Print

Artisan Sourdough Bread Recipe

A golden-brown, crusty sourdough bread loaf and a slice revealing its airy crumb structure.
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Learn to bake a crusty artisan sourdough loaf with a natural yeast starter and airy crumb.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 100g active sourdough starter
  • 350g warm water
  • 500g bread flour
  • 10g fine sea salt

Instructions

  1. Feed your sourdough starter 4-12 hours before you plan to mix the dough. It should be bubbly and active.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the active sourdough starter and warm water. Stir until the starter is mostly dissolved.
  3. Add the bread flour to the bowl. Mix with your hands or a spatula until just combined and no dry flour remains. The dough will be shaggy.
  4. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
  5. Sprinkle the salt over the dough. Wet your hands slightly and pinch and fold the salt into the dough until fully incorporated.
  6. Perform a series of stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours. To do this, wet your hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat 3 more times.
  7. After the stretch and folds, let the dough rest, covered, at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until it has increased in volume by about 50-75% and looks puffy.
  8. Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a round (boule) or oval (batard).
  9. Place the shaped dough into a floured proofing basket or a bowl lined with a floured tea towel. Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours for a cold ferment.
  10. Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes.
  11. Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Gently turn the cold dough out of the proofing basket into the Dutch oven. Score the top of the loaf with a sharp knife or lame.
  12. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 20 minutes.
  13. Remove the lid and bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 205-210°F (96-99°C).
  14. Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

  • For a tangier flavor, extend the cold ferment time in the refrigerator.
  • If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can bake the bread on a baking stone or steel, creating steam by placing a pan of water on the bottom rack of your oven.
  • Ensure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly before using it in the recipe.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenslang.com/sourdough-bread-recipe-crusty-artisan-loaf/