Whether you are a newbie or an expert sourdough bread maker, this simple, fail-proof recipe is amazing. I’m going to break it down step-by-step with photos because if you are like me a visual is all you need to know you are on the right track. The full recipe is posted near the end of this post.
Your end product a moist, sour, crusty loaf of sourdough bread. Every loaf comes out tasting a little different and no loaf will look the same.
Perhaps thats a part of the reason I enjoy making this so much, there’s no way to mess it up! It still amazes me that you can get such a great tasting treat from three simple ingredients – water, flour and salt. Ok let’s get started. I like to start this process first thing in the morning (or even better in the evening just before going to bed) as it usually takes all day to rise properly.
Basic sourdough bread
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sourdough starter (instructions on getting one started, here)
- 3 cups flour of choice (Einkorn or Red Fife are the best choices, but others can be used)
- 2 cups water (warm)
- 1 to 3 cups flour of choice (as above)
- 2 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1-2 tbsp oil for greasing (I prefer coconut oil)
Directions:
Pour 1 cup of starter into a large glass or plastic mixing bowl. Add in 3 cups of flour and 2 cups of warm water. Mix vigorously with a wooden spoon. Cover with tea towel, plastic lid, or plastic wrap (just make sure it’s not completely sealed), place on the counter in your kitchen and allow to rise for 2 to 8 hours (or even overnight) until its doubled in size. The longer it’s left to rise, the more sour your bread will be.
After this has doubled in size (or first thing in the morning if you’ve let it rise overnight) remove the cover. In a separate bowl, combine one cup of flour and the sea salt. Add this mixture to your dough and mix well. Slowly add in more flour, little by little, until your dough comes together and is hard to stir with your wooden spoon (make sure to keep your dough on the stickier side, as it will result in fluffier bread).
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 to 15 minutes (you can take breaks if you wish). Add additional flour as needed only to keep it from sticking. Give the dough a rest while you clean out your mixing bowl. Ensure to dry it well and then lightly grease it with the oil of your choice (I used coconut oil). Go back to your dough and knead for an additional 5 minutes.
***If you are wanting to make bread into standard loaves instead of round loaves like here, see notes above at this step.
Place the dough in greased bowl, flipping it once to ensure the top of your dough is greased. Cover and let rise another 1-2 hours until it’s doubled in size.
Once it’s doubled in size, take a sharp knife and carefully cut the dough into two parts ensuring that they are very close the same size. Shape dough into nice oval loaves and set on greased cookie sheet (allowing room for each loaf to expand). Cover and allow to rise until they doubled in size (anywhere from 2 hours to as long as 14 hours if you wish)
When they are ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the cover, slash the tops in the design of your choice and bake for 15-30 minutes until golden brown and sound hollow (ensure not to under bake or over bake your bread). Remove loaves to a cooling rack. Allow to completely cool before slicing (if you have the will power, haha!)
Store in airtight container on the counter or package up for freezing.
* Recipe Adapted from pinchmysalt.com
Sources & Further Reading:
http://nourishedmum.com/health/basic-sourdough-bread
Derek Henry
Derek Henry, Founder of Healing the Body and the THRIVE Academy, used nutrition, supplementation, and a holistic lifestyle to naturally unravel 13 chronic disease conditions that conventional or alternative medical professionals couldn't help him resolve. As a result of this one-in-a-million health transformation and the knowledge acquired in the process, he now educates, coaches, and inspires others to transform their health through a natural and holistic approach. Since 2014, he has helped his THRIVE Academy participants heal over 20 different chronic disease conditions, primarily related to digestive and autoimmune concerns.
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FAQs
Top 10 Tips & Tricks for Making Sourdough
- Use your sourdough starter at its peak. ...
- Moisten the surface of the dough before baking for more rise. ...
- Handle with care: be gentle with your dough. ...
- Use sifted flour to make your sourdough less dense. ...
- Soak your flour beforehand for a lighter loaf. ...
- Just add water for softer sourdough.
Ken Forkish's popular book, Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast is a great resource for beginning and intermediate sourdough bakers. It is clearly written and refreshingly more prescriptive than some other sourdough baking resources.
How do you make enough sourdough starter? ›
If you do not have enough starter, just feed it some more.
Just add some flour and water to your starter the day before and presto, you have more starter. This isn't even usually necessary though, as you can add a greatly varying amount of starter to your bread as it will leaven your dough over time.
What makes the perfect sourdough? ›
A sourdough loaf made with 500g of good quality bread flour, 50g to 100g of sourdough starter, left to ferment for adequate time, will produce a light, airy loaf with a lacy, open crumb that is not wet or dense in any way.
What is the best flour for sourdough bread? ›
Whole wheat flour is an excellent choice for creating a sourdough starter due to its nutrient-rich composition and potential for fostering a robust microbial community. However, it's important to note that the quality of whole wheat flour can vary between brands.
How do you make sourdough bread lighter and fluffier? ›
There are several ways to make sourdough bread lighter and less dense, such as: Increasing the hydration level of your dough, which means adding more water or using less flour. This will create more open spaces in the crumb and a softer texture.
Why is sourdough starter so difficult? ›
Essentially making a sourdough starter is not an overly difficult process, but it does require a commitment of time and patience, as well as some dedicated equipment. Sometimes there are factors which mean making sourdough starter could be difficult. Perhaps you're working long hours or go out of town regularly.
What does the perfect sourdough starter look like? ›
Active sourdough starter should have bubbles in it and also smell fresh and fruity. If yours seems a little sluggish, just keep it out of the fridge and step up the feeding schedule. Once you feed it every day for a few days to a week, it should show signs of life again.
Is it cheaper to make your own sourdough bread? ›
So if you look solely at the ingredients, it is cheaper to make your own sourdough. But if you bring other factors into it - it might not be as cheap. This post aims to show you how you can bake a classic sourdough loaf with a little work and no fancy equipment.
Can you use too much starter in sourdough bread? ›
If you have too much starter compared to the additional flour and water you're adding, your hungry starter consumes all the nutrients and then it's not as bubbly.
Compared to whole wheat flour, rye flour is said to be the most nutrient- and amylase-dense option for a sourdough starter. Overall, it has a lower gluten protein content than wheat flour, which means it produces slack, sticky, and dense doughs.
Do you have to discard sourdough starter every time you feed it? ›
It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.
What makes sourdough fluffy? ›
Keeping the lid on for the first part of baking allows steam to expand between the gluten fibers to rise the bread and create a fluffy loaf. Step 4: Remove the lid and bake for an additional 12-14 minutes or until the crust is crispy and golden brown. Once you take the lid off, the bread likely won't rise anymore.
What is the best ratio for sourdough bread? ›
it's almost always the same ratio. . there are lots of different sizes and shapes and flavours of loaves. but they almost always use this formula. 100% flour 20% starter 2% salt and 75% water.
What temperature do you bake sourdough bread at? ›
Sourdough bread should be cooked in a Dutch Oven for 45 minutes at 230C or 450F (with the lid off for the last 10 to 15 minutes). You can lower the temperature for the last 10 to 15 minutes of the bake.
How do you make sourdough bread more flavorful? ›
Generally a more mature and well established starter will produce a more flavorful, sour loaf. Hydration of the Dough - this affects how long your dough will take to ferment. A slightly lower hydration will take longer to ferment than a higher hydration loaf, leading to a bigger depth of flavor and sourness.
What is the secret behind the sour of sourdough bread? ›
There are two main acids produced in a sourdough culture: lactic acid and acetic acid. Acetic acid, or vinegar, is the acid that gives sourdough much of its tang. Giving acetic acid-producing organisms optimal conditions to thrive and multiply will produce a more tangy finished product.
How do you increase the texture of sourdough bread? ›
Here are some tips to help you make your sourdough bread less dense:
- Use a ripe sourdough starter. ...
- Knead the dough for the right amount of time. ...
- Proof the dough for the correct amount of time. ...
- Use the right type of flour. ...
- Add the right amount of water. ...
- Score the bread properly. ...
- Bake the bread at the correct temperature.
Baking soda or bicarbonate of soda can be used in sourdough bread to create a less sour loaf. Added after bulk fermentation, but before shaping, it can help to create a lighter, more fluffy loaf of sourdough.
