Easy Sourdough Loaf (for Beginners)
How to make a delicious low hydration sourdough crusty loaf for beginners, easy step by step instructions from start to finish.
Ingredients
Method
- 450g / 16oz Strong white bread flour
- 260g / 260mls Lukewarm water / 40°C / 104°F
- 180g / 6.3oz Sourdough Starter
- 8g / 1tsp Salt
- For making up the starter:
- 200g / 7oz of your mother starter from the fridge
- 100g / 3½oz White bread flour
- 100g / mls Bottled or filtered water
- Place 200g of your mother sourdough starter from the fridge, into a jug or bowl, and allow it to sit in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
- Add the 100g / 3½oz white bread flour and the 100g / mls bottled or filtered water, to the jug, and mix until smooth, allow it to double in size, approx 2hrs.
- To a mixing bowl, add the water, then pour in 180g / 6.3oz of your starter, and whisk it in, add the flour and salt, mix using the dough hook for 15 minutes.
- This can be hand kneaded for the same amount of time too.
- Turn out the dough onto a flour free surface, then form it into a ball.
- Add the dough ball to a lightly oiled bowl, and allow it to proof for 3 hours, in a warm draft-free spot.
- Dust a suitable size proofing basket, or banneton.
- Once the time is up, and the dough has at least doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Form the dough into a square, keeping the top sticky and flour free, fold it as shown in the video.
- Place the now formed dough into the floured proofing basket, and dust with a little more flour, cover with a dry light-weight cloth.
- Allow it to start proofing at room temperature for 1 hour.
- When that hour is up, place the basket, still covered with the cloth, into the refrigerator, and allow it to continue proofing in the cold fridge, for 12 to 24 hours.
- Next day, place your cloche or Dutch oven into the main oven, and set the temperature to 240°C / 465°F / Gas mark 9, allow it to heat up for 30 minutes.
- Once your oven is up to temperature, remove the lid from the cloche or Dutch oven.
- Take your basket from the refrigerator, and turn out the dough onto a bakers peel, brush any excess flour off the dough, score the bread down one side (see video).
- Carefully slide the dough from the peel onto the base of the cloche or Dutch oven, and replace the lid.
- Set your timer for 25 minutes.
- After the 25 minutes remove the lid from the cloche or Dutch oven, reduce the temperature to 220°C that’s 430°F or Gas mark 7, and set the timer for, between 7 to 10 minutes, depending on how much colour you need your bread to be.
- After the final bake, remove from the oven and allow it cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
- Slice and serve with butter, or this bread will make the most delicious sandwiches.
- Enjoy
Equipment & products used in my kitchen and videos
