Easy Sourdough Bread
Sourdough baking had always been a unicorn to me, mystical, magical, untouchable. From the time I first began baking, it’s always been on my bucket list. After reading about how to begin a sourdough starter from scratch it all seemed so daunting, so much babysitting, watching, observing, feeding discarding, … so much time I didn’t have. But, like so many others, the pandemic created a perfect storm situation that gave me the opportunity to finally learn and here I am, dozens of loaves under my belt (literally and figuratively), with a sourdough starter ready to have it’s third birthday in a few weeks!
I had no idea how many directions my sourdough starter would take me, from savory to sweet and back again, but something that is always regular item on my baking agenda is this humble sourdough boule. Three simple ingredients that are so much more than the sum of its parts –flour, water, and salt. For many bread is the very definition of home and hearth. I thought it fitting that my first Kitchen Coding blog post reflect just that.
So, without further ado, here is my go to recipe for an easy sourdough loaf:
Ingredients
- 100 grams active sourdough starter
- 250 grams all purpose flour
- 250 grams bread flour
- 315 grams water
- 12 grams kosher salt
Method
Combine starter, water, and salt in a large bowl. Add flours and mix to form a shaggy dough.
Cover with another bowl and leave at room temperature for one hour to autolyse. After one hour perform one set of stretch and folds. Cover and let rest for another 30 minutes. Perform another set of stretch and folds. Cover and let rest for another 30 minutes. Perform one last set of stretch and folds. At this point the dough should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a tall sided container and allow to rise and ferment until doubled. (8-12 hours).
When the dough is doubled, gently punch down and turn out onto a floured surface. Using a bench scraper, preshape the dough into round loaf, turn over onto board and cover for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes fold the dough into a loaf shape and place into a container lined with a dish towel that has been dusted with rice flour. Dust the top of the loaf with rice flour and cover with the dish towel.
Place the container in a plastic bag and into the refrigerator for 4-24 hours.
Place dutch oven into the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.
When the oven is heated, remove the dough from the refrigerator and turn out onto a parchment covered board. Slash 2 or 3 cuts across dough with lame, razor blade or very sharp knife. Place dough inside dutch oven, cover, and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove cover from dutch oven and continue to bake for another 20 minutes. It is helpful to place a cookie sheet underneath the dutch oven during baking to prevent the bottom crust from over browning.
Remove bread from dutch oven and cool on wire rack for at least one hour before slicing.
The options are endless for enjoying this sourdough bread. It is wonderful in a grilled cheese sandwich, avocado toast, spread with butter or jam! You decide, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed!
