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.
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!