuggets that would some day make me the bread baker I wanted to be.
RELATED: Make an Easy Homemade Sourdough Starter!
A friend of a friend offered some sourdough starter, knowing my interest. I promptly killed it after attempting sourdough again. Then, I carried some of my mom’s starter back to Whidbey with me after a visit to Texas.
I persisted, yet…
I couldn’t quite get the dough to its fluffy pillowy softness, the crumb to its tender-chewy texture, or the crust to its crusty bliss as I had tasted, seen in books, on Emilie’s blog and bakeries.
I tried again, still not producing the loaf of my dreams. Why is this SO hard?
I gave up sourdough baking early last winter with the hopes of starting again this fall.
Sourdough Success!
Enter Emilie Raffa’s new book Artisan Sourdough Made Simple. When I heard she was publishing a book on her sourdough method, I knew it would be my best chance yet to finally learn how to make the perfect loaf. I’ve been following Emilie’s blog, The Clever Carrot, for a while now. You may remember I introduced a cauliflower bolognese recipe from her first cookbook on the blog last year (I know, right?).
Her recipes, writing and photography draw me in, making me feel as if I’m in the kitchen with her. Practical, and not fussy, her writing nudges and encourages me along in the process.
After diving into sourdough again using Emilie’s through and approachable new book and in a short period of time, I can confidently say,
I am a sourdough baker.
You can do it too!
Artisan Sourdough Made Simple Includes
- Photography of every recipe
- Illustrations and photography for basic tools, handling, shaping, and scoring patterns
- How to make and maintain (a sticking point for me) a sourdough starter
- FAQ section – so helpful
- Sourdough terminology – explained simply
- Good to Know tips in each section
- Sweet and savory loaves
- Crusty and soft sandwich loaves
- Recipes for leftover sourdough starter (!!)
I’ve baked three everyday sourdough loaves, and a cheddar-jalapeño chive loaf (omgeeee!), and made gruyere-chive crackers and waffles with leftover sourdough starter. I love them all and can’t wait to try her basic no-knead focaccia, mighty multigrain, and cinnamon raisin swirl among so many others. I’m just getting started!
An Essential Resource
Emilie’s book is for the beginner or more advanced sourdough baker. So if you’re just starting sourdough, intrigued or have been baking for a while, this book is for you. Her recipes are approachable, creative, completely mouthwatering and clearly written for success. Her photography and gentle nudges will inform and inspire you.
Looking for a fabulous Multigrain Sourdough Bread recipe to challenge your bread baking prowess? Check out my Seeded Multigrain Sourdough Bread or my Maple Oat Sourdough Sandwich Bread recipe.
My Sourdough Toolkit (affiliate links):
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- 7 Quart Dutch Oven
- 10″ Cast Iron Skillet with Deep Dish Skillet for a lid
- Bench Scraper
- Parchment Paper
- Food Thermometer
- Lame – for scoring the dough
- Banneton(s)
- Digital Scale
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More Sourdough Recipes to Love
- Sourdough Pita Bread
- Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls
- Sourdough Pizza
- Fluffy Sourdough Banana Muffins – discard recipe
- Sourdough Oat Pancakes – discard recipe
- Easy Sourdough Biscuits Recipe – discard recipe
- Strawberry Shortcake with Sourdough Biscuits – discard recipe
Emilie’s Everyday Sourdough Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 C (50g) Sourdough Starter previously fed, active and bubbly
- 1 1/3 C + 2 Tbs (350g) Warm Water about 80f (26c)
- 4 C (500g) Bread Flour
- 1 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In the evening, whisk the starter and water together in a large bowl with a fork. Add the flour and salt. Combine until a still dough forms, then finish mixing by hand to fully incorporate the flour. The dough will feel dense and shaggy, and it will stick to your fingers as you go. Scrape off as much as you can. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes. Replenish your starter with fresh flour and water, and store according to preference. After the dough has rested, work the mass into a fairly smooth ball. To do this, grab a portion of the dough and fold it over, pressing your fingertips into the center. Repeat, working your way around the dough until it begins to tighten, about 15 seconds.
- Bulk Rise: Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise overnight at room temperature. This will take about 8-10 hours at 70F (21C). The dough is ready when it no longer looks dense and has doubled in size. (Traci's Note: Mine generally takes 12-13 hours to rise, but I have a chilly kitchen!).
- Shape: In the morning, coax the dough into a lightly floured work surface. To shape it into a round, start at the top and fold the dough over towards the center. Turn the dough slightly and fold over the next section of dough. Repeat until you have come full circle. Flip the dough over and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, line an 8-inch (20cm) bowl with a towel (or use a banneton) and dust with flour. With floured hands, gently cup the dough and pull it toward you in a circular motion to tighten its shape. Using a bench scraper, place the dough into the bowl, seam side up.
- Second Rise: Cover the bowl and let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The dough is ready when it looks puffy and has risen slightly but has not yet doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 450F (230C). Cut a sheet of parchment paper to fit the size of your baking pot leaving enough excess around the sides to remove the bread. **UPDATE (5.20)** Place a sheet pan on an oven rack directly under the oven rack you'll be baking the bread on. This protects the baking vessel from the intense heat of the oven and helps prevent a too-dark or burnt bottom. (See notes for more information).
- Score: Place the parchment over the dough and invert the bowl to release. Sprinkle the dough with flour and gently run the surface with your hands. Using the tip of a small, serrated knife or a razor blade, score the dough with a cross-cut pattern about 1/3" (8mm) deep and about 2-3" (5-7cm) on the top or any way you like. Use the parchment to transfer the dough to the baking pot.
- Bake: Bake the dough on the center rack for 20 minutes, covered. Remove the lid and continue to bake for 30 minutes. Then, carefully remove the loaf from the pot and bake directly on the oven rack for the last 10 minutes to crisp the crust. (Traci's Note: To check if the bread is ready, check the internal temperature of the loaf. It should read between 190F-205F when done.) When finished, transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 1 hour before slicing. Sourdough is best consumed on the same day it's baked. To maximize freshness, cool completely and store at room temperature in a plastic bag for up to one day (Traci's Note: my sourdough is generally storing for between 3-4 days.)
Notes
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
DISCLOSURE: I received a copy of Emilie’s new cookbook to use and am thrilled to be able to share this fabulous book in this space. All opinions are my own.
First time making this recipe, using a new Dutch Oven (5 qt) and I couldn’t really be any more pleased! I used the baking sheet below it, and it turned out fabulous! I probably scored a bit too deep but it is still beautiful and tastes perfect.
Super happy to read your note, Barb! Thank you for coming back and sharing your thoughts and rating. I’m thrilled that you’re pleased with the sourdough!
Hi Traci, I love your recipes, even though I am struggling with the everyday sourdough being too dark and too fast. Maybe the reason is that I am trying to make a honey wheat sourdough boule from it. Can you please post a recipe for a honey wheat sourdough boule? There is not one recipe on the internet. Thank you Denise
PS I use 100g WW flour 400 Bread flour and mix 1/8-1/4 c honey in the water and starter
Hi again! I see now why you’re having issues. Your review is for a different, adapted whole wheat and honey recipe. Honey will make sourdough brown more easily, and whole wheat bakes darker due to the nature of whole grain. This could be the culprit, but above all, an oven thermometer (even on a new oven) goes a long way to confirm accurate oven temperature. I’m actually working on a honey wheat sourdough, although It’s sandwich bread, I’ll give a boule a go next. Until then, try reducing your oven temperature by 25F.
The baking times do not work. I am good at making Sourdough and Love Vanilla Bean’s recipes but this recipe came out burned in 40 min. Covered 20 min, uncovered 15 min of the 25 and it’s burned. So I tried 20 covered, uncover 10, and then 8 min with no pan to crisp the crust and in 8 min it burned.
Hi Denise… oh no! I’m sorry to hear your bread isn’t turning out. I’m curious about your oven… Are you able to employ an external oven thermometer to check for accurate oven temperature? Is it possible the thermostat is faulty? Also, I’m curious about the interior of the bread… is it reaching 190F – 200F?. If so, you can try placing a piece of foil over the loaf after removing the lid (and also place a sheet pan on the oven rack below your baking vessel). With a little more information, maybe we can figure out what’s happening together. Let me know, okay?
It is a newer gas oven so temp is good.
Also, Traci, I make all kinds of amazing sourdough recipes. But this is the only one that is challenging. I keep making it to figure it out. And the inside thermometer of the middle is 185oF
I avoid the too dark by lowering the temp after 20 to 425… I also keep the lid on for all but the last five minutes or so… for an even crispier crust… once removed from the pot, I place back in the oven for five min with the door slightly ajar
Thank you for sharing your tips, Cyndy!
I have made this several times and it always comes out great. I would like to experiment with making this gluten free. I have your gluten free sourdough starter ready but looking for what substitutions to make.
Hi Leslie! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the sourdough and you’ve a gf starter ready. If looking to make a gf loaf, you’d need a different recipe entirely. Have you checked out my Gf sourdough bread recipe? https://vanillaandbean.com/seeded-multigrain-gluten-free-sourdough-bread/
I have made sourdough bread using this recipe nearly every week for a few years now and I find it the most versatile and most simple recipe to easily make bread weekly. But I too have had the burnt bottom issue. I live in South Los Angeles and I found that for my particular oven and kitchen, 450° is too high of a temp to bake this recipe at. The bottom burns, and the inside stays a little gummy. So I reduced the temp To 425°, reduced the amount of water in the starter, and allowed a longer bulk rise (18 -20 hrs) and then the bread performed much better. I think that adjustments just have to be made based on where you live altitude/humidity and how your particular oven performs. For me reducing the baking temp solved the burnt bottom issue and also cooked of the inside of the loaf more thoroughly. The other adjustments helped with the spongey-ness of the bread.
Hi Stacy! Thank you for your note and sharing your tips. No doubt adjusting for oven, altitude/humidy is super important. SO happy to hear you’ve tweaked the recipe to fit your needs. Hooray for a fabulous loaf!
I just want to let you know that I have been making this bread recipe during the pandemic and I love it. It took me a couple of times to make it before it came out looking normal . Thanks for this. I’ve tried other recipes on Pinterest and for me this is the best.
SO happy to hear Viki! Isn’t Emilie’s method the best? Simple, straight forward and with consistent results! SO happy to hear you enjoying fabulous homemade sourdough. Thank you for your note.
Really dumb question re: transferring the unbaked loaf to the pot with parchment. Do you slide the dough off the parchment and into the pot, or do you lower the dough into the pot still on the parchment and bake it with parchment still underneath?
Hi Stephanie! No question is a dumb question. I’m happy to help! Use the parchment as handles to lower the dough into the pot and bake the sourdough with parchment still underneath. I hope this helps and you enjoy the sourdough. Keep us posted!
Thank you Traci! Just set the dough aside for the bulk rise…can’t wait to bake tomorrow!
Keep us posted Stephanie!
Thank you for your comment re the baking sheet on the rack under the Dutch oven.
I am so proud to say, I am now a sourdough baker too! I spent years baking bread every week with a seeded no-knead recipe but always thought sourdough would be too advanced for me. No longer! I used Traci’s guide to making a sourdough starter and then tried this recipe, and while it turned out okay but rather flat the first two tries, on my third try I added a little extra water after reading Tracie’s note on a comment that a higher hydration dough results in more air holes. Although the dough was very wet and a little messy to work with, I got a beautiful and very airy loaf with a wonderful sourdough flavor! (I also invested in a scale and I think the more accurate measurements helped too!) I have a chilly kitchen too and my dough seems to enjoy spending the night on top of the radiator. A damp towel dries out too quickly with this approach, so I got a mixing bowl with a tight fitting plastic lid and that has worked fine. I can tell that my starter is developing a stronger flavor with each week so I’m excited to see how the taste of my bread continues to evolve! Thanks, Traci for this approachable recipe!
Hi Mary! What a fantastic feeling! Hooray! So happy to learn of your success. It’s such a rewarding journey! A kitchen scale is your best sourdough friend (and all baking!). Higher hydration is more difficult to work with but oh my those lofty holes are worth the effort.
Not really reliable recipe. Converting 1 1/3 cups and 2 tbsp of warm water to grams gives 310gr. Not 350 as mentioned. 40gr of extra water may give the wrong result.
So which one is it the better? The cup measurement or the good ol` reliable Eu Gram?
Hi Chris! Did you try the recipe? Not really reliable? The Eu Gram is always more reliable in baking. Reason why professional bakers always weigh their ingredients. I offer volume measurements for those that do not use or have a scale – I always weigh and measure all my recipes offered here on the blog. Because there’s no standard for volume measurements, you’ll notice measuring cups vary from brand to brand, whereas a gram is a gram – always more accurate. Last, in bread making, the recipes are pretty flexible. Dough too dry, add a splash of water. Too wet, add a bit of flour. It’s a little like cooking with spices. I hope this helps!
I got much closer to perfect sourdough than with any other recipe. Practice, practice, practice
Hooray, hooray, Brushjl! That is SO good to hear. Yes, practice practice…. (!!).
I’ve baked sourdough bread using this recipe at least 15-20 times. The first time, with a young starter it came out very good, and as I have gotten better at baking and as my sourdough starter has matured, it keeps getting better and better. Thanks for posting this and getting me started on baking again! This is a very approachable recipe for a beginning baker and the result is a loaf that would make people think it was made by a pro!
Hi Nathan! Thank you for your note and sharing your experience. I love reading that your sourdough just gets better and better. It’s the true nature of sourdough! And to see all this unfold before your eyes is so exciting and encouraging. After-all, you ARE a pro now!
Hi! I’m not a beginner sourdough baker but no expert either. I’ve used The Perfect Loaf recipe that is similar to Tartine’s and just found it too fussy. This recipe was easy, absolutely delicious and looked like it was from a pro bakery. I baked it in a Lodge pot. Next time, going to add a little wheat flour to it…. Thanks!
Hi Mimi! Isn’t Emilie’s method SO approachable? Easy, straight forward and with such beautiful results. SO happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipe!
Do you preheat with the dutch oven in there as well?
Hi Mith! I do not, but feel free to if you like.
Thank you so much for posting this. I baked a loaf this morning, and it is by far my best loaf yet. I did pretty much everything the same as I have been doing, except I let if ferment I. The fridge overnight, then brought it up to room temp before baking today. The other difference was using a damp towel to cover it. I think the dampness was the key to finally having a great loaf. Thanks again!
Hi Kathleen! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note. So happy to hear this is your best loaf yet! Hooray! Indeed, a damp towel does wonders to keep the dough nice and moist!
I love this recipe! It is easy and has given me a good result nearly every time. Thank you!
SO happy to hear Paula! Thank you for your note and giving the sourdough a go!
Hello, I had a strange problem the second time I used this recipe. The first time I used it, it worked perfectly and produced the best loaf I have ever made – it was amazing! But the second time, immediately upon mixing the dough (I followed the recipe exactly again) it was VERY wet and did not form a shaggy dense dough at all. It was like pancake batter! So I added a bit more flour, but it was still super gloppy and wet. I continued on with the recipe as written as I thought it might work out, but the dough stays really sticky and wet the entire time and was a flat mess when I pit it in the oven. Needless to say it did not rise and was a sad loaf. I have dealt with gloopy dough before with different recipes but they all seemed to work out when they baked. This did not. Any suggestions? It has been hotter than normal, but not ridiculously hot in my kitchen. Maybe around high 70s. My starter has also been peaking really quickly, like within 5 hours, but I usually don’t feed in until about 10-12 hours. Maybe that caused the wet dough? Really weird. Please help! Thanks.
Hi Michelle! I’m sorry you’re having difficulty. There are several factors that come to mind: Flours vary in their moisture content from brand to brand. Additionally, local humidity conditions will impact how your dough feels from one batch to another. Feel free to adjust the water or flour as needed. If the dough feels a bit too dry, try adding a teaspoon of water (more if needed). Too wet? Add more flour, a little at a time. You can also hold out a bit of water as your mixing. Even if you weigh your ingredients, this is not uncommon. As you gain experience in making sourdough, you’ll gain a better understanding of how your dough should look and feel. I hope this helps!
This evening I am going to make my second batch of sourdough bread utilizing your recipe. The first time turned out perfect. I have a fairly new starter so the “ sourdough “ taste was not as pronounced, but I know that will come with time. Easy and straightforward recipe. Definitely a 5 star recipe. Thank you for a great recipe.
Hi Connie! Thank you for your note. I’m so happy to hear of your success! Isn’t Emilie’s method so simple (yet effective!)? To get more sourdough flavor, you can try prolonging the bulk fermentation by putting the dough in the fridge (with a double moist tea towel on top) for 8-10 hours, then pull it to room temp to double in size. Please keep in touch!
Hi, I’m new to sourdough making. All the other sourdough recipes call for the dough to be kneaded for about 10 mins or until you create the ‘window pane effect’ You’re recipe doesn’t Say to knead for that long only 15 seconds and then shaping after the rise. Is this the case or have I read it wrong? Thank you and I’m trying this recipe this weekend.
Hi Christeen! Thank you for your note. There are as many methods to sourdough as there are recipes for hummus. This method is from Emilie’s book “Artisan Sourdough Made Simple.” You read step one correct: after mixing, rest the dough for 30 minutes, the perform one “fold” as described (you can do up to 3 more folds, 30 minutes apart each if you like). This is a no knead method so you don’t need to do the “window pane” test. What so many makers love about Emilie’s method is that it is truly simple and creates fabulous sourdough bread (take a look at the comments below if you’ve not had a chance)! I hope this helps. Keep in touch!
Wow!! This has made my year!! Watch this space and I’ll see how I get one. Thank you for such a speedy reply. X
My results were delicious! Thanks for sharing the step by step. I have had a sourdough starter for years and it was fun to try a new recipe. I followed recipe exactly so i could have a foundational understanding. To your excellent point somewhere in the thread above there are always nuances for flour type, moisture content and even the temperature and humidity and make a difference in the end game. Going to repeat this one next week and maybe go for somewhere between 3-3.5 cups of flour going more with the feel in order to achieve a less dense product. Mine did not have the amount of porosity as yours. Looking forward to ordering this book based on your beautiful coverage.Thanks!!
Hi Debra! Thank you for your note and sharing your experience! Indeed, sourdough is a process, but it sounds like you have a grasp of how loafs can vary from one to another even using the same recipe! You’re going to love Emilie’s book – it’s truly one that I refer to again and again. I highly recommend the crackers with discard and the Cheddar Jalapeno loaf (it’s all I want! lol!).
Yes, yes and YES to the Cheddar Jalapeño loaf! I’m looking forward to use this new tasty starter for my sourdough waffles. I look forward to finding out more about you and your recipes.
This recipe is great. I live in a dry, high altitude climate so I found that doubling the starter plus adding 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and honey yielded a yummy result. I’ve doubled and quadrupled the recipe too with great success too.
Thank you for your note Cathy and sharing your tips!! Ooh the honey and olive oil sounds perfect to soften the loaf – delicious!
Hi there!
I have been loving this recipe! Question though.. if you make 2 loafs at the same time, what does the baking time increase to?
I haven’t made the bread yet but plan to this week. I have a question – do you preheat your Dutch oven? I’ve seen a couple of recipes / videos that say to preheat the Dutch oven (including on The Perfect Loaf site). Suggestion is up to an hour. Appreciate your thoughts on this
Hi Sue… Indeed, a lot of recipes say to do this, and I used to preheat. But following Emilie’s lead, and through her book, I no longer preheat. I find it’s unnecessary. I encourage you to give it a go both ways and see which way you prefer! I’d love to hear what you discover :D
Hi Traci, I followed the recipe and didn’t preheat the dutch oven and the recipe worked perfectly so that’s the way I’ll go in future. After reading & watching lots online, your recipe seemed like one that is good for newbies as many seem more time consuming. I’ve now got some wholemeal flour so will have a go at making wholemeal loaf this weekend.
A question re using the ‘discards’ in other recipes – I don’t always have time to use the excess immediately so I’ve been adding to a separate jar of discards which is in the fridge. Is this okay? In order to use it for other recipes, does it need to be fed again before using? I assume at the very least I should bring it to room temp before using? Would like to use the discards instead of wasting them but still trying to understand the how & when of using them
Hi Sue! Thank you for your note and follow up. Hooray for a perfect loaf! Good for you on lots of reading, and cross referencing… there are SO many ways to a fabulous loaf, but indeed, Emilie’s method is the most straight forward I’ve found too. RE: discards – Storing the discard in the fridge is fine. That’s where I store mine. I try to use mine within at least two weeks. It does not need to be fed again before using, just stir down and use. Room temperature is preferred as it incorporates into the recipe’s liquid and flour better. When using discard, use a recipe that indicates discard use until you start creating your own recipes with it. It makes a difference! Please keep in touch!
Hi Traci, thanks for the quick response re using the discards.
My partner is keen to have a brad with wholemeal flour instead of white. If I used half and half do you think I’ll need to increase the amount of water? I know from baking cakes etc using wholemeal flour, they tend to need more liquid to prevent them being heavy and dry
Thanks, Sue
Hey Sue – I often go up to half whole wheat with this recipe and find I don’t need to change the water content at all. I have tried WW bread, regular and pastry flour, rye and teff (better kept to 10%) all with good results. There is quite a lot of water between the regular amount in this recipe and the seed soaker (I leave out the 10 grain because its just too much seed to work with). My bread turns out lovely and porous with good rise, but not the giant bubbles. I do do the additional bulk ferment in the fridge most times. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenny! Thank you for your note, giving the recipe a go and sharing your tips! I think you’re comparing this recipe to my Seeded Multigrain? If so, yes there is more water, mainly due to the seeds soaking up water and the whole wheat flour used in the recipe. There’s no giant bubbles due to all the inclusions and whole wheat (whole wheat is “heavier”). If you’re looking for giant air pockets, go with all bread flour and increase the hydration. A higher hydration in an all bread flour dough yields bigger air pockets!
This is a great recipe for a beginner like me. Directions are easy to follow, and the bread is delicious! The crust is darker than I probably would have wanted, but the entire family said it was great. I made it in a 3.75 qt. cast iron Dutch oven, and it baked very nicely.
HI Cindy! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the sourdough!
The baking sheet, do you put it in the oven before you preheat or after at the same time you load the loaf in the oven?
Hi Edward! I put it in there while the oven is preheating, but either way should work.
Thank you for your helpful post.
I’m new to sourdough baking and was having a little trouble with my rise. Your instruction got me there. My bread was delicious and beautiful.
SO happy to hear Rebecca! Thank you so much for your note!
Hello! I’m wondering if you usually measure your ingredients by volume or weight? I made two loaves by volume and although it was very difficult to incorporate the flour, the loaves turned out really nice with some big air bubbles. I recently got a scale and using the weight measurements you have, my dough ended up very wet and impossible to shape. Ended up tossing two batches of dough because it became such a sticky mess when I was trying to shape. Wondering if you have any guidance on this.
PS. Fair play for responding to all of these comments!
Hi Lauren! Thank you for your note. On my recipes, I provide volume and weight as a convenience (I physically weigh and measure each ingredient). However, this recipe is a recipe from a cookbook I received from fellow blogger and sourdough expert, so I offered the recipe as written (with permission). The images in this post are from bread I made and with weighed ingredients. Weight measurements are always more accurate and reason why professional bakers exclusively weigh ingredients. With regards to volume measurements, none of my three sets of measuring cups are equivalent, so I DO recommend weighing ingredients. To complicate matters, brands of flour and their moisture content (or ability to absorb water) vary AND local humidity (seasonal) conditions will/can impact dough hydration. As you become more familiar with sourdough baking and varying hydration, you’ll notice the difference. Even a little bit, more or less, of water can go a long way – even a few Tablespoons – when it comes to bread making.
The more you work with sourdough, the more familiar you’ll become with hydration levels. I still experience plenty of learning opportunities! You’ll know to hold back a bit of water or if it needs more water while mixing. Let the dough be your guide as you gain more experience. I hope this helps, Lauren.
Hello! I tried baking this loaf, it tasted great and had a good texture and crunchy crust. But I didn’t get a much of an oven spring and it was fairly dense in the middle/bottom but with bigger holes at the top. Any suggestions for improvements and why this might have happened? Thanks Martha
HI Martha… Thank you for your note… so happy to hear it tasted great! Regarding oven spring and density, I’m curious about a few things: was your starter doubled in size, active and bubbly? How about bulk fermentation, for how many hours and at what temperature – did it double in size? Do you use an external oven thermometer to verify oven temperature?
Yes my starter was active, bubbly and doubled in size. I use a rye starter though would that make a difference? For bulk fermentation, I bulk fermented for around 12/13 hours. It definitely seemed to grow, but I didn’t see bubbles. I let it proof in the fridge overnight, left it out at room temp in the morning before shaping (about 1.5/2hours)
I didn’t use an external thermometer but I ordered one this week and it arrived today! Should I use that to check temperature of the dough (and if so what should that be) and also temp of the oven how should I measure that with the thermometer? I have a fan oven, so I’m unsure on how much to deduct as it is more powerful. Thank you in advance Traci, your recipes are great and I appreciate you responding to my comment. It’s very kind of you to be so attentive to your followers!
Hi Martha… Thank you for your note and kind words. A rye starter wouldn’t make any difference. I’ve little experience with proofing in the fridge, but with a bulk ferment for 12/13 hours at room temp, then an overnight proof in the fridge and another 1-2 hours at room temp, it sounds like the dough could have over proofed.
An external thermometer is super helpful to know the temperature of your oven, but to check the internal temperature of the bread, you’ll need a food thermometer (this is an affiliate link). To see if the bread is ready, check the internal temperature of the loaf. It should read between 190F-205F when done.
With regards to your oven, you’ll need to reference your manufactures owners manual for convection adjustment if any. I bake on convection exclusively, but my oven automatically adjusts for the temperature difference (using an external thermometer helps with any confusion too). I hope this helps, Martha! Please keep in touch!
Hi Traci,
Thanks for this info. I’ll try just proofing at room temp for a short period and see how that goes!
And sorry I wasn’t clear I bought a food thermometer to check the bread, but I measure on centigrade as I’m in the Uk! Thanks Traci
After a few sourdough recipe trials this one is the best one I’ve found and least hands on. The key that I’ve found is that timing isn’t a hard science. My sourdough is very slow to grow (even though it passes the float test) so my bulk rise takes almost 15-18 hours to double in size. When I first started I didn’t wait long enough and always had a dense flat loaf. Be patient and wait for it to look and act the way it should. I’m not sure why mine is so slow but it sure makes a tasty airpocket-filled loaf. I do have a question though, up to how much bread/all-purpose flour can you substitute with whole wheat flour before it starts changing the loaf in a bad way (if thats a thing)
Hi Meghan! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipe… isn’t the hands off time SO nice? Thank you for your note. Agreed, timing isn’t a hard science… watching the dough is important and knowing what it should look/feel like takes practice. Yes to 15-18 hours (!!)… this past winter, I was easily at 16 hours bulk at room temp. Patience is SO key. My best answer to your question is to start plying with the percent of whole wheat flour.. start with 25% and work your way up to see what you prefer. I have a multigrain recipe, if you’d like to use that as a jumping off point! I hope this helps!
So it has the acetone smell, hooch on top (most days) but it does not seem to be getting fluffy or filled with bubbles like most of the pics I’ve seen of starter.
I’ve been placing a plate over top and putting them in our oven (not on) which is a touch warmer than our home.
We have a water softener so could that be affecting the starter?
At this point I’m just continuing to feed it 1x per day and see what happens even though I think I’m on day 9.
Hi first timer here. I took my starter out of fridge this morning and fed it I had 200g of starter and fed it 200g flour and 200g water it is now sitting on the bench to activate. Is this correct. Do I make the dough when it has double in size and nice and bubbly. How long should activation take. Thankyou I do have other questions but they can wait till later.
Hi Linda… Welcome! You are creating a 100% hydrated starter. This is what I do too, although I usually only use 60g each. You can keep as much starter as you like, however! You’ll make the dough when it has doubled in size, has a pleasant sweet/sour smell and it’s bubbly. The speed at which a ripe starter doubles depends on several factors: ambient temperature, how active your starter is and the temperature of the water used to feed the starter. My starter doubles in size anywhere between 5 hours and 8 hours. If I want to speed it up, I pop it in a turned off oven with the light on. To slow it down (say it’s late and I want to go to bed), I pop it in the fridge where it will rise slowly. I hope this helps! Keep in touch!
Hi there! I can’t figure out how to leave a new comment (maybe it’s just my phone), but I can reply to old ones, so here goes – I’ve used your recipe a few times and absolutely love it! The only thing is that I don’t know how much my dough should actually be rising in the last 30 minutes – 1 hour rise before baking. It seems that in that time it’s not really doing much of all, and I’ve tried letting the dough rise in room temperature and warm places. Should the towel over top be damp or dry? Do you have any recommendations for this step?
Thanks so much
Hi Chelsea! Thank you for your note… and finding a way to comment! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the bread. For the second rise, I cover my dough with a damp tea towel, and allow it to rise for about 30 minutes. I know it looks like nothing is happening, but it does become “puffy” . I only notice this because I’ve photographed the process and have seen before and after pictures. I set the timer as a ritual for 30 minutes, then once the timer goes off, I score and bake. I hope this helps!
Thankyou Tracie. So I cooked a loaf today and it looks great on the outside and inside it has some good holes in the bread and a nice crust but it is still doughy looking. Wish I could send you pics. I followed the instructions correctly and each stage looked just like your pics then cooked it for the time specified and it sounded quite hollow. What or where could I have gone wrong. I’ve just emailed you some pics 😁
Hi Linda! Thank you for sending pics over… your bread looks great, but it’s difficult to get a feel for the ‘doughy’ nature of the bread. I’m wondering, are you allowing the bread to cool to room temperature before cutting into it? Are you temping the inside of the bread before pulling it from the oven?
Thankyou for replying yes allowing to cool before cutting. When you say temping do you mean checking the temperature? I did check the temperature and it was over the 190.
Hi Linda… Yes on temperature.. how about your oven? Do you have an external oven thermometer? I’m thinking you could give the bread another 10 -15 minutes in the oven, turned off, with the oven door ajar. This may help dry the bread out further. Keep us posted!
My favourite sourdough recipe for beginners! Love to bake a couple loaves, slice them up and freeze them, it tastes great fresh out of the toaster. I also love to sub in whole wheat flour. Delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Becca! So happy to hear! YES to freezer to toaster… I do the same and it’s SO convenient. Thank you for your note.
Hi There
Would love to know what your flour ratio is when you use whole wheat flour?
Thanks a million
Hi Tiffany! I use whole wheat flour in my Multigrain Bread recipe, a lower percentage. And this would be typical to use in this recipe as well (I’ve not done the math :D). If using WWF, you’ll need to play with the hydration because WWF is thirstier. I hope this helps, and you enjoy fabulous sourdough!
I made this today… well, I baked it today! and it turned out beautifully! Please don’t be offended but I don’t have a banneton so I just shaped and placed in parchment in the dutch oven, and let it proof there. I got decent oven spring. Next time I will proof in a bowl then transfer, and see if I get more spring. It is delicious, though! Thank you! It’s nice to see the recipe simplified.
Big smiles from me to you!
Hii Therese! Hooray for a fabulous loaf of bread! No need for a banneton… that’s just what I use. Simply place the loaf in a tea towel lined bowl. So happy to hear your enjoying homemade sourdough! Thank you for your note!
I have a question. I’m on day 5 or 6 of making the sourdough starter but it doesn’t seem to be bubbling or changing a whole lot. The first couple days it was taking on the smells described in your starter receipe but not I’m wondering if I did something or didn’t do something. I’ve had it in a medium sized glass bowl partially covered or covered with a damp towel each night but in the morning it seems to have a somewhat hardened surface which I stir up before taking out the requisite 2TBS ea day to add to the 1/4 C of flour and 2TBS + 2TSP of water. one day I did have hooch show up on top of mixture which I mixed in and then one day I fed it twice.
Maybe my climate, here in San Antonio TX. where it’s been fairly humid lately is causing it to take longer??
Any ideas??
Hi Scott! I need a bit more information… how does your starter smell – how has it changed over the course of five days? Be sure to cover it fully with a damp tea towel, or a lid (I sometimes use a small plate). The surface shouldn’t be hard rather, it can form a skin and that can be stirred in, but it shouldn’t be hard. Remember too, that patience is key. It could take longer than 6 days. That is not unusual. Keep us posted!
Ok. the plastic cover I’ve been using has been on “loosely” (ie. there are a couple inches of gap allowing air to get in. and I guess what I meant to say was not “hard” but a “skin” (your term was better). It was still able to be stirred in.
what I read is that some folks feed it more than once a day. Is that good or bad?
You can feed it more than once a day, and that’s not uncommon, but I don’t find that necessary when building a starter. I’ll do that when I’m getting ready to bake if necessary, but not when making a starter.
So it has the acetone smell, hooch on top (most days) but it does not seem to be getting fluffy or filled with bubbles like most of the pics I’ve seen of starter.
I’ve been placing a plate over top and putting them in our oven (not on) which is a touch warmer than our home.
We have a water softener so could that be affecting the starter?
At this point I’m just continuing to feed it 1x per day and see what happens even though I think I’m on day 9.
Hi Scott… I’m not sure about the water softener, thinking about this a little more… and since there’s such a strong odor, I’d increase feedings every 8-10ish hours until your starter produces a pleasant aroma. The hooch is an indicator of hunger… your micro biome isn’t getting enough to eat (or they’re gobbling up the food so fast because they’re so cozy in that oven). Setting the starter in the oven with the light on speeds their activity, so at this time, I’d leave it at room temperature. I hope this helps!
I’ve made this once and it came out so good, thank you! At what point in the recipe would I add the dough to the fridge to crank up the sour flavor? I’ve read about the acetic/lactic acid difference, but I’m dense and can’t figure out when. THanks!
Hi Charlie! Thank you for your note! So happy to hear the bread turned out well for you. If you’d like to overnight your dough in the fridge (8-14 or more) hours for part of bulk fermentation, that’s a good time to do it (just be sure to double up on damp tea towels, otherwise they tend to dry out and ruin the dough). When you remove the dough from the fridge, you’ll still want it to double in size and come to room temperature before shaping and proofing. Some people proof their shaped dough in the fridge, but I’ve very little experience with that. Good luck and please keep us posted!
Omg this was the best recipe. My bread came perfect.
Hooray! So happy to hear Rosa. Thank you for your note!
I’m a beginner of Sourdough making by an accident. I used the starter from another lady but found your recipe & method later when I searched for a Sourdough read recipe. Thank you so much for a very nice & easy methods to follow. My 1st baked was very successful & beautiful look with loads of bubbles in it. Many of my friends were so impressed & I forwarded them your link 🥰
Hi Jub! Thank you for your note and giving the method a go! Hooray for a beautiful loaf and passing the recipe on to your friends! Thank you :D
Hello! I’ve made this SD recipe twice now! It’s a keeper. I even shared some of my starter and this recipe. I had to use the stainless steel stockpot and a sheet pan over the top for 1st 20 minutes then remove sheet pan and bake for another 25 minutes. It’s come out beautifully both times. My question is can you split this dough and make 2 smaller loaves? At what point would I split the dough? Thank you again for this simply delicious recipe!!
Hi Ceriese! Thank you for your note, sharing your tips and giving the recipe a go! For two boules, here’s what I do with my Seeded Multigrain Sourdough: You’ll divide the dough after bulk fermentation, before shaping. “When baking two boules, bake as described with lid on. Then, remove the lid and continue to bake lid off for 15-20 minutes. To check if the bread is ready, check the internal temperature of the loaf. It should read between 190F-205F when done. When finished, transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 1 hour before slicing.” This method should work fine with this sourdough bread as well. I hope this helps.
It did help, thank you. :)
I didn’t see in the instructions to preheat the Dutch oven. Do I just put the dough in a non heated Dutch oven?
-thanks
Hi Megan! That is correct. No need to preheat the DO!
Turned out great but how can i get a more open crumb with this recipe? Mine had pretty small bumbles.
Hi Ryland! So happy to hear! For a more open crumb, you’ll need a higher hydration dough. I hope this helps!
Instead of leaving overnight, can I proof it in the oven at 100% to make the bread faster?
Hi Matt! I’m not sure what proof it in the oven at 100% means. You can proof overnight or during the day.. whatever fits your schedule (bakers schedule is only a suggestion). If you like, you can turn on your oven light (with the oven off). Remember that time = flavor.
I don’t know what I did wrong but my dough is sooooo tough. I’ve left it to rise longer and I’ll still attempt to bake it.
Hi Jennifer… oh goodness. Can you add about 10g of water to loosen it? Are you beyond bulk fermentation?
I’m making my 1st loaf of sourdough. What’s the best way to bake the bread if I don’t have a dutch oven or an iron skillet?
Irina commented below “ I baked my bread directly on a pizza stone without any container. I just put a roasting pan with some water on the bottom of the oven, to create steam and put the dough directly on the hot stone. Bread rose and came out with a crusty crust.” I hope this helps!
I use a stainless steel stockpot and put a sheet pan over the top for the first 20 mins, then remove for the last 25-30 mins. Works great, did a lot of research because I also do not have a dutch oven.
This is my go-to sourdough bread recipe. I’ve shared it with others and they’ve had great success. Thank you for simplifying sourdough.
Hi Teresa! Thank you for your note, sharing your success and sharing the recipe with others! Hooray! I’m SO happy to hear. :D
I used 25% spelt flour and the rest AP and turned out beautifully! Some of the yummiest bread I’ve baked yet. Thank you!
YES to spelt, Kelly! Hooray! Well done! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the yummiest bread!
I am a first time sourdough baker and my bread turned out beautifully!
Hi Rebecca! Way to go YOU! That makes me SO happy! Thank you for your note :D
If I have a smaller dutch oven and need to split the dough into 2, should the bake times remain the same or do I need to adjust? Thanks for an easy to follow recipe!
Hi Kelsey! Here’s what I do with my Seeded Multigrain Sourdough: “If baking two, 1 lb boules, bake as described with lid on. Then, remove the lid and continue to bake lid off for 15-20 minutes. To check if the bread is ready, check the internal temperature of the loaf. It should read between 190F-205F when done. When finished, transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 1 hour before slicing.” This method should work fine with this sourdough bread as well. I hope this helps.
Thank you! Just baked my first loaves this morning and they are the best tasting loaves I’ve done yet! I noticed they don’t have a very open structure or large air bubbles inside. I noticed after my bulk proof and shaping they didn’t really rebound in puffiness during 2nd proof. Any tips? More starter? Wetter dough? The bread is still soft and delicious but has more the appearance of sliced sandwich bread.
Hooray Kelsey! So happy to hear. I think what you’re after is a high hydration dough which produces lovely large holes. The trade off is a challenging dough to work with because It’s so wet. This recipe produces a tighter crumb because of the hydration. As far as proofing, you could give it a bit more time to create a little more puff. Remember, it’s the dough to keep your eye on rather than the time. I hope this helps! And thank you again for your note!
Hi! I wasn’t able to get my sourdough to rise. Any tips? I let it sit on the counter overnight with a damp towel on top. Also felt my dough was not quite the right consistency. Could I add more starter?
Hi Jenna! I’m so sorry your dough didn’t rise. I know it can be disappointing. A few things come to mind. Did you do the float test to see if your starter was ready? What was the temperature of your kitchen? I find my dough takes much longer during Fall, Winter and Spring than summer because I have such a chilly kitchen. Sometimes up to 16 hours! Did you weigh your ingredients? Maybe give the dough more time to rise if your kitchen is chilly.
I did do the float test and it was ready! I also gave the dough extra time to rise. I tried a second batch and it seems to better but we will see! Maybe weighing ingredients would be better since there is so much air in the starter.
Thanks for the help!
Thank you for this! At every stage I was convinced i was doing it wrong, but I kept going and got this beautiful loaf! It was so straightforward and much easier to understand than other recipes. This is the first bread I’ve ever made! I don’t know how to post pics otherwise I would- I do agree with some commenters that it wasn’t very sour, but that could also be because my starter is relatively young. Thank you!
Hi Elizabeth! Thank you for your note and pressing on through this recipe! I completely understand the feeling of being convinced one is doing something wrong, lol. I’m SO excited you kept going and now, you’ve made sourdough! Hooray! What’s next? The sourness can come from the age of the starter, but also I find, the longer I can stretch out the bulk fermentation, the more flavor I can pull from the dough. Sometimes I’ll slow fermentation down by putting the dough in the fridge for 8-10 hours, then pull it to finish bulk fermenting on the kitchen counter overnight. I’m so excited for you! Keep going!
PLEASE make a “skip to recipe” button at the top
Hi John! It’s right under the title. “Jump to Recipe” I hope this helps!
This is now my go-to recipe for sourdough bread. I’m new to this art, but I’ve not ever had an issue with burning the bottom as the first baking pan I tried was my wife’s RockCrok Dutch Oven from Pampered Chef. The crust baked evenly top and bottom and the glass lid lets me see when the loaf has stopped rising and started crusting, signaling to me when I should remove the lid. I find that 25 minutes covered is optimal, followed by 15-20 minutes open dish baking and 5 minutes on the rack to finish it off. (If interested, find the RockCrok here: https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/camberjones)
Hi Clint! Thank you for your note and sharing your tips! So happy to hear you’re enjoying good bread!
I beaked by bread directly on a pizza stone without any container. I just put a roasting pan with some water on the bottom of the oven, to create steam and put the dough directly on the hot stone. Bread rose and came out with a crusty crust.
Hi Irina! Thank you for your note, tips and rating! I love that technique and am so happy to hear you created a beautiful loaf!
Hi there – Is there a recipe or link somewhere for the starter that I’m not seeing?
thank you for your time-
Cheers, Allen
Hi Allen… unfortunately I don’t have a starter recipe up on my blog yet, but please check out Emilie’s starter recipe on her site. You can find it here: https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2019/03/beginner-sourdough-starter-recipe/
First time I made this I thought there was way too much flour. Second time I added less flour and more liquid. It came out perfect!
Thank you for your note Maureen! SO happy to hear you were able to make the recipe work for you!
I got starter from a friend and found your recipe for my 1st sourdough. I am confused, though. I see nothing that looks like kneading in the Instructions. Am I missing something? Please help! Thanks!
Hi Andy! You’re not missing anything. Using Emilie’s method, you don’t have to knead the dough, rather, you simply mix, then perform a “fold” and then allow the dough go into bulk fermentation (bulk rise) overnight. Please keep in touch and let us know how you like the bread!
Report #1: it *looks* amazing. Taste test in 1 hour. Can we post photos in the comments?
Hi Andy! SO happy to hear! Unfortunately I don’t have that functionality here on the blog. If you’re on Instagram or Facebook you can post it there and tag me @VanillaAndBean.
Done.
Report #2: AMAZING! Time to start another loaf…
Hooray! So happy to hear Andy. Thank you for your note and rating!
Do you bake in the lid or the vessel?
Hi Mary! I’m not sure I understand your question.
No dutch oven, so I had to make do with a cast iron skillet topped with a cake round for the first 20 minutes. It still ended up being the best sourdough I’ve ever baked. As it cooled, I could hear the crust crackling. So good! Thank you for the recipe Traci.
LOVE that solution, Michael! Hooray! That crust crackling is addictive…. Watch out!
I’ve read over 100 comments and no one has addressed my problem. I put my dough in banneton with flour lightly brushed on top and put the damp towel around it for the night. In the morning it has doubled in size but has a dried out layer on top. I there anyway to prevent this. Appreciate your help. Penny
Hi Penny… oh that’s so frustrating. Here’s what I do: while it’s setting overnight, top the bowl/banneton with two very moist tea towels. This way the top towel protects the bottom towel from drying out. I do this in bulk fermentation too, with a light spritz of water on the dough, when I refrigerate it overnight. I hope this helps!
I loooooove the dark bottom on this bread actually. My 5 year old and I fight over it! Over time, I’ve adapted to use 75g starter and 2 tsp salt. Great great recipe.
Hi Maria! SO happy to hear you’re liking that dark bottom… I don’t mind it either. So happy you two are enjoying it!
Do you preheat the Dutch oven or put it in cold?
Hi John! No need to preheat.
This turned out amazing. Simple to follow instruction and the loaf turned out beautifully.
Hi Lalita! Thank you for your note and rating! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the sourdough. Hooray!
Do you have an option to not do the overnight bulk fermenting, and to bake same day? Thanks!
Hi Kaylee! If you get up early enough to mix, you could bulk that day and bake at night. That’s the beauty of sourdough.. you can work it into your schedule!
I used this recipe for my first ever sourdough baking attempt. It turned out amazing. I definitely need a beyte bread knife but I’ll definitely be coming back to this recipe
Hooray! Hooray, Renee!! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipe. Yes, do get a good bread knife. It’s a must!
I have made this bread no less than 6 times in the last 3 weeks and absolutely love it! For ease of slicing, I make it in a bread pan rather than a round loaf. Delicious!!
Oh myyyy you are well practiced, Brenda! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the sourdough. Thank you for your tip about the bread pan!
Would I put all of the dough or only half for a bread pan?? Thanks!!!
Hi Jessica… to answer your question I referred to my Sourdough Sandwich Bread which includes 400g of flour + 100g of oats. So, I’m thinking this recipe could fit in a loaf pan. Half would be too small. Please keep in touch!
Do you have a recipe for sour dough starter?
Hi Ruth! I don’t have one on the blog, but am working on a recipe. If you need, check out The Clever Carrot’s starter recipe. I hope this helps.
I’m about to try making my first sour dough loaf. I was wondering how you get that concentric circle pattern?
Use a banneton for the second rise…
I have cooked this twice it’s so delicious! I love the simplicity of the recipe! I don’t have a cast iron pan but used a spring form pan and a pizza stone, covering the loaf with foil for the first 20 mins on the second position with a rack above it the crust comes out perfect when cooking it uncovered for 30 mins I decided to not cook it for the final 10 because the crust looked good to me! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Hi Richard! Thank you for your note, rating and sharing your tips for a no cast iron pan bake! So happy to hear you’re making delicious bread! Hooray!
Thanks for the recipe . Work well except the crust is a bit much for my knives lol. Would like the bottom and the crust a little easier to cut. Possible?
Hi Bill! Are you looking for a knife recommendation? I use a sturdy, large serrated bread knife like this one (affiliate link) and it cuts right through that bottom. I hope this helps!
Hello! My bread always seems to come out to dark on the bottom and tastes burnt. I live near Denver Colorado, should I be adjusting the temperature because of the altitude? I am following the directions and I use a Le Cruset Dutch oven. The bread it self is wonderful it’s just too dark on the bottom.
Hi Amanda! I’m sorry to hear your bread is too dark on the bottom. I’ve read about this before, and in the comments of this recipe too. I find the bottom crust gets darker for me when I use my Staub DO vs my Lodge double cast iron set up. I imagine different materials can yield different results. You can try putting a layer of cornmeal down on or under the parchment paper. Kelly commented below that she: “i started putting a tin pan like you would make lasagna in under my dutch oven. Sit the dutch oven right on the tin pan. This allows more air flow under the dutch oven and it also takes the direct heat off the bottom of the dutch oven.” When all else fails, I use a serrated knife to skim off the bottom. The Perfect Loaf has an article about this problem (it’s not uncommon – scroll about 1/2 way down). I hope this helps and you’re enjoying good bread!
Also, I forgot to add, King Arthur Flour has information regarding high altitude baking. I just don’t know enough about it to say if that’s having an effect on the outcome of your bread.
I have made my 2nd batch of this bread and it is Beautiful! It is soft and flavorful and if I was on the GBBS Paul would probably smile!
SO happy to hear, Jessica!
This recipe turned me into an instant bread master! I love this recipe. I’d like to try and make it more sour. Suggestions? Sorry if this has been asked before. I saw the discussion of longer bulk rise in the fridge but not the outcome?
Hii Sarah! I experimented with making the bread more sour last week. For bulk rise, I put it straight in the fridge for 12 hours and then let it sit out for an extra 6 hours the next day which did the trick as it didn’t rise at all in the fridge. Next time, I would let it sit out on the counter for an hour or two to get going before placing in the fridge. The bread turned out fine but it still wasn’t as tangy as I want it to be!
Hi Sarah… I recently made sourdough with an extra long bulk ferment in the fridge. I think it edged upwards of 16+ hours and then an overnight rise at room temp. I didn’t write down the exact times, but my hubs said it was very sour. I thought it more sour, but not VERY like he said, lol! I hope this helps. Let us know if you experiment!
I think if you let it prove longer overnight it should be a bit more sour. The second time I made this bread I left it out for 12+ hours as I slept really long that night, it was also spring/ summer so decently warm in my kitchen. It was way more sour than the first loaf I made which was out for 8 hours.
Thank you for your note, Tiffany!
Add a quarter tsp of citric acid,
Emilie,
Your “Everyday Sourdough bread” recipe in your book just convinced me not to give up on making bread! It turned out beautifully, with a nice crust and soft, flavorful interior. The six is perfect; 2 loaves are unnecessary for we “empty nesters”!
Thank you so much!! (Also, using the Dutch oven is a great idea!)
Hi Linda! Thank you for your note. So happy to hear bread making is a joy for you – and not frustrating anymore! I’m Traci… I shared Emilie’s book on my blog because she is the ONE who changed my sourdough making life from one of frustration to sheer excitement and a feeling of I CAN DO THIS! SO happy to hear she’s helped you too! And yes to the DO!
I am a soudough bakes in the making and i need help!! I am doing my starter, so I have nursed “nani” for almost 3 weeks now and she is very stuborn and doesn’t want to show too much activity. I decided its my cold kitchen, so I tried in the oven with light on and nani grew! She did not even double its size and came back down again!! Other days I think this has happen because I can see the marks showing it was at higher level and came back down!!
Any ideas what is wrong with nani? And most important how can I fix her? I am dying to make my bread.
Oh I am doing 113 gr of starter, flour and water same amount. Mix whole wheat and white flour.
Thank you
Hi Lucia! Nani needs some support! Here’s what I’m thinking, and this has been my experience. When I first started making sourdough, I attempted a mix of whole wheat and white flour for my starter. I experienced the SAME thing you did. My starter, Claire, never doubled in size. So, I started feeding my starter all purpose flour with the same hydration you use. I mix 60g starter, 60g water and 60g AP flour. Claire started doubling in size over time as the percent of whole wheat dropped in my starter. Using all AP flour is the most reliable way, I’ve found, to manage and maintain a strong starter. Save the whole wheat to use when you mix the dough. A strong sourdough starter (and high quality flour) is your biggest asset in making the bread of your dreams! I hope this helps.
Interesting about the AP Flour. I find that my pure rye starter is much more active than my AP starter! I’m a sourdough returnee, having made all our bread back in the 70s and then become a vagabond for 20 years :) Things have changed a lot and I really enjoy your blog. Thanks!
Thank you Traci! Nani has been fed AP flour and hopefully in few days she will be growing again.
I will let you know my results.
Hi fellow bakers,
This recipe was my best attempt so far at sour dough bread. My husband loved it. I’m trying to improve my bread baking in general. My breads have a tendency to be dense with little or no air bubbles. This recipe I did get some small 1/4″ bubbles but feel they should be larger. Any advice welcome. Will try this recipe again soon. Maybe tomorrow.
Terry
Hi Terry! Thank you for your note and five star review! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the bread. For a more open crumb, you’ll need a higher hydration dough – it’s the water that really opens up the bread! The higher hydration though, the more challenging the dough is to shape – it’s like shaping a blob – but it’s totally doable. Thank you again Terry!
Hello, I let my starter rise overnight for 13 hours at 70 degrees. It doubled in size and it was bubbly at the top so I thought I was good to go. When I dumped it on the flat surface it was veeeeery runny. I couldn’t even shape it into a ball it would just go flat again. My starter floated, I thought I followed the instructions correctly. What did I do wrong/how can I fix it? Thank you!
This is my new go-to sourdough recipe! I had been trying (and failing) with a different one for a few months. My first loaf with this recipe was great! And they’re only getting better :) Thanks so much!
Hey Chelsea! SO happy to hear of your success! Emily’s technique is a game changer for sure! Hoooray for a fabulous first loaf and that they’re getting better! Wooooo!!!
Hi Anna! I’m sorry to hear your dough was runny after bulk fermentation. Since it’s difficult for me to say what went wrong.. can you share a bit more information? A few things come to mind…. what kind of flour did you use? Did you weigh your ingredients? Can you tell me a little bit about your starter – what is the ratio of starter:water:flour ? Did you bake the bread? How’d it taste? How old is your starter?
Hi Traci! Thank you for your reply. I ended up remaking the dough and it turned out perfectly the next day! I do have a question, because the dough has risen overnight it is ready to bake early in the day. After bulk fermentaiton could I put it in the fridge and bake it later on the in the day so we have warm bread for dinner?
Hi Anna! Hooray! So happy to hear! After bulk, you can proof it in the fridge. Simply shape the dough and place it in the proofing vessel as you normally would. Spray the bottom of the bread with a spritz of water, wet two towels and lay it over your proofing vessel (this so the dough doesn’t dry out). Pop it in the fridge for a long proof – six to eight hours, I’ve read some proof up to 12 hours, but I’ve not tried it. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven and pull the bread from the fridge to allow the dough to warm up a bit – it should get puffy as Emilie indicates. Score and bake. I hear some bakers bake from fridge right to oven, after scoring – but I’ve not tried that either. This may take a bit of experimentation! Let us know how it goes!
Awesome! Thank you Traci!
Hi there.
I bulk ferment, right after kneading by hand. Into my fridge for 24 hours. Then I take it out, allow to rest on my granite counter not in fermentation vessel but on its own for 20 minutes(bench rest) Then shape and place in well floured bannaton. Allow to rise 45 minutes covered with a clean towel on my preheating oven.
I will have to try baking straight from the fridge at some point.
Thank you for sharing Charlie! There seems to be so many techniques to making a good sourdough. Looks like we’ve more to try!
Hi, my loaf is very flat. What did I do wrong?/
Hi Katy! I’m sorry to hear your loaf is flat. I’ve totally been there. In order to figure out what may have gone wrong, I need more information. How long did you bulk ferment for and at what approximate temperature? Did the dough double in size? What is light and puffy? Was your starter ready (did you do the float test?). Can you tell me about your proof as well?
The starter that I originally purchased from a major flour producer recommended 1 part water to 1 part starter to 2 parts flour. If using these proportions, what are the outcomes?
Hi Linda! Having not tried a 1:1:2 starter, I can only predict that the dough may be a bit stiffer. A lower hydrated dough yields a tighter crumb – but perfectly delicious!
When ready for use in this recipe, what consistency should the starter be? My newly-made starter is about the consistecy of cold buttermilk. Should it be thicker??. Thanks (I’m a first time baker)
Hi Carroll! It sounds like the starter will be okay. I use a 1:1:1 ratio when I feed my starter (60g starter, 60g water, 60g flour). Please let us know how your bread turns out!
Thanks
Hello Traci-
Seven days later and my starter is a go! :-)
Would love to bake a loaf of bread in the AM, but I only have a 3.5 quart dutch oven, do you think this will be too small? Thoughts on cutting the dough in half and baking two?
Thank you!
Hey Christina! Yes! Cut it in half and proof one at room temp, and the other in the refrigerator! The one in the fridge may need a few minutes to warm up / puff up before you bake it. I have guidance on baking in my Seeded Multigrain Sourdough: https://vanillaandbean.com/multigrain-sourdough-bread/ I hope this helps and you bake the bread of your dreams!
Hi Traci! I actually don’t have a dutch oven — the closest thing I have is a slow cooker piece. Any tips or tricks or alternatives to that part?
Thanks!
Hi Megan! If baking without a lidded vessel or Dutch oven, Peter Reinheart, in his book The Bread Bakers Apprentice, suggests baking the loaf on a pan or pizza stone and placing a heat proof pan in the bottom of the oven. Once the loaf goes into the oven, half fill the bottom pan with boiling water. This creates a nice steamy environment. Be careful though. I’ve busted my glass oven window when I was spraying the inside of the oven (with cold water) to create steam. I was really new to sourdough at the time. A Dutch oven or lidded cast iron skillet (one shallow and one deep) is a great investment if you’re baking on a regular basis. I hope this helps and you bake the loaf of your dreams!
Thanks so much! Maybe you’re right and I should just invest in a proper dutch oven — if nothing else, for baked beans! I have a stone, butvthat must have been scary when your oven burst. Oh my goodness. I’ve got a good starter I’ve been incubating all week — super excited to try out your recipe <3 Thanks for all of your help!
I use my DO for SO many things, Megan. In fact, it’s one of my most used pots! It cleans up easily too. It’s so versatile! And then there’s bread. LMK if you give the recipe a go, Megan!
Hi! I’d love to incorporate some seeds or nuts (pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flaxseed, etc) into this bread. But i want to make sure they’re soaked in water overnight before I incorporate them into dough. Any concerns with the added water from the seeds messing with the dough? Any recommendations on which stage to add the seeds in?
Hi Joyce.. I have a Seeded Multigrain Sourdough If you’d like to use that recipe… it’s linked with a picture just above the recipe card on this recipe. I hope this helps.
Hello, I just tried my bulk rise but the dough did t have any bubbles at all. I used bubbly starter and it floated beforehand. I don’t have time to bake it now, but I was just curious if that means this batch was a dud.
Hi April… how long have you been in bulk? What is the temperatureish of your kitchen (cold, cool, warm?). I wouldn’t call it a dud yet… give it more time. Did it rise at all, even a little? If it did, it just needs more time to ferment. I hope this helps!
Hi there, I followed the recipe exact so far (I’m in the bulk rise portion) but my dough is far from shaggy and wet. I feel like there was too much flour to water, but I know the measurements were the same as yours. Is this going to make my bread too tough or too tight of a crumb/ no yummy bubbly holes?
Same
Hi Louis! I’m copying my reply to Laura in case you didn’t receive it. “…..In bulk the bread shouldn’t be ‘wet’ necessarily, but the dough should be hydrated with no flour clumps or dry patches. During the beginning stage of bulk, the dough should be dense and shaggy as indicated in the recipe. What’s important to understand is that this recipe is not a high hydration recipe. The crumb in the images above is this recipe. If you’d like a more open crumb, you’d need a higher hydration recipe. I hope this helps. “
Hi Laura! By now you’ve probably baked your bread. How did it turn out for you? In bulk the bread shouldn’t be ‘wet’ necessarily, but the dough should be hydrated with no flour clumps or dry patches. During the beginning stage of bulk, the dough should be dense and shaggy as indicated in the recipe. What’s important to understand is that this recipe is not a high hydration recipe. The crumb in the images above is this recipe. If you’d like a more open crumb, you’d need a higher hydration recipe. I hope this helps.
Hi! Could I double check that your recipe states 50g starter and 500g bread flour? I recall reading 150g on Emilie’s blog. Thanks!
Hi Aparna! Yes 50g is correct. There are many different recipes for sourdough. Take a look at the success comments below using this recipe! I hope this helps.
Starting this recipe and my starter didn’t pass the float test. Big deal, or no? I’d heard it helps but never tested my previously attempted so-so loaves!
Hi Patricia! Thank you for your note. When first starting my sourdough journey, I found that the float test helped me understand when my starter was ready to bake with and when it was not. This was a game changer in the quality of my bread, because the starter needs to be at it’s best, bubbly, doubled in size, and strong prior to baking. I’ve baked loaves where the starter isn’t quite there and found it did make a difference. Now after baking so much bread, I know what the starter looks like when it’s ready, so I don’t float test anymore. I hope this helps and you bake the bread of your dreams!
This recipe is by far the best I’ve tried! I made two loaves and both came out very dense. I felt like one loaf was on the wet side and one on the dry. Any recommendations?
I also didnt have a dutch oven so I cooked on a pizza stone with a stainless bowl over the top. I ended up with a very crunch outside that is great!
SO happy to hear, Madison! Sounds like you got a really nice crust! There are a variety of reasons why your dough turned out dense, so I’m afraid the answer isn’t cut and dry. How long (and at what temperature) did the dough ferment? Was your starter bubbly and doubled in size? Do you have a young starter or more mature? Was the oven at temperature when you baked? Are you weighing ingredients? Don’t give up! And keep practicing! I can’t tell you how many dense loaves I had before I finally got an airy texture!
Where do you get and where do you keep sourdough starter?
Hi Linda! You can make your own starter or purchase it online. King Arthur Flour has a recipe you can use. The starter can be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature, if baking daily. I hope this helps!
Yes!! Great recipe. Second recipe I’ve tried and worked out well. Mine is still a little wet but could it be because of a “wetter”, more liquid starter?
Hi Joyce! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note! So happy to hear! Did you temp the internal of the bread before pulling it from the oven? You’re looking for a temp of between 190F-205Fish.
Found this site and wanted to try your recipe out, your start looks thicker than mine, mine is like a pancake mixture. I usually feed equal parts start, flour water.
It was nice and bubbly when I added it but did not get much growth over night, a quarter cup seems low, I usually use a cup with abt 7 cups of flour in other recipe
Hi Greg! I’m sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you. My starter is also equal parts flour and water. Sometimes due to ambient temperature, the dough is slow. I’ve had to bulk up to 15 hours before! I’ve never tried a cup of starter in sourdough bread… I’ve always made mine with just 50g (1/4C). If your dough is still in bulk, give it more time to rise. That’s all it probably needs.
Emily…I just found this on a Google search and am going to try it. I have been a self-taught baker of sourdough off and on since the early 1990s and love the satisfaction it brings. I will post my results…yes, including professional images!
Hi Charlie! Thank you for your note. Emilie is the Author of the book I’m (Traci) highlighting in this blog post. Her recipe has helped so many, including me, create homemade sourdough bread! I’m looking forward to seeing/hearing about your experience using her technique! Agreed, making sourdough IS so satisfying!
Emilie’s methos is much like mine with only slight differences. I add salt after 20 minutes of autolyse time and I do a 20 minute bench rest prior to shaping for the second rise.😁
-Charlie
Hi!
I’ve just started sourdough baking and your book has been an invaluable tool for me! One thing I’m struggling with is the timing around the dough prep and the baking and wanted to see you could help.. If I want to make bread to serve at dinner, how do I handle the dough for those recipes that require an overnight bulk rise? Should I refrigerate the dough during the day before baking them day? Or should they be stored at room temperature until time to bake?
Thank you!
Deb
Hi Deb! Emilie’s book is just fabulous and has been a valuable resource for me too! If you want to share the bread fresh from the oven at dinner, consider starting your bulk rise in the morning for a day bulk rather than an overnight bulk. Another option would be to proof the dough in the refrigerator after the overnight bulk. I hope this helps and you enjoy the recipe!
Traci – Thank you so much! Deb
I’ve been making sourdough for about a year now and I love this recipe! I’ve been playing around with a few of the steps and each time it comes out great. I halved this recipe for a graduation gift to someone and it turned out absolutely perfect! Thank you and that book looks great!
Hi Shanice! It’s such a solid recipe! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note. Sourdough bread is such a special gift for anyone who receives it and it was so generous of you to gift it.
I’ve never checked the temp of my oven but cook/bake a lot and never had an issue. After the 1/2 hour I took it out of my Dutch oven and the bottom was burned. Any idea?
Hi Tonja! This has been a topic of discussion before on this post. It’s not uncommon for this to occur when using a DO – and it has happened when I use my DO but not my cast iron double cooker. Apparently it has to do with the materials used in the DO (but I’ve read not all DO result in a burnt bottom too). You can try using double parchment, as this has worked for me and others. Or use a different vessel. I’m sorry to hear your bread burnt though. I’ve salvaged mine before by skimming it off with a serrated knife. I hope this helps!
Thank you so much for this! I’ve been trying the Tartine method and coming up short but the first time using your recipe and it worked. It was a really warm day so the bulk rise was quicker and not as much sour taste. When doing a bulk rise in the fridge, are you waiting for the dough to double in size like when rising at room temperature? I always use that as a gauge to know when it’s ready but not sure if that’s how it will look in the fridge or not. Hope that makes sense.
Hi Sabrina! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note. Warm days can really speed up the bulk. When bulking in the fridge, I do wait for it to double in size. However, most of the time, I don’t have the patience, so I bulk overnight in the fridge, then pull it in the morning where it warms up and doubles a little quicker. Doing it this way too, makes it easier to shape. I hope this helps Sabrina! Here’s to good bread!
I live really really far from civilization. My options for a baking vessel are an 8 in iron skillet or a 12 in iron skillet. What would be the best option?
Hi Jessica! Either one will work! If a deep dish/iron lid is unavailable, then leave the skillet uncovered. Use the other skillet to place on the rack below the baking vessel to pour boiling water in. This will create a steam environment in the oven, much like a lidded vessel would do. Just don’t spill any water on the glass of the oven else it could shatter (lesson learned the hard way here). I hope this helps and you bake the bread of your dreams!
Hey Jessica… thinking more about this, I would use the 12in for the bread. I’m thinking the 8″ would be too small for proper oven spring to occur and the bread shape would be off. Go with the 12″ for baking!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Finally, a sourdough recipe that is simple and works. First attempt was perfect. Made another to see if it was a fluke and the 2nd loaf was also perfect. I’m going to try a longer rise in the fridge next time to develop more sourness. Thanks again!
Hooray John! Way to go YOU! Thank you for giving the recipe a go and coming back and leaving a note. I’m working on the sourness thing too in the exact same way. An extra loooong bulk ferment in the fridge! Please let us know how it goes for you!
I’ve been trying to make sourdough from a recipe that is way too complicated, so I’m glad to find this one! I’m looking forward to giving it a try. For the starter, do you have a particular recipe or will any starter recipe work with this?
Hi Rachel! This recipe took my sourdough skills to a whole new level. Emilie’s method is so simple and approachable! For the starter, I use a mixture of 60g discard + 60g water + 60g All Purpose Flour. I can’t say if any starter will work because I’ve only used my own, but it should. If you’re looking for a new sourdough starter recipe, I recommend King Arthur Flour or The Perfect Loaf I hope this helps, Rachel! Please let us know how your sourdough turns out!
I’m sorry I don’t know how to leave a comment without it being on another thread. Can this proof in the fridge over night and until five pm the next day? I started it not realizing the time frames. I’m clearly a newbie. Thank you!
Hi Kara! The comment box is at the very bottom of the comments… I know, that’s a long way to scroll (I need to change its location – thank you for reminding me!). For proofing, I’m afraid that would be an extra long proof. If you said bulk ferment, I’d say go for it. But I’ve never proofed in the fridge for that long. It’ll be an experiment! Let us know how it goes!
Hi,
I’ve tried this recipe twice and each time the shaping has gone awry. The initial mixing of the dough goes well, I get the shaggy, sticky consistency that the recipes states. Then when making the initial smooth-ish ball I can see the dough tightening after a little while, I think it’s longer than 15 seconds though. After the rest overnight, the dough looks similar to the picture in your blog post. So I think everything up until the shape and second rise is going well.
Do I need to put down more flour on the surface when folding my dough into a ball and then turning it over?
Hi Brent, I’m sorry your struggling with shaping. Don’t over think that initial shaping. Just take a portion of the dough, working all the way around, and press each portion down and into the center. The surface doesn’t need to tighten at this point. Really, you’re just ‘mixing’ the dough by gently folding it. 15 seconds is all you need. It’s after the overnight bulk rise that the shaping is super important. This is where the surface of the dough should become taught. Putting more flour down prior to turning the dough out onto your work surface (after the bulk fermentation) will help you flip the dough without it sticking. When ready to do the final shaping, scrape the flour away and lightly sprits the work surface with water. This will help the dough grip your work surface and help you create a taught ‘skin’ and your round/shape the dough. Otherwise, the dough just slides around on the work surface and it’s harder to get that taught skin. I hope this helps and you create the loaf of your dreams!
I’m having the exact same issue as Brent. After mixing the starter, water, flour, and salt, the dough is very wet, sticky, and shaggy. It looks like the photos (thank you by the way!!). Instead of staying in a more solid, ball shape, it spreads out over the bottom of bowl and sticks to the bottom and sides. After the initial rest, I’m basically prying the dough off the sides of the bowl and my hands. After it’s folded over, it returns to the sides of the bowl and flattens back out. I’ve never been able to get it to that nice rounded shape or smooth look. Even after the bulk rise. :( Glad to know I’m not alone and will keep on trying!
Okay I’ve made three loaves and each time my dough is sticking to the banneton! One loaf completely ruined! What am I doing wrong? Why is my dough so Sticky? Thanks!
Oh nooo Sara! I’m so sorry to hear this. It sounds like you need more flour. Just before putting the shaped dough into the banneton, take flour in both hands and cover the entire surface of the dough in flour making sure to get the areas at the base at the dough too (that area always used to stick for me too). Don’t worry about using too much – just make sure the entire surface is covered. I’ve read some people use a 50:50 mix of rice flour and AP flour and cover the dough before putting it in the banneton; they do this because of the bread sticking. I’ve not tried it because I’ve not had an issue, but it’s something that may work for you. I hope this helps! Please let us know if this works for you.
I drank a little wine and tipsy me thought it’d be fun to try and bake a loaf with the newly acquired starter I had sitting around. Your recipe was easy enough that I didn’t mess anything up, and this morning the loaf came out pretty well! Can’t wait to try again under more sober conditions. Thanks for posting!
Hehe! Sounds like you had a little fun baking! :D So happy you’re enjoying the recipe Trisha!
Re: my previous comment, taking into account that I used only organic sprouted wheat flour in this loaf (no white or bread flour/rice flour) and it came out much lighter than I expected, I’m extremely pleased.
Oooh, I’m encouraged! I’ll have to look for sprouted wheat… thank you for your tip, Donna!
Traci, I am SO glad I found your website. While I’ve made bread for years, I’ve recently begun the trial/error adventure of sourdough starters and trying to achieve a decent loaf. After going through numerous recipes that were entitled “simple” (except for the fact that they had 15 steps, a list of utensils, I guess you had to cook under a full moon, I don’t know….lol) your Emilie’s sourdough turned out absolutely lovely last night. I don’t have all of the fancy proofing baskets, etc. but I used my husband’s suribachi as the proofing bowl and baked the bread in our donabe ceramic covered bowl. (He got these from a macrobiotic institute years ago). They worked perfectly–I heated the donabe before adding the dough on parchment. Much lighter than the others and I almost cried when I saw the gorgeous cracked/scored/darkened top crust that looked almost like a pod opening up. Thank you for posting such an easy recipe with succinct instructions. I wish I could send you a pic. :) Since this one won’t last long, I’m getting ready to start on another one. :)
Hi Donna! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a note. Emilie would be proud… and I am thrilled for your success (I would love to see a pic – please email me!)! What a journey, right? I can relate to your feeling of joy pulling that bread baby from the oven and it’s perfectly cracked/scored/darkened top crust. Hooray! Here’s to many more perfect loaves, Donna!
I’ve been having trouble with my sourdough, but I tried your recipe this weekend and had great success! Thank you! I wish I could include an image here to show how beautifully the loaf came out. It’s bakery quality =) Just bought the book you recommended and can’t wait to make more!
I loooved reading your note, Sam! And I’m thrilled to hear of your success. You’re going to love Emilie’s book! Here’s to good bread!
I’m so glad I found your recipe! I just made this and it turned out perfect! Thanks for this perfect recipe and easy to follow instructions.
So happy to hear Jocelyn! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note. Here’s to good bread!
Thank you for the recipe. I’m so thrilled to see I’m getting some nice rise and ears!!! ❤️❤️
Do you recommend preheating the Dutch Ovens?
Hi Cindy! So happy to hear! Hooray! I’ve tried preheating and not… and find it’s not necessary. Emilie doesn’t feel it’s necessary either. I hope this helps! Here’s to good bread!
I believe different Dutch ovens have different qualities, so you might want to check manufacturer’s specs. My Emile Henry potato/bread pot is perfectly safe being preheated, & I always do. Pyrex, though, is, I think, one that can crack if it’s preheated without anything in it.
Hi Judy! Thank you for your tip!
Traci, what a gorgeous idea! Definitely need to try these!
Hi Olga! Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy the bread.
This is my first foray into baking bread. baked twice over the past 2 weekends.
i got my starter from a local bakery, and i have a couple or three questions about that and the recipe:
the starter i got is quite gooey, and when fed an kept, it looks quite active. my question hoever is based on the vaious videos and recipes out in the wild, – is te starter supposed to flow, like sat thick goop, or is it suppose to be scoopable with a spoon? (i add equal measures of flour and water when feeding the beast)
the recipe says 350gms of water, i have had to add slightly more water to make the dough not as dense/tough while mixing/kneading. are the measurements more guidlines or are they more strict than the 4 way stop sign?
thanks for the recipe and your response to my questions
cheers
ramdev
So I attempted this recipe with both white and whole wheat. During mixing the whole wheat was WAY thicker and denser( seemed like it was more thirsty) than the white and didn’t turn out the same. Why is that? Thanks.
Whole wheat needs more liquid than white does.
Hi Brandon! Sheila is right. Working with whole grain/wheat flour is a different beast than working with white flour. In a nutshell, whole wheat is not refined. It still has its bran and germ attached so it will need more water in any given recipe. There’s so much to explain, but I found an informative article that helps explain the reasons behind why whole wheat can be more challenging to work with if new or unfamiliar territory. I hope this helps Brandon and you continue to explore whole wheat sourdough!
I am on my second loaf now, so easy, and so delcious!
Thanks for posting this!
You got it Rachael! Bravo YOU!
After doing a recipe that took literally all day, this recipe is awesome! My loaf turned out perfect and it has passed the husband test! Thank you.
Haha! When I was learning sourdough I thought about it more than I made it and even during the process so it felt like it took me weeks to make one loaf, lol! I’m so happy to hear you did it and it’s hubs approved! Hooray, Melissa!
Hello,
I love this recipe! I made a beautiful round loaf with it and am very happy with the look and crust and inside. But, when I tasted it, it tasted like plain white bread. It’s cold right now where I live, about 50 degrees 24/7, and let it rise for almost 12 hours. I’m not sure what happened, and why I didn’t get that wonderful sour taste or even a hint of it. I got the starter from a friend who had gotten it in LA. I’m hoping you can help answer my dilemna and I can create the sourest bread around! Thank you!
Hi Sarah! So happy your loaf turned out beautiful! The sourness of the bread is a multifaceted question and goes a little beyond my expertise. However, I do know flavor can vary depending on the wild yeast that inhabit your sourdough starter. This is why sourdough can taste vastly different with the same basic ingredients from one baker to another. The Fresh Loaf has a lot of information regarding this topic and is worth a read. Also, a longer ferment helps develop flavor as well… perhaps give bulk fermentation a go in the fridge. I’ve bulk fermented mine up to 24 hours with tasty results. Just be sure to cover the dough with two moist tea towels and spray the top of the dough with water so it doesn’t dry out. I hope this helps!
Hi Traci,
I have a question–I’ve been using this recipe to bake sourdough bread and it gets rave reviews except for one thing. For some reason, the bottom is always burned! I’ve been baking it at 450 for the same times as indicated in your recipe, the top always comes out fine, what am I doing wrong? 8(
Thanks,
Shepard
Hi Shepard! Thank you for your note! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the bread, but the bottom being burned is no good. I find the bottom crust gets darker for me when I use my Staub DO vs my Lodge double cast iron set up. I imagine different materials can yield different results. Give this a go… Preheat to 450, then once the bread goes in, decrease the temperature to 400. You may need to bake the bread a bit longer, but the bottom shouldn’t get quite as dark (the internal temp should be between 190-205F). You can also try putting a layer of cornmeal down on the parchment paper. The Perfect Loaf has an article about this problem (it’s not uncommon – scroll about 1/2 way down). I hope this helps and you’re enjoying good bread!
i used to get burnt bottoms as well. i started putting a tin pan like you would make lasagna in under my dutch oven. Sit the dutch oven right on the tin pan. This allows more air flow under the dutch oven and it also takes the direct heat off the bottom of the dutch oven
Hi Kelly! Thank you for sharing your tip! I’ll give it a go! 🙌🏻
Wow! This is a great recipe and I’m finally proud of my sourdough bread. Instructions are clear and simple.
I was very happy with how my crust turned out. The bread rose beautiful, had a nice oven spring and also the crumb had big air pockets. However I found the bread to be kinda chewy and doughy. The crumb itself wasn’t dense but rather chewy (if that makes sense!). Any ideas why that would be? I thought perhaps it could use a longer bake time? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Hi Sarah! So happy to hear you’ve baked a fabulous loaf. Hooray! Regarding the texture of the interior, my sourdough is always chewy (and this is something I look for in a good sourdough bread), but I wouldn’t call it doughy. Since your sourdough was doughy, I’m curious if you took the internal temperature of the bread before removing it from the oven? Looking back over the recipe, I didn’t make a note that the interior of the loaf should be between 190F-205F when done (now added). Additionally, an oven thermometer is helpful in knowing the exact temperature of your oven. New, old and in-between ovens vary widely in their temperature variations. This isn’t SO important when baking bread, but for new bread bakers, I find it helpful. Perhaps give it a little more time in the oven next time and see how it turns out. I hope this helps!
Hi there, I just tried this recipe and am looking for some advice. My starter was nice and active, passed the float test, but after mixing and letting it rise over night I did not find that it doubled in size. I then put it in the oven with the oven light on, thinking it was too cold in my kitchen, but that didn’t seem to help. I went through with the rest of the process because I wanted a finished product, even if it is a dense, small rock of a bread loaf haha. I’m thinking that covering it with a damp dish towel as opposed to plastic wrap may have had something to do with it because after the 12+ hour bulk rise the dough seemed dry and hard and did not look “sticky” like in your photos. Thoughts? The fact that my starter was made and fed with AP flour and I used bread flour in this recipe would not affect it correct? I weighed everything out with my digital scale so I know all the amounts are alright…just trying to troubleshoot and get your opinion. Thank you!
Hi Samantha… oh I know, that is so disappointing. A damp towels makes a difference. In fact, I sometimes spray the top of the dough with a few squirts of water just to make sure it stays moist on top. Also, if I ferment overnight in the fridge, I double towel it… both moistened with water. The fridge can do a number on drying dough out. I’m thinking if the top was hard and dry, the dough probably couldn’t become the light and fluffy, doubled in size dough you need it to be. The starter sounds like it was ready, so that isn’t an issue. I use AP and Bread flour, just like you…. work on keeping that dough nice and moist. Check the towels for dampness throughout rise time if you can. It really does make a difference. And most importantly, don’t give up! You will bake the light and fluffy sourdough of your dreams!
Thanks for your reply! Do you think the top of the dough could have gotten hard and dry because my towel didn’t stay damp throughout the night? Now I’m thinking I may have not dampened it enough before the bulk rise… I will continue to troubleshoot and try again!
Hi Samantha! Exactly! That towel needs to stay moist, AND I would suggest misting the top of the dough with water before you put it in the fridge, just to ensure the top part of the dough stays nice and moist.
I’m having an issue with the dough being too sticky. Like, even after my final rise it’s so sticky that it’s impossible to touch and not ruin the shape?? I think I may be over proving as well since my crumb structure has been REALLY tight. The taste however, is out of this world! I’m going to keep at it and try some more this week… 6th times the charm? LOL
Hi Melissa! Oh my! Yes! Keep at it… it’s such a journey. After the final rise, it’s okay to sprinkle it with more flour so that you can better handle it. Use your bench knife to move the dough around, too… that helps with less touching. Are you proofing at room temperature or refrigerator? Hooray for taste that is out of this world! You’ve got this!
My Dad always put about a Tablespoon of Olive Oil on the bench when kneading , so it didn’t stick to anything then shaped it then set it to rise then again on second raise , then he’d put a small amount of flour gently ribbed into the dough
I am totally new to this. Got a starter from a friend last week.
The 50 gr of starter, is that after it’s fed? I took 1/4 cup out of the fridge and started to feed it to make it ready to make sourdough bread. Do I have to take 50 gr from that 1/4 cup?
This is all so new for me and confusing, but I want to learn how to make it :-)
Hello Gudrun! Totally new, but you’re doing it! Way to go! The 50g of starter is a fed, active and bubbly starter. This is what you use to mix the dough. After mixing the dough, feed the leftover starter, then refrigerate it or keep it at room temperature. It should eventually double in size, then you’ll repeat the process to keep the starter active. I hope you bake the bread of your dreams!
I am in the process getting my dough ready as I type. I am wondering about proofing temp of 70 degrees. I have made a proofing box in a top cupboard and it keeps things at around 80-84 degrees usually a pretty consistent 83. Is this too warm for my sour dough starter? I have not used dough out of this proofer for anything other than pizza crust and traditional white bread with normal dry yeast and it has worked great. Will this temp in my proofer be alright or should I just rise at room temp in my kitchen? Also thanks for the tip about not cracking your oven glass, I never thought of that when I am spraying water during the early bake.
Hi John! There are no hard fast rules for proofing/fermentation. You can ferment in your refrigerator, if you like! When it comes to proofing/fermentation, I prefer a long and slow fermentation to tease out more flavor. 80 degrees would be too warm IMHO. If your kitchen is notably cooler, I’d proof at room temp in the kitchen. Oh yeah, watch that sprayer! :D I hope your bread comes out beautiful! :D
My loaf is beautiful and crusty and tastes delish…if it wasn’t sourdough! I get hardly any sourdough flavor from it. Where could I have gone wrong? My starter smells fairly potent.
Thanks in advance for your advice!