🥖 Sourdough Bread for Beginners
🌾 What You Need
Ingredients
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100g active sourdough starter (bubbly and fed)
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350g warm water (about 80°F / 27°C)
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500g bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
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10g salt
Equipment (Helpful but Optional)
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Large mixing bowl
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Kitchen scale (highly recommended)
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Dutch oven or heavy covered pot
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Parchment paper
🕒 Step-by-Step Process
1️⃣ Mix the Dough
In a large bowl:
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Stir starter into warm water until mostly dissolved.
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Add flour and salt.
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Mix until a shaggy dough forms (no dry flour).
Cover and let rest 30–45 minutes (this is called autolyse).
2️⃣ Stretch & Fold (Build Strength)
Instead of kneading:
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Grab one side of dough, stretch it up, fold over.
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Rotate bowl and repeat 4 times.
Do this every 30 minutes for 2 hours (about 4 rounds total).
3️⃣ Bulk Fermentation (First Rise)
Cover and let rise at room temp 4–6 hours, until:
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Dough has risen about 50%
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Looks airy
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Jiggles slightly when shaken
4️⃣ Shape the Dough
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Lightly flour your surface.
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Gently shape into a round by folding edges underneath.
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Let rest 20 minutes.
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Final shape into a tight ball.
Place seam-side up in a floured bowl or banneton.
5️⃣ Second Rise (Proof)
Cover and refrigerate 8–12 hours (overnight)
This improves flavor and makes scoring easier.
6️⃣ Bake
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Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) with Dutch oven inside for 30–45 minutes.
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Turn dough onto parchment.
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Score top with a sharp knife or razor.
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Carefully place into hot Dutch oven.
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Bake:
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20 minutes covered
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20–25 minutes uncovered (until deep golden brown)
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Internal temp should be about 205–210°F (96–99°C).
7️⃣ Cool (Important!)
Let cool at least 1 hour before slicing — this finishes the crumb structure.
🔑 Beginner Tips
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If your starter doesn’t float in water, it may not be ready.
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Warmer room = faster rise.
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Sticky dough is normal — avoid adding too much flour.
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Don’t rush fermentation; flavor develops over time.
If you’d like, I can also give you:
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How to make a sourdough starter from scratch
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A same-day sourdough version
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Troubleshooting guide (dense loaf, flat loaf, gummy crumb)
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Video-style step timeline
Just tell me what you need 😊