How To Make Artisan Sourdough Bread

The making of sourdough bread dates backs many, many, many centuries.  The fermented starter is the leavening agent that allows bread to rise without the use of baker’s yeast.  If you’re interested in the history of sourdough, read the wikipedia of sourdough, trust me it’s fascinating.  I never attempted making sourdough before I found this recipe.  Having lived in San Francisco (where the sourdough bread is out of this world) I had become a sourdough bread snob and never fathomed that I could emulate anything close to it. 

I’m telling you now, even if you’ve never made bread in your life you will be delighted by your ability to easily make this delicious artisan bread and WOW your family and friends by following our simple recipe.

You will need: a 5 quart dutch oven, parchment paper, 2.5 quart glass bowl, sour dough starter, flour, non-chlorinated water, and salt.  (an egg and brush for basting if you so desire)

Sourdough starter- If you don’t have a sourdough starter, start by asking around your neighborhood or family to see if anyone has one available to share with you.  You’ll only need about 1/3 cup of theirs to get started.  If you don’t have luck there, as I didn’t, you can either make your own or order a starter online.  I found mine here at breadtopia.  They also have a great article about acquiring a starter and maintaining a healthy starter.  

Ingredients:  3 cups unbleached white flour (or you can substitute 1 cup white flour with 1 cup organic whole grain or spelt flour.) 1 ½ tsp sea salt, 1 ½ cups non-chlorinated water, ¹⁄4 cup active starter (feed starter 4-6 hours before to activate. When it has about doubled and is nice and bubbly, it’s ready to go)

19 hours before baking

1. Feed Starter – To feed starter, add 1/3 cup flour & 1/4 cup non-chlorinated water to your starter, mix well, cover, and leave at room temp 4-6 hours before baking

13 hours before baking

1. In a large bowl, mix together 3 cups unbleached flour (or substitute 1 cup with wheat or spelt flour) and 1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt.
2. Measure 1  cups non-chlorinated water into a bowl. Mix in ¹⁄4 cup active sourdough starter and stir with a fork (or spatula) until mixed and incorporated. (Return the remaining starter to the refrigerator.) Starters should be kept in a non-metal container.  The container should not have lid that seals completely.  You can use a mason jar just be sure to ditch the seal tight lid and use a piece of plastic wrap with the screw top ring.  If you know someone who makes pottery, you could bribe them to make you a beautiful jar to hold your starter. (Thank you Aunt Susan!)
3. Let the dough sit for 10-15 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate, then do a few “stretch and folds” right in the bowl. (Pull one side up and fold it over and rotate the pan, doing this on all sides. It’s a bit sticky, so wet your hands and shake off excess water before you do it, so it doesn’t stick.) If you have time and think about it, you can do it 2 more times, 10-15 minutes apart to give your dough a little more structure and strength, but it’s not absolutely necessary, you’ll still get a yummy loaf.
4. Cover and let sit approximately 12 hours or until it has almost doubled in size. This will depend on the weather and temp of your home.

1 hour before baking

1. Form it into a round loaf and place it in a 2.5 quart glass bowl lined with parchment, or a flour dusted proofing basket. (This helps dough keep it’s shape.) Cover with oiled plastic wrap or a very large inverted bowl. 
2. Let rise 1 hour

30 mins before baking

1. Score the dough by taking a very sharp knife or kitchen string and slicing the dough.(This gives it room to expand in a more “aesthetic” way; otherwise it expands in a random way.)
2. Place a 10” Dutch oven in the oven and heat it to 450 degrees for 30 minutes while the bread continues to rise. When the dough has almost doubled in size, remove the heated Dutch oven and close the oven door. Gently lift the dough with the parchment paper into the Dutch oven, or invert dough from proofing basket onto a piece of parchment paper and gently transfer into Dutch oven. 
3. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and put it in the heated oven. Slide a baking sheet on a rack a few inches below the Dutch oven. This helps to protect the bottom of the bread from burning. Bake covered for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake another 15 minutes. (I reduce the heat to 400 degrees for the last 15 minutes.)
4. Remove bread from pan and cool completely on a cooling rack.

Artisan style bread is best after it has cooled completely, otherwise it can be gummy. It keeps well for a day on the counter with the cut side down. After that, place the bread in an airtight bag. Enjoy it for several more days and if you still have some left, it makes great croutons.

Other Options: Beat an egg and lightly brush on the dough with a pastry brush. Sprinkle with coarse salt, and anything else you desire, to make it pretty. This will not work if it has risen in a floured proofing basket, as the flour on the top of the dough will become gummy.  My favorite option is to toss on a bit of parmesan cheese after shaping before the final rise. 

Every loaf I make looks just a little bit different, like a new piece of artwork everytime! 

Print Recipe

Artisan Sour Dough Bread

Prep Time19 hrs

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time19 hrs 45 mins

Servings: 8

Author: Cindee

Ingredients

• 3 cups unbleached white flour or you can substitute 1 cup white flour with 1 cup organic whole grain or spelt flour.
• 1 ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 ½ cups non-chlorinated water
• 1 1/4 cup active starter feed starter 4-6 hours before to activate. When it has about doubled and is nice and bubbly, it's ready to go

Instructions

• 19 hours before baking- Feed Starter - To feed starter, add 1/3 cup flour & 1/4 cup non-chlorinated water to your starter, mix well, cover, and leave at room temp 4-6 hours before baking
• 13 hours before baking- In a large bowl, mix together 3 cups unbleached flour (or substitute 1 cup with wheat or spelt flour) and 1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt. Measure 1  cups non-chlorinated water into a bowl. Mix in 1⁄4 cup active sourdough starter and stir with a fork (or spatula) until mixed and incorporated. (Return the remaining starter to the refrigerator.) Let the dough sit for 10-15 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate, then do a few “stretch and folds” right in the bowl. (Pull one side up and fold it over and rotate the pan, doing this on all sides. It’s a bit sticky, so wet hands and shake off excess water before you do it, so it doesn't stick.) If you have time and think about it, you can do it 2 more times, 10-15 minutes apart to give your dough a little more structure and strength, but it’s not absolutely necessary, you’ll still get a yummy loaf. Cover and let sit approximately 12 hours or until it has almost doubled in size. This will depend on the weather and temp of your home.
• 1 hour before baking- Form it into a round loaf and place it in a 2.5 quart glass bowl lined with parchment, or a flour dusted proofing basket. (This helps dough keep it's shape.) Cover with oiled plastic wrap or a very large inverted bowl. Let rise 1 hour
• 30 mins before baking- Score the dough by taking a very sharp knife or kitchen string and slicing the dough.(This gives it room to expand in a more "aesthetic" way; otherwise it expands in a random way.)Place a 10” Dutch oven in the oven and heat it to 450 degrees for 30 minutes while the bread continues to rise. When the dough has almost doubled in size, remove the heated Dutch oven and close the oven door. Gently lift the dough with the parchment paper into the Dutch oven, or invert dough from proofing basket onto a piece of parchment paper and gently transfer into Dutch oven. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and put it in the heated oven. Slide a baking sheet on a rack a few inches below the Dutch oven. This helps to protect the bottom of the bread from burning. Bake covered for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake another 15 minutes. (I reduce the heat to 400 degrees for the last 15 minutes.) Remove bread from pan and cool completely on a cooling rack.