New to homemade sourdough bread or simply improving your craft? Everyday Sourdough from Emilie Raffa’s 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!
I received a copy of Emilie’s book and am happy to be able to share it in this space. All opinions are my own.
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 mystified 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.
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, 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!
With the help of Emilie Raffa’s book Artisan Sourdough Made Simple, I am a sourdough baker! 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.
After diving into sourdough again using Emilie’s thorough and approachable new book and in a short period of time, I can confidently say,
I am a sourdough baker.
Making everything from Sourdough Sandwich Bread, Sourdough Pie Crust and Homemade Sourdough French Toast to this simple Buttery Sourdough Discard Cornbread recipe.
And, you can do it too!
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.
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Looking for a delicious Multigrain Sourdough Bread recipe to challenge your bread baking prowess? Check out this reader favorite Seeded Multigrain Sourdough Bread.
My Sourdough Toolkit (affiliate links):
- 7 Quart Dutch Oven
- 10″ Cast Iron Skillet with Deep Dish Skillet for a lid
- Bench Scraper
- Parchment Paper
- Digital Food Thermometer
- Lame – for scoring the dough
- Banneton(s)
- Digital Scale
Emilie’s Everyday Sourdough Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (50g) Sourdough Starter, previously fed, active and bubbly
- 1 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons (350g) Warm Water, about 80f (26c)
- 4 cups (500g) Bread Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons 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. (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 (My sourdough is generally storing for between 3-4 days.)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Made it? Leave a comment below!
The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications or helping other commentors.
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!