Classic Sourdough Loaf
Straightforward Classic Sourdough No-Kneed Recipe
Equipment
- Large Bowl
- Kitchen Scale
- Dutch Whisk Can also use a wooden spoon or sturdy rubber spatula
- Dutch oven
- Parchment Paper or Bread cooking mat
- Flour Duster optional
- Bread Lame Can use a knife
- Bread Banaton with Linen Liner Can use a kitchen towel-lined bowl
Ingredients
- 360 grams Warm Filtered Water
- 100 grams Active Sourdough Starter
- 500 grams Bread Flour Can use a mix of all purpose and bread flour
- 10 grams Salt
Instructions
Mixing Dough and Autolyse
- Using your Kitchen Scale and Large Bowl, measure out 360 grams of water.
- Add 100 grams of Active Sourdough Starter. Remove bowl from scale and mix using the Dutch Whisk or Wooden Spoon until incorporated into the water. You should see bubbles on the surface.
- Return bowl to scale and measure in 500 grams of flour. Remove from scale, and mix with the Dutch Whisk until a shaggy dough forms.
- Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel or lightly with a bowl lid for 1 hour.
Stretch & Folds and Bulk Fermentation
- Measure 10 grams of salt. Spinkle salt over the dough and dimple it into the dough with wet hands.
- Perform your first set of stretch and folds by pulling up the edge of the dough and gently pulling it up and placing it on top of the dough ball. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Go twice around the bowl - around 8 stretch & folds. Cover and rest for 30 mins.
- Perform the second round of stretch and folds. Cover and rest for 30 mins.
- Perform the third set of stretch and folds. This time you can incorporate coil folds to help form a smooth top. Cover and rest for 30 mins.
- Perform the fourth and final round of stretch and folds, using the coil fold method. Cover and continue bulk fermentation for 5-7 hours until the dough has doubled in size. You should see bubbles on the bottom or side of the bowl. The top should have some bubbles and appear rounded, pulling away from the sides.
Shape and Cold Ferment
- Turn the dough out onto a clean and floured surface. The dough should release relatively easily and cleanly from the bowl. Gently stretch the dough into a rectangle.
- Tri-fold the dough, starting from the left side and then the right. Starting from the bottom, roll the dough log into a ball.
- Perform a couple pull and pulls to create tension on the surface of the ball. This is your pre-shaped dough. Rest for 5-15 mins.
- Gently turn the dough ball over so the top of the ball is now on the floured surface. Gently stretch into a smaller rectangle and repeat the shaping process. Perform several push-and-pulls until you achieve a good tension surface.
- Flour your lined banaton basket. Plop dough bowl, top side down, into the banaton. Stitch up the bottom, now top, if loose. Sprinkle lightly with flour and cover with one of the following: kitchen towel, linen banaton cover, or plastic wrap.
- Place in refrigerator and chill for 10-12 hours until ready to bake. No longer than 48 hours.
Score and Bake
- Preheat Oven and Dutch Oven to 450 degrees.
- Once preheated, pull banaton from refigerator.
- Cut a piece of parchment paper that is slightly larger than the width of the Dutch Oven and place on a clean working surface. Sprinkle very lightly with flour. * You can also use a non-stick bread mat instead of parchment paper.
- Turn sourdough out onto the center of the parchment paper and gently peel away the linen liner. Sprinkle the surface with flour and smooth with your hand.
- Here you can decorate with any design you wish. After you make decoration cuts, score bread with any design you prefer. *I default to simple wheat stalks on both sides and a deep score down the middle.
- Carefully remove the Dutch Oven from oven and place parchment paper and dough into the Dutch Oven. Replace lid, and return to oven. Bake for 30 mins.
- After 30 mins, remove lid of Dutch Oven and lower temperature to 425 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Carefully remove bread from the Dutch Oven by using the parchment paper to lift the bread. Pot will be very hot!
- Cool bread completely on a wire rack before cutting.
- Slice and Enjoy!
Notes
- Bulk Fermentation time will vary depending on the temperature of your environment. The warmer it is, the quicker bulk fermentation will happen. Keep an eye on the dough during this time.