Sourdough STEPS

Ingredients Rustic Loaf Sourdough Bread

 350g water, 100g active starter, 500g Bread Flour, 10g salt. (If the dough feels too stiff you can add small amounts of additional water.) Eventually you might find that working with a higher hydration is what you prefer. This is just a good starting point for beginning sourdough. As you gain more confidence you can start with more water in your recipe giving this will enhance the hydration and open crumb. 

1. Feeding your starter using a 1:1:1 ratio: When feeding your starter, use a 1:1:1 ratio. Keep in mind that there are several ratios to consider depending on your timeline, but this is the most popular choice. Also, after you feed your sourdough starter, make sure to leave the lid slightly loosened to allow for airflow.
2. Ratio for one loaf of sourdough bread: Equal amounts of 60g of room temperature starter, bread flour and water will provide you with 100g of active starter for one loaf. If you want to bake more than one loaf of bread start, building your starter a few days prior. Leave the starter out and feed once or twice a day until you build the amount you need. Once the starter is active you are ready to mix. 
3. Once you’ve fed your starter, it should become lively and bubbly in about 3 to 4 hours. It’s important to wait until it’s fully activated before incorporating it into your recipe. There’s a brief time frame during which the starter is at its peak for use. If you see that it has deflated or has developed a strong acidic scent, it’s best not to use it (refer to the photo below for a visual reference of a healthy active starter).
4. Lastly, remember to feed the remaining starter in the jar with additional flour and water to keep it healthy. It can then go into your refrigerator until its next scheduled feeding or pre baking day. (This way you always have a back up option.)
5. MAINTAINING YOUR STARTER: You can store your starter at room temperature, feeding it one to two times a day if left out, or in the refrigerator, feeding it once every two weeks or as needed. 

While there are various methods to get creative with unconventional tools, these are the most frequently used instruments for making sourdough.

• Mixing bowl: a large mixing bowl with lots of room to make your dough (glass is not necessary, however it make it easier to see the rise during bulk fermentation. )
• Dutch oven: steam is essential when baking sourdough bread. The easiest way to add steam in your oven is by using a Dutch oven.
• Spatula: wooden spoon, dough whisk.
• Kitchen scale: precision is key with bread baking, measuring by weight (grams) is much more accurate than volume measures. 
• Lame and or razor blades: a specialized tool for scoring bread, if you don’t have one, use a sharp paring knife 
• Banneton: proofing basket, wicks excess moisture away from the dough as it proofs.

Activate your starter 3-4hrs prior to mixing: Once you’ve fed your starter, it should become lively and bubbly in about 3 to 4 hours. It’s important to wait until it’s fully activated before incorporating it into your recipe. There’s a brief time frame during which the starter is at its peak for use. If you see that it has deflated or has developed a strong acidic scent, it’s best not to use it 

Step 1 Begin by measuring 350g of room temperature water and 100g of active starter and 500g of bread flour. 

Tip: Don’t forget to tar your scale before mixing ingredients!

Step 2 Mix with your hands, dough whip, or spatula.

(Example dough texture.}

The dough will have a shaggy texture to it. Mix until the sides do not have any flour left. Use a spray bottle or a few dabs of water if needed.

Step 3 Cover and let sit for 30 to 60 minutes in a warm environment. during this resting it is called Autolyse.  This is a sourdough technique where flour and water are mixed and allowed to rest before the salt is added. This process allows the flour to fully hydrate and enzymes to begin developing gluten, resulting in a dough that is more extensible (stretchy), easier to handle, and leads to a softer, more airy loaf with better flavor. 

Step 4 Add 10g of salt ( You can use any salt of your choice. I prefer Himalayan salt because it’s easier to see and it has great flavor. ) Before covering your bowl move onto step 5.

Step 5 Squish the dough with your hands and mix until you do not feel any salt or see any holes from the salt. Additionally mix dough withought tearing for 3-5 minutes. 

The technique of mixing sourdough for 3-5 minutes after adding salt is called the Rubaud method, a hand-mixing technique used to build gluten strength before the bulk fermentation period. It involves a continuous, rhythmic mixing motion that is effective for strengthening the dough. Cover and let rest for 20-30 minutes. 

Step 6 Gently stretch and fold the dough at each side of bowl. The goal is to stretch without tearing the dough. Cover and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Repeat this step 3 times every 20-30 minutes.  moisture away from the dough as it proofs.

Gently stretch and fold all 4 corners.

Step 7 After allowing your covered dough to rest for 1-2 hours, it should have increased in size by at least a quarter. The exact rise will vary based on the temperature of your home. Placing your covered bowl in a warm environment will help the bulk rise. 

How Do You Know When Bulk Fermentation Has Finished?

When bulk fermentation of your sourdough is complete, your dough should:

• Has doubled in size or just a little under. 
• Has a slightly domed surface and be coming away from the edges of the bowl or container.
• Have a smooth surface with bubbles starting to form.
• It should feel light and airy. If you look underneath (clear container) you'll see large bubbles like a giant sponge up against the glass.

Step 8 Gently pull the dough out of the bowl. You can use water on your fingers or flour so that the dough doesn’t stick to your fingers. Be very careful not to pull to hard. Be patient and let the doughcome out in stages rather than pulling to hard. 

This is an example of what the dough should look like when it is out of the bowl. (It generally has marshmallow fluffy texture.) 

Step 9-10 Pre Shape: I like to fold mine over with the bread shaper and then start gently shaping. Try to keep your shaper even with the surface pushing forward and pulling back creating a round shape. Once you have enough tension built up stop or it could potentially break the tension and go flat. eek! 

Once you have your dough shaped, sprinkle lightly with flour and cover with tea towel for 15-20 ish minutes.