Sourdough Bread

Here’s a clear, step-by-step guide to making Sourdough Bread—classic, tangy, and full of that signature chewy texture and crisp crust.

Ingredients (1 loaf)

1 cup (240 g) active sourdough starter
1½ cups (360 ml) water, room temperature
4 cups (480 g) all-purpose or bread flour
2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Mix the dough

In a large bowl, combine sourdough starter and water.
Add flour and mix until no dry bits remain. Dough will be sticky.
Let the dough rest 30 minutes (autolyse) to improve gluten development.

2. Add salt & knead

Sprinkle salt over the dough.
Knead in the bowl or on a lightly floured surface for 5–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

3. Bulk fermentation

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap.
Let it rise at room temperature 4–6 hours, folding the dough every 30–60 minutes to strengthen gluten.

4. Shape the loaf

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
Shape into a tight round or oval loaf.

5. Final rise (proofing)

Place the shaped loaf in a floured proofing basket or bowl.
Cover and let rise 1–2 hours at room temperature, or refrigerate overnight for a more sour flavor.

6. Preheat the oven

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) with a Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes.

7. Bake

Carefully transfer dough into the preheated Dutch oven.
Score the top with a sharp knife.
Cover and bake 20–25 minutes.
Remove the lid and bake another 15–20 minutes until crust is deep golden brown.

8. Cool

Let bread cool at least 1 hour before slicing to finish the crumb structure.

Tips

Sourdough starter: Make sure it’s active and bubbly for best rise. Feed it 4–12 hours before baking.
Hydration: Slightly wetter dough gives a more open crumb, but it’s stickier to handle.
Flavor: Refrigerated proofing overnight develops tangy, complex flavor.
Crispier crust: Bake on a preheated baking stone or Dutch oven and create steam in the oven.

If you want, I can also give a quick sourdough-ish no-knead bread version that’s easier for beginners but still gives that tangy flavor and chewy texture.

Do you want me to do that?