Classic Sourdough Loaves

DOWNLOAD & PRINT my Sourdough Info Packet HERE.

This is an updated handout from a sourdough class I taught some church friends. It includes FAQ’s, starter care, my favorite recipes, troubleshooting, and SO much more.

This recipe is a compilation of my favorite recipes and methods. It has been no-fail for me over and over. I have even placed this recipe onto a heavily greased cookie sheet for focaccia bread. Maybe I’ll share that process in the future too.

LEVAIN – Starter ready to use in a recipe

Prepare the night before mixing the dough

30 grams sourdough starter

150 grams cool water

150 grams bread flour or high protein all-purpose flour

Mix starter, water, and flour 6-12 hours before mixing the dough. This can be mixed in a quart-sized jar, or by adding it right to a food-grade proofing bucket. Feed your starter separately, or use some of the levain to continue feeding your starter. Domed top on the levain = perfect for making bread.

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CLASSIC SOURDOUGH LOAVES (2 loaves)     67-72% Hydration  ·  2 loaves @ 910 grams each

550-600 grams warm or room temperature water (no warmer than baby bath temperature)

300 grams levain (starter that is bubbly and fluffy)             

900 grams bread flour or high protein all-purpose flour

20 grams coarse salt

optional mix-ins, examples listed on next page

MIX: Zero out scale with mixing bowl or proofing bucket on it. Add water. (Start with the lower amount. Also hot & humid weather = use less water.) Zero out scale between each addition to avoid pre-measuring everything. Add levain (floating levain = healthy levain). Add flour, then salt. Mix dough, squishing between fingers until there are no dry pieces. Cover dough.

TURN & FOLDS with 1st RISE (BULK FERMENTATION): Rest 15 minutes. Wet hand with a little water, then turn and fold dough by lifting dough at the edge of the bowl, pulling up to resistance, then folding across the middle of the dough. Repeat “Turn & Fold,” and “Rest 15 Minutes” a total of 4 times during the first hour of rising. Rise another 5 hours (6 hours total) in a warm area. If you miss a few, just add some turns & folds during the 5-hour rise.

SHAPE (TENSION BUILDING): Gently invert the bowl of dough out onto the counter. Divide dough in half to make 2 loaves. Stretch dough out onto the counter in a thin layer (lamentation).  If using mix-ins, squeeze/drain any moist ingredients and sprinkle on top of the dough. Add more mix-ins with each fold. Shape Boule (round loaf) by lifting an edge of the dough and folding over across the middle, all the way around. Shape Batard (oblong loaf) by folding top corners across to the opposite bottom corner, then rolling up. Flip dough over. Continue building tension on top of the loaf (for the best rise and crust texture) by cupping both hands and pulling/tucking dough in all directions (top stays on the top). If the top tears, you’ve done too much. Flour banneton (proofing basket), or medium bowl lined with a tea towel. Invert dough so the top is down in the banneton. Pinch seam after resting to “sew up” the bottom of the loaf.  Repeat with the other loaf. Place in a proofing bag, or a 2-gallon Ziploc (tortilla bags are the right size too).

RISE & COLD FERMENTATION: Rise for 1-2 hours (1 hour when it’s hot and humid), then place in the fridge overnight, or up to 2 days total for greatest digestion health benefits, and for easier scoring. *Rise longer before fridge fermentation if you want to make intricate designs without a deep score. *Longer in the fridge adds sour flavor.

SCORE & BAKE: Preheat the oven to 500° F for at least 30 minutes with a dutch oven pot inside (or 2 pots if you have another one). When the oven is ready, remove a loaf from the fridge and invert it onto a square of parchment paper. Flour the surface of the dough (if concerned with gluten – use brown rice flour, or all-purpose Kamut flour). Score dough by first marking where the deep score will go. Then create a design with small ⅛-¼ inch deep lines using a bread lame (or razor blade, or sharp knife). Last, make the deep score about ½ to 1 inch deep to tell the dough where to expand. Remove the dutch oven pot from the preheated oven. Place the dough into the dutch oven pot using the parchment paper to lift. Add lid to the pot. Drop oven temperature to 420° F. Bake for 40 minutes. If you’d like more color on the loaf, remove bread from the pot and bake another 5 minutes on the oven rack or until desired color. Bread should reach an internal temperature of 205° F. Repeat with the 2nd loaf, bringing the oven back up to 500° F while scoring. Alternatively, if you have two dutch ovens, they may be baked at the same time.

COOL, SLICE & STORE: Cool loaves for at least 2 hours before slicing to avoid a gummy texture. To easily slice, cut the loaf in half, then slice the bread with the cut side down. Sourdough bread can be stored at room temperature uncovered for 1 day, or in a Ziploc bag/covered cake stand for 2-3 days. Sourdough freezes very well with great results for 3 months. Freeze whole loaves (my favorite for gifting loaves later) by wrapping with plastic wrap, then placing in a grocery bag. Freeze pre-sliced loaves in a gallon freezer bag. Frozen slices will pull apart and are fantastic toasted or made into grilled sandwiches. 

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OPTIONAL MIX-IN IDEAS: add to taste, or use these recipes as a guide. Here’s your chance to experiment!

CHEDDAR JALAPENO http://www.charitylighten.com

½ cup pickled jalapenos, roughly chopped

½ cheddar cheese, grated or diced

2 Tablespoons dried onion or shallot

1 Tablespoon Everything but the Bagel 

   Seasoning (Trader Joe’s) *see DIY recipe

APPLE CINNAMON CRAISIN

50 grams Craisins

40 grams apples, diced

3 grams cinnamon

CHOCOLATE CHIP CRAISIN 

50 grams Craisins

40 grams white or semi-sweet choc chips

3 grams cinnamon (optional)

CLASSIC SOURDOUGH TIMELINE EXAMPLE

Monday PM	Tuesday AM	Tuesday PM	Wednesday or Thursday
Prepare levain	Mix dough, turns & folds	Shape, rise, fridge ferment(Bake – optional)	Bake, cool, share & enjoy!(Fridge fermentation increases digestibility)

OVERNIGHT SOURDOUGH TIMELINE EXAMPLE

Monday AM	Monday PM	Tuesday AM	Tuesday PM, Wed, Thurs
Prepare levain	Mix dough, turns & folds every 15 minutes, rise overnight in a cooler with ice packs.	Shape, rise, fridge ferment(Bake – optional)	Bake, cool, share & enjoy!(Fridge fermentation increases digestibility)

HERE is my free SOURDOUGH PRINTABLE.

This is the updated handout I used for teaching a sourdough class. It includes so many notes, frequently asked questions, starter care information, favorite recipes, troubleshooting, and so much more!