bread-board

Simple Sourdough Bread Recipe

Start Here
  • You need to have an active Starter.
  • Mix the flour and water together. Cover with cling wrap or a damp kitchen towel and leave for 30 min.
  • After the 30 min rest mix the starter through the wet flour. Cover with cling wrap or a damp kitchen towel and leave for another 30 min. After the rest use a spatula or your clean hands to evenly incorporate the salt into the mixture.

The Dough
  • Turn the dough on to a clean lightly floured surface and knead for approximately 10 minutes or until the dough is soft and elastic - resist the temptation to add extra flour if the dough feels sticky, rather spray some cooking oil on your hands.
  • Return the dough to an oiled mixing bowl. Cover with cling wrap or a damp kitchen towel and leave for 4 hours at room temperature.
  • If your kitchen is cold you can leave the dough in the oven with the light on and the door slightly open.

Proofing
  • After 4 hours place the dough onto a floured workspace, start folding the dough from one side into the centre repeat this with all the sides.
  • Use your hands or a dough scraper and gently scrape the dough into a tight ball.
  • Use your fingers to pinch seams and make sure its a tight ball. Gently rub some flour onto the top of the dough and let rest for 2 min or until the top and sides of the dough is less sticky.
  • Prepare a proving basket or a pyrex dish with a cotton kitchen towel - by lightly dusting with flour.
  • Place the dough, seamed side facing up, into the proving basket. Cover with the pyrex dish lid or cling wrap to prove overnight in the fridge.

Preheat
  • The next morning carefully turn your dough out from the proving basket onto a baking tray, pyrex dish lid or baking paper(use inside your dutch oven)
  • Preheat your oven to 230°C (446°F).

Scoring
  • Scoring bread dough plays an important role in baking and helps your dough to rise consistently. So get creative use a sharp knife and cut the surface of the dough about 1/2 cm deep.

Baking Times
  • Baking times might vary depending on the oven you use.
  • If you are using a baking tray or stone pour boiled water into an extra dish that was preheated with the oven to create steam, bake the dough for 35 minutes or until a golden-brown crust has formed
  • If you are using a Pyrex dish or Dutch oven bake the dough for 30 minutes then remove the lid and continue to bake, uncovered, for a further 20 minutes or until a golden-brown crust has formed.

How to check if your bread is ready?
  • Your bread should have a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom or you can use a thermometer to test the internal temperature it should read, over 95°C/ 203°F.

Rest
  • Carefully remove your bread from the oven and let it rest for 1 hour.

Enjoy, please tag me in your Sourdough pictures.

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breads in basket