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!
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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!