Sourdough Bread Recipe
This is a perfectly tangy mild-hydration sourdough bread recipe that will have the perfect tight and chewy crumb with a soft pliable dough, making it perfect for sandwhiches and baking in a loaf pan.
Equipment
- 2 loaf pans
- 1 large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 150 grams active sourdough starter
- 300 grams lukewarm filtered water
- 25 grams olive oil
- 500 grams all-purpose flour
- 10 grams fine sea salt
Instructions
Preparing the Dough
- Mix together the active starter, water, and olive oil in a large mixing bowl.
- Add in the flour and salt and knead until all of the flour is mixed. The dough will be shaggy in texture.
Autolyse
- Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rest on the counter to autolyse for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Knead the dough for a few minutes, doing a strech and fold method. Pull up on one side of the dough, stretch it out and fold it over the ball. Turn the dough clockwise slightly and stretch and fold again. Turn again and repeat this stretch and fold technique four times. The dough will get harder and harder to stretch and fold, meaning it is ready for the next step.
The First Rise
- Cover the dough in a bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rise until doubled in size for 4 to 12 hours, depending on the ingredients, starter potency, and the temperature and humidity levels of your kitchen.
- During this time, you can continue the stretch and fold method every hour. This will increase the density and texture of the final loaf. This step is completely optional, however, even if you have time to perform this step only once or twice will help increase the success of a perfect oven spring.
Shaping the Dough
- Cut dough in half to create two separate loaves.
- Roll out each loaf into a rectangle. Roll into a log starting from the wider end to create a tight structure to help create the perfect oven spring.
- Tuck the ends under the dough log to fit into the loaf pan, pinching the seams together.
The Second Rise
- Cover the loaves with plastic wrap for the second rise up to 1 to 2 hours until puffy and rounded in the loaf pan. Do not allow it to rise over the loaf pan.
Scoring the Loaves
- Make a thin slice down the middle leaving a few inches from both ends of the loaf.
Baking the Loaves
- Bake in the oven at 450 degrees for 1 hour until the loaves have reached a deep golden brown.
- Remove the loaves from the oven and cool on a wire rack until completely cooled.