A Sourdough Guide For Beginners. Part 2: Baking Bread

Once you have that starter, it’s time to start making bread.

For information on the equipment and ingredients you need to get started, and step by step instructions on making a starter, see part 1 of this post over here.

Preparing your dough to bake:

• Weigh out 100 grams of starter 
• Add 375 grams of water and mix 
• Add 500 grams total flour
• Add 10 grams of fine ground pink Himalayan sea salt or fine sea salt 

* Note: I use 450 grams of bread flour plus 50 grams of whole wheat flour, but feel free to experiment with other types.

Mix. Your dough will be dry and shaggy (it will look rough and unkempt).

Bulk Rise:
Cover the shaggy dough with a clean kitchen towel or disposable shower cap.

• Let the dough sit for 45 minutes. This step is called autyze (the flour absorbs the water and gluten development begins).
• If you didn’t add your salt in the first part you can add it now, after the 45 minutes but before the next step.
• After 45 minutes, work/quick knead your dough. (This means to knead it together by folding it over itself a few times.) You will notice the gluten begins to tighten and this can take 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Cover (with towel or shower cap) and allow to ferment for 10-12 hours (sometimes less, sometimes more). This is known as a bulk rise. Some people choose to do stretches and folds which helps incorporate air into the dough and aids in gluten development. This is an optional step which is done 4 times every 30 minutes or so at the beginning of the bulk rise process.

Additions:
If you want to add any additional flavors to your bread it should be done after the autolyzing process. Here are some ideas: 1 cup chocolate chips for a sweet loaf. 1 head of roasted garlic & 2 teaspoons fresh stemmed and chopped rosemary. 1 cup of mixed, chopped and dried olives + 2 teaspoons zaatar.

Shaping:
Generously dust your countertop or pastry mat with bread flour. Using a plastic scraper, transfer the dough onto the mat and you will stretch and pull the dough into itself. I bring each of the 4 corners towards the middle. 

Form into a tight ball and leave seam side down to rest for 5 mins, this is known as a bench rest. Your ball will likely slightly flatten but shouldn’t spread completely flat. Repeat the shaping process until it holds better (1-2 times; but try not to overwork it).

Second Rise:
Final Proofing:
Flour your banneton or overlap 2 pieces of paper towel and sprinkle with white rice flour. Transfer your boule (your round ball of sourdough) to the banneton seam side up, cover (with a disposable shower cap), and refrigerate overnight 12-18 hrs. You can let your dough ferment at room temperature but I find the overnight chill much more beneficial for flavor development and dough handling .

Baking:
When you are ready to bake, place a Dutch oven into your oven and set the temperature to 500⁰F. A preheated Dutch oven allows for the dough to begin expanding on contact. While the oven preheats, I personally like to keep my banneton in the freezer so that when it’s time to score it’s firm and keeps a nice shape.

Once preheated, remove the loaf from the banneton by placing a piece of parchment paper on the counter, invert your bread and dust with additional rice flour.

Note: Rice flour is used because it does not burn or turn brown like wheat flour, especially at a high temperature like the one we are baking on.

• Using a razor blade or lame (bread scoring tool), slash a long cut down the length of the dough; approx 1/4” thick.
• Very carefully and wearing oven mitts, remove lid and place loaf into Dutch oven (on parchment). Place the lid back on and close the oven door.Bake for 22 minutes.
• After 22 minutes, remove the lid.
• Drop the temperature to 450⁰F and continue to bake for 22- 25 minutes, until a dark/golden crust forms.
• Turn off the oven. Remove Dutch oven. Remove boule and allow to cool on rack.