I was intimidated to make my first loaf of sourdough bread. I’d heard others talk about flat and dense loaves—dough that never rose. It wasn’t until I read a sourdough book cover to cover and painted it with post-it notes, highlights, and dog-eared pages that I felt ready to put my newborn sourdough starter to work. I bought flour. I filtered water. I measured. I mixed and kneaded. I folded ever-so-gently while I held my bread until, hours later, I pulled my first sourdough from the oven.
I had my wife taste it. “Pretty good,” she said. “Yeah, pretty good bread.” Only later did she fess up that it was “actually just okay, to be honest.” But all-in-all the bread had a nice rise, a crunchy and well-colored crust, and it did taste great considering it was my first loaf of any kind of bread. And you know what? We ate the entire thing.
This Beginner’s Sourdough Bread post has several videos where I walk you through each step of the sourdough bread-making process. Be sure to see the end for a complete video walkthrough of me making this recipe!
As the new obsession set in, I started making fresh sourdough bread for every meal. There was something about the whole bread-making process that I found captivating. It was–and still is–exciting to mix such elemental ingredients and to see them produce beautiful, life-giving sustenance: it is modern-day alchemy. It’s such a simple thing, and yet it brought me so much joy to see my family and friends tear into a freshly baked loaf that I wanted to bake every day of every week.
This recipe will give you confidence as you take your first steps in baking sourdough bread from your home kitchen.
Starting to make your first loaf of sourdough bread can be daunting. That’s why I’ve put together this beginner’s sourdough bread tutorial and recipe—it will give you confidence as you take your first steps in baking sourdough bread from your home kitchen. This how-to guide starts with explaining baking terms and definitions so that we will have a common vocabulary once we get to the recipe.
And then, each step of the process has lots of information to ensure you understand what is happening and what to do. But, before we go on this beginner’s sourdough bread recipe, let’s first take a look at what sourdough bread is.
What is Sourdough Bread?
Sourdough is a specific type of bread created through a natural fermentation process involving suitable bacteria and wild yeasts in the environment (i.e., the air and even a baker’s hands) and, most importantly, on the grain itself. A sourdough starter culture is used to seed fermentation in new dough when making sourdough bread.
Generally speaking, bacteria are primarily responsible for producing organic acids (lactic acid and acetic acid) that contribute to sourdough bread’s flavor, texture, and storage qualities. The wild yeasts produce carbon dioxide gas and ethanol during fermentation. When this gas becomes trapped in the dough’s airtight gluten matrix, the dough begins to rise, resulting in a final loaf of bread with a light and airy texture.
All recipes on The Perfect Loaf are naturally leavened; in other words, you won’t find any commercial yeast or instant yeast here. There’s nothing inherently wrong with commercial yeast, but I prefer to make bread this way because of the wonderful flavor and texture, the health benefits like increased bioavailability of minerals and nutrients, increased keeping quality thanks to the acids generated during natural fermentation, and the fact that it requires so few ingredients (just three!) to make something so delicious.
For a high-level look at each step of the sourdough process, read through the Beginner’s Guide to Sourdough Bread →
Creating a Sourdough Starter
It all begins with a sourdough starter. Before we look at how to make sourdough bread, you need to create a healthy sourdough starter that shows consistent signs of fermentation each day. Creating a sourdough starter is easy: mix flour and water for a few days in succession, and eventually, thanks to the bacteria and wild yeasts on the grain, natural fermentation will begin.
If you’d like to look at how I feed my starter daily, look at my sourdough starter maintenance routine. In this guide, you will see the visual and aromatic cues to look for when your starter is ready for refreshment (feeding).
While waiting for your sourdough starter, let’s look at some terms bakers often use to discuss the various parts of the bread-making process.
Baker’s Terminology
Sourdough starter
A starter is a mixture of flour and water you allow to ferment naturally. You’ll refresh (feed) the starter indefinitely to keep the fermentation active and healthy, and you will wait for it to become fully ripe before you use any of it to make bread.
When you want to make bread, you take a small amount of your starter to create an off-shoot called a levain (see below). See my post on starter creation to read more about the starter and learn how to make one.
Levain (or leaven)
A levain is made by mixing a small off-shoot of your ripe starter with water and flour and allowing it to ferment before mixing it into a dough. You can always use your starter directly to make sourdough bread, but a levain is a small off-shoot that allows you to adjust the flour, hydration, and ripening schedule (which have implications on the bacteria and wild yeast balance).
Also, unlike your sourdough starter, which lives on as its own entity, the entirety of the levain goes into the dough and has the same fate as the bread itself: to be baked in the oven. See my post on what a levain is and how it’s different from a sourdough starter for more information.
Autolyse
Some recipes utilize a step called autolyse (“auto-lease”). It occurs at the beginning of bread baking and is a step in which only flour and water are mixed together and left to rest. The goal of autolyse is to initiate enzymatic activity in the dough to help draw out sugars from the flour. Additionally, it helps increase dough extensibility (the ability for the dough to stretch out without tearing).
In most cases, increased extensibility is good as it helps the dough expand and fill with gasses, resulting in a light and airy loaf. See my in-depth post on the autolyse technique for more information.
Bulk fermentation
The dough’s first rise is called bulk fermentation. After mixing the flour, salt, and levain into a dough, you put it all into a bowl or container, cover it, and let it rest. The dough will undergo a fermentation process during this critical step. Bacteria and yeast begin to generate organic acids and alcohols and leaven the dough, which will translate to flavor and rise in your final bread.
For more on this critical step in the bread-making process, see my in-depth guide to bulk fermentation.
Proofing
The proof is the dough’s final, or second, rise after the dough has been divided and shaped and lasts until the dough is finally baked in the oven. During this time, the dough continues to ferment, further strengthening and leavening it. I typically proof at a cold temperature in the refrigerator (also called “retarding”).
In my ultimate guide to proofing, I talk about how to spot when the dough is finished rising and ready to bake, plus a whole lot more.
Final Dough Temperature
The final dough temperature (FDT) is the dough’s temperature after mixing all ingredients. The dough’s temperature is important because it’s the main factor that affects fermentation strength: a warmer dough will ferment faster than a cooler dough.
Naturally, each component (levain, the flour, the water, and the ambient environment) has a temperature. While most of these are out of our control, we can easily adjust the water temperature, which enables us to change the FDT of the entire dough to meet whatever the recipe calls for.
I have a handy water temperature calculator you can use to quickly figure out what you need to warm or cool your mixing water to get the dough to the right temperature.
Or, so you don’t have to do any calculations, here’s a quick cheat sheet for this Beginner’s Sourdough bread recipe:
| If your kitchen temperature is | Warm or cool the mixing water to |
|---|---|
| 68°F (20°C) | 98°F (37°C) |
| 70°F (21°C) | 94°F (34°C) |
| 72°F (22°C) | 90°F (32°C) |
| 74°F (23°C) | 86°F (30°C) |
| 76°F (24°C) | 82°F (28°C) |
| 78°F (25°C) | 78°F (25°C) |
| 80°F (26°C) | 74°F (23°C) |
If your kitchen is outside of these temperatures, my guide on the importance of dough temperature in baking will walk you through calculating exactly what to warm (or cool) your mixing water to so your dough meets the FDT for any recipe.
Baker’s Percentages (Baker’s Math)
Baker’s math, or baker’s percentages, helps bakers adjust the actual quantity of the ingredients up or down, depending on how much bread they want to make. I write all the formulas on The Perfect Loaf in baker’s percentages, where all ingredient weights are a percentage of the total flour weight, which always adds up to 100%. Read through my introduction to baker’s percentages for a more in-depth explanation (including how to scale up and down a bread recipe).
TPL Members (the baking community here) have access to all the recipes here at The Perfect Loaf in spreadsheet form, making scaling up and down recipes as simple as changing a few numbers.
Baking Tools
There are a few necessary tools for baking your first loaf of this beginner’s sourdough bread. The following might look like a long list, but you probably already have many of these in your kitchen—There are a few tools necessary for baking this beginner’s sourdough bread. Note that one item is absolutely necessary: a kitchen scale. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, please consider buying one. Measuring flour with cups and scoops is entirely inaccurate!
- combo cooker like a Lodge 3qt. cast iron combo cooker or a Le Creuset Dutch oven that can withstand 500°F (260°C) in the oven and has a well-sealing lid
- large mixing bowl to mix your dough by hand
- two medium kitchen bowls to proof your dough
- two kitchen towels or a tea towel to line the proofing bowls
- bench knife to cut and shape the dough
- plastic or silicone bowl scraper
- kitchen scale that measures in grams
- instant-read thermometer
- white rice flour for dusting proofing bowl
- blade for scoring your dough (a “lame”), or a razor blade, sharp knife, or scissors
- fine-grain sea salt
- parchment paper
- pizza peel (or cutting board)
- heavy duty oven mitt
- the best bread knife for cutting your sourdough bread
You can find a full list of all the tools I use when baking on my baking tools page.
The Importance of Dough Temperature
When I first started baking, I didn’t quite grasp how important temperature is in the bread-making process. I always like to say: Treat temperature as an ingredient, just as flour, water, and salt are ingredients. What I mean by that, practically, is that if one day you mix with water that is 70°F (21°C) and then a week later mix with water that is 80°F (26°C), you will get drastically different outcomes.
Temperature determines the amount of fermentation activity you’ll see. Lower temperatures generally mean less activity; therefore, things will take longer. Higher temperatures generally mean more activity; therefore, things will take less time. Working with consistent temperatures will ensure consistency in your bread baking, and you’ll get the desired results in terms of flavor, rise, texture–well, everything.
Treat temperature as an ingredient, just as flour, water, and salt are ingredients.
If it’s cold where you’re baking, see my tips on how to bake sourdough bread in the winter. And conversely, if it’s warm where you are, see my post on how to bake in the summer. These guides will help ensure your loaves have the best flavor and volume.
Flour For Baking Bread
I used commonly available supermarket flour for this recipe: Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour, Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Flour, and Bob’s Red Mill or Arrowhead Dark Rye Flour. These are great flour choices, but any of King Arthur’s offerings are equally suitable. I chose “bread flour” as it has a higher protein percentage than all-purpose flour, which helps bring significant strength to the dough so that less mixing and kneading is required–it also makes things a bit easier for your first loaf of bread.
As you’ll hear me mention throughout this site, I do like to use as little high-protein flour in my recipes as possible as I find it leads to a slightly chewier, gummy interior—or be sure to use it in the correct way.
Baking Schedule
This beginner’s sourdough bread is a two-day-long process where the bread is mixed and prepared on day one, cold-proofed (retarded) in the fridge overnight, then baked on day two.
I love the convenience of this type of schedule: most of the work is done on the first day, then the dough can be left in the fridge until the next day, when it can be baked in the morning, afternoon, or even the evening.
The baking schedule to the right shows you a high-level view of what step takes place and when.
Beginner’s Sourdough Bread Formula
Now we get to the formula for the beginner’s sourdough bread formula. I start every recipe with two tables: Vitals and Total Formula. The Vitals table gives you a high-level view of the contents of the dough, as well as how much the recipe makes (in this case, two loaves). The Total Formula table lists the ingredients needed for the entire recipe and their respective amounts.
Vitals
| Total Dough Weight | 1,800 grams |
| Pre-fermented Flour | 7.5% |
| Levain in final dough | 20.3% |
| Hydration | 72.0% |
| Yield | Two loaves |
Total Formula
| Weight | Ingredient | Baker’s Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 811g | Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour | 80.0% |
| 152g | Bob’s Red Mill Stoneground Whole Wheat Flour | 15.0% |
| 51g | Bob’s Red Mill Dark Rye Flour | 5.0% |
| 730g | Water | 72.0% |
| 18g | Fine sea salt | 1.8% |
| 38g | Ripe sourdough starter, 100% hydration | 3.8% |
Beginner’s Sourdough Bread Method
1. Levain – 8:00 a.m.
| Weight | Ingredient | Baker’s Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 38g | Ripe sourdough starter (100% hydration) | 50.0% |
| 38g | Bob’s Red Mill Stoneground Whole Wheat | 50.0% |
| 38g | Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour | 50.0% |
| 76g | Water | 100.0% |
Remember: the levain is an off-shoot of your continually maintained sourdough starter and is likewise composed of bacteria and yeasts. You make this levain well before you mix the dough, so it has time to ferment, and eventually, it’s added to the dough to seed fermentation.
Mix the ingredients in the table above in a clean jar (I use the same sourdough starter jars) and leave it at warm room temperature, 74-76°F (23-24°C), for 5 to 6 hours. When it’s ready, it will be expanded, bubbly on top, inside, and at the sides, and have a slightly sour aroma. The photo below shows my levain before it goes into my dough mix.
2. Autolyse – 12:00 p.m.
| Weight | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 773g | Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour |
| 114g | Bob’s Red Mill Stoneground Whole Wheat Flour |
| 51g | Bob’s Red Mill Dark Rye Flour |
| 603g | Water (this has 50g less than the overall formula, reserved for Mix step below) |
The desired dough temperature (DDT) for this dough is 78°F (25°C). As described in the temperature section above, we will try to get the dough to this temperature right at the end of mixing (which is also at the beginning of bulk fermentation).
Warm or cool the autolyse water so the mixed dough reaches the FDT for this recipe. Place the flour and the water called for in the table above in a large bowl. Use wet hands to mix until no dry bits remain; the dough will be shaggy and loose. Use a bowl scraper to scrape down the sides of the bowl, keeping all the dough in one area at the bottom. Cover the bowl and place it near your levain for 1 hour.
Note that the autolyse stage does not incorporate salt or the levain in any way since the autolyse is a long one hour. Adding the levain to the autolyse would mean fermentation would begin, which could end up overproofing the dough. Salt is rarely added to an autolyse because the salt would diminish enzymatic activity during this time, which is precisely why we are doing an autolyse. The autolyse and levain are two separate entities that will be mixed together later in the process.
3. Mix – 1:00 p.m.
| Weight | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 50g | Reserved water (this water was held back in the Autolyse step) |
| 18g | Fine sea salt |
| 190g | Ripe, 100% hydration levain (from Levain, above) |
Use your instant-read thermometer to take the dough’s temperature and compare it to the FDT for this recipe. If it is higher, use cold water for the reserved water; if it is lower, use warm water.
At this point, your autolyse is complete and your levain is ready—it’s time to mix and strengthen the dough. If the dough feels very wet and shaggy, do not use all of the reserved 50g of water; use only a splash to help incorporate the salt and levain. If the dough feels good to you, use all the reserved water.
To the autolyse, add the ingredients in the table above (salt, reserved water to help adjust dough hydration and consistency, and levain). I like to spread everything on top of the dough and use wet hands to pinch all the ingredients together. Transfer the dough to a container or thick-walled bowl for bulk fermentation.
Take the temperature of the dough to get your final dough temperature. If your FDT is below 78°F (25°C), next time use warmer water, and conversely, if it’s above 78°F (25°C), use cooler water. Cover the dough.
4. Bulk Fermentation – 1:10 p.m. to 5:10 p.m.
At 74-76°F (23-24°C) ambient temperature, bulk fermentation should go for about 4 hours. Perform 3 sets of stretches and folds during bulk fermentation, spaced out by 30 minutes.
Each set of stretches and folds consists of 4 folds: one each at the North, South, East, and West sides. Wet your hands with a little water to prevent sticking, and then lift one side (North) of the dough with two hands. Stretch the dough high enough so you can fold it completely over to the other side. Rotate the bowl 180° and do the other side (South). Finish the other two sides (East and West) to complete the set. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, covered, between sets.
In the video below, you can see how I stretch and fold this dough during bulk fermentation.
After the third set of stretch and folds, let the dough rest for the remainder of bulk fermentation. During this time, fermentation aerates the dough (making it rise), continues to strengthen it, and further develops its flavor.
At the end of bulk fermentation, your dough should have risen by 20% to 50%. It should show some bubbles on the top and sides, and the edge of the dough where it meets the bowl should be slightly domed, which indicates strength. In the photo above, you can see all these signs. If you don’t see these signs, leave it for another 15 minutes in bulk fermentation and check again.
5. Divide and preshape – 5:15 p.m.
Lightly flour a work surface. Using a bowl scraper, gently scrape the dough onto the work surface and use your bench knife to divide the dough directly in half. Using your bench knife in your dominant hand, and the other hand wet (or floured, if you prefer) to reduce sticking, turn each half of the dough on the counter while lightly pulling the dough towards you. This gentle turning and pulling motion will develop tension on the dough’s top, forming a circle.
Preshaping bread dough is an often overlooked step, but it sets the stage for successful shaping later. See my guide to preshaping bread dough for more information.
Let the dough rest for 25 minutes, uncovered.
In the video below, you can see how I preshape this beginner’s sourdough bread dough:
6. Shape – 5:35 p.m.
If you’re new to shaping bread dough, check out my guide to shaping a boule (a round) in addition to the steps below.
Lightly flour the top of your dough rounds and the work surface. Working with one round at a time, flip the round so the floured top is now down on the floured work surface.
As seen in the image below, with lightly floured hands, grab the bottom of the round and stretch it lightly downward towards your body, and then up and over about 2/3 of the way to the top.
Then, grab the left and right sides of the dough and stretch them away from each other. Fold one side over toward the other and repeat with the other side.
Then, grab the top of the circle, stretch it away from your body, and then fold it down to the bottom of the dough. You’ll now have a tight package that resembles a letter.
Finally, flip or roll down the dough so the seams are all on the bottom. Using both hands, cup the top part of the round and drag the dough gently towards your body to create surface tension on the dough. The angle of your hands will gently press the dough’s bottom on the counter. This dragging helps create surface tension on the dough, which helps keep it in shape during proofing.
Let the dough rest on the bench for a few minutes to help the bottom seam seal.
In the video below, you can see how I shape bread dough into a boule shape.
Meanwhile, prepare your proofing baskets. Line two proofing baskets, kitchen bowls, or bannetons with clean kitchen towels. Dust lightly and evenly with plain white flour or white rice flour. Gently transfer each piece of shaped dough to a proofing basket, seam-side-up.
You can also top this dough with sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, and much more—see my guide to topping bread dough for more ideas and instructions.
7. Rest and proof – 5:40 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. (next day)
To prevent your dough from drying out overnight, place your bowls containing your shaped dough into reusable plastic bags and seal. I usually puff up the plastic bag around the bowl by opening it wide and then quickly closing it.
Let the dough rest on the counter for 20 minutes. Then, retard (a baker’s term meaning place into a cold area to proof) in the refrigerator at 38°F (3°C) for 16 hours (overnight).
During this time, overall fermentation will slow (especially yeast activity), but bacterial activity will continue at a reduced rate, resulting in a more complex flavor and, ultimately, deeper crust coloring.
8. Bake – Next morning: preheat oven at 8:30 a.m., bake at 9:30 a.m.
Now, it’s time to bake your sourdough bread. It’s not a difficult step, but there are some things to know. The oven needs steam for the best crust and tallest rise. I like to use a Dutch oven or combo cooker, which is very easy. These pots trap the steam released from the dough and provide the right environment for it to rise optimally.
See my full guide to baking sourdough bread for tips on scoring your dough, pots, and steaming.
Place an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven with no rack above it. Put your combo cooker or Dutch oven on the oven rack, and preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) for at least 30 minutes. If you’re using a combo cooker, place the shallow side face up on one side and the heavier, deep side face down on the other.
When your oven is preheated, remove one of the proofing baskets from the fridge, uncover it, and place a piece of parchment paper over it. Place a pizza peel, cutting board, or inverted baking sheet on top of the parchment and, using both hands, flip everything over. Gently remove the basket; your dough should rest on the parchment.
Using a razor blade, sharp knife, or baker’s lame, score the dough at a 90° angle between the blade and the dough. I chose to make a “box” pattern. If using scissors, snip the dough a few times at a very shallow angle between the scissors and the dough, forming a set of ridges down the dough’s center.
While wearing your heavy-duty oven mitt, and with caution, pull out your shallow side of the combo cooker and place it on a heat-safe rack or stovetop. Slide the dough into the combo cooker or Dutch oven. Place it back into the oven and cover the shallow side with the deep side, or put the lid on the Dutch oven. This sealed environment helps trap the moisture (escaping steam) from your dough to steam the loaf exterior as it bakes, which encourages maximal rise and a crunchy, shiny crust.
Bake for 20 minutes. Vent the oven of steam: use your oven mitt to very carefully remove the top of the combo cooker or Dutch oven. Leave the large side of the combo cooker in the oven to the side. Close the oven door and bake for 30 minutes more. When done, the loaf should have an internal temperature of around 208°F (97°C), and the crust should be a deep mahogany color and crackle/crunch when squeezed.
Use your oven mitt to transfer the bread to a wire rack carefully. Cool for 1 to 2 hours before slicing into your beginner’s sourdough bread. For the second loaf, preheat the combo cooker or Dutch oven for 15 minutes and repeat.
Follow my guide to storing bread to keep your loaves fresh for as long as possible.
Once you get the hang of this beginner’s sourdough bread process and formula, you can endlessly modify it with add-ins like walnuts, cranberries, seeds, and a host of other ingredients bound only by your imagination. But the most important thing is to bake and have fun. Remember that sometimes bread doesn’t come out as you intended–but stick with it, and you’ll be rewarded time and time again.
And of course, buon appetito!
Watch me make this Beginner’s Sourdough Bread from start to finish
In my YouTube video below, you can see how I make my Beginner’s Sourdough Bread, from creating the levain to slicing the final loaves.
Beginner’s Sourdough Bread Recipe
- Prep Time: 23 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 24 hours
- Yield: 2 loaves
- Category: Main course
- Cuisine: American
Description
The perfect bread to get started baking sourdough bread at home. This crusty, crunchy, and absolutely delicious loaf of bread is perfect for any lunch or dinner table.
Ingredients
Levain
- 38 grams stoneground whole wheat flour
- 38 grams bread flour
- 76 grams water
- 38 grams ripe sourdough starter
Main dough
- 773 grams bread flour
- 114 grams whole wheat flour
- 51 grams whole grain rye flour
- 653 grams water
- 18 grams fine sea salt
Instructions
- Levain (8:00 a.m.)
In a small container, mix the levain ingredients and keep at 74-76°F (23-24°C) for 5 to 6 hours. - Autolyse (12:00 p.m)
In a medium mixing bowl, mix the flour and 603 grams of water (reserve 50 grams until the next step). Cover and let rest for 1 hour. - Mix (1:00 p.m.)
To the mixing bowl holding your dough, add the salt, ripe levain (from step 1), and reserved 50 grams water. Mix by hand or with a dough whisk until incorporated. Transfer your dough to a bulk fermentation container and cover. - Bulk Fermentation (1:10 p.m. to 5:10 p.m.)
Give the dough 3 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals, where the first set starts 30 minutes after the start of bulk fermentation. - Divide and Preshape (5:10 p.m.)
Lightly flour your work surface and scrape out your dough. Using your bench knife, divide the dough in half. Lightly shape each half into a round shape. Let the dough rest for 25 minutes, uncovered. - Shape (5:35 p.m.)
Shape the dough into a round (boule) or oval (batard)—place in proofing baskets. - Rest and Proof (5:40 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. the next day)
Cover proofing baskets with reusable plastic and seal shut. Let the dough sit out on the counter for 20 minutes. Then, place both baskets into the refrigerator and proof overnight. - Bake (Preheat oven at 8:30 a.m., bake at 9:30 a.m.)
Preheat your oven with a combo cooker or Dutch oven inside to 450°F (230°C). When the oven is preheated, remove your dough from the fridge, score it, and transfer to the preheated combo cooker. Place the cooker in the oven, cover with the lid, and bake for 20 minutes. After this time, remove the lid (you can keep it in the oven or remove it) and continue to bake for 30 minutes longer. When done, the internal temperature should be around 208°F (97°C). Let the loaves cool for 1 to 2 hours on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
While the recipe calls for 16 hours of total proof time, you could extend this time and bake the loaves in the morning, afternoon, or even the evening on day two. Leave the proofing dough in the fridge until ready to bake.
Beginner’s Sourdough Bread Frequently Asked Questions
Why is sourdough bread good for you?
Sourdough, and its lengthy natural fermentation process, can help break down the gluten in grain, which helps aid in the body’s digestion. Additionally, fermentation helps “unlock” the nutrition inherent in the grain, allowing for better absorption.
Is sourdough bread sour?
Sourdough isn’t super sour in the traditional sense—it’s not sour like taking a bit of a lemon. But it does have tanginess which is the byproduct of lactic acid fermentation. Sourdough bread will have more sourness than one made with 100% commercial yeast due to the acids created by natural fermentation.
How can I make sourdough bread more sour?
To increase the sour flavor of this sourdough bread, add more whole grains (both to your sourdough starter and the dough itself), keep the dough warm (78°F/25°C or warmer), and lengthen the total fermentation time by keeping the dough in the fridge to proof even longer than the 16 hours specified in the recipe—24 hours is a good starting point.
How can I get a more open crumb with my bread?
First, focus on your sourdough starter to get a more open crumb for this sourdough bread: it should be refreshed (fed) often, kept warm, and used when ripe. Next, strengthen the dough sufficiently during mixing and bulk fermentation by using stretches and folds. Finally, your dough must be fully proofed so that when you press a finger into the dough, it slowly springs back about halfway (if it springs back quickly, let it proof longer; if the finger indentation stays, bake immediately).
What’s Next?
After baking this beginner’s sourdough bread, check out my Baking Guides for more in-depth discussions on all parts of the sourdough bread-making process. If you’re looking to add mix-ins to your bread, have a look at my walnut cranberry sourdough bread—it’s one of the most popular recipes here at The Perfect Loaf—and for good reason! Or, have a look at my Simple Weekday Sourdough Bread for a way to squeeze sourdough bread baking into a busy workday.
Finally, now that you have your sourdough starter bubbling away on your counter check out my sourdough starter discard recipes for ideas on how to use leftovers!
3,324 Comments
such great instructions! Baked this afternoon, and 10 min after cutting it my boyfriend and I had about 2/3 devoured! Amazing flavor. This was only my second loaf baked with my sourdough starter, the first was a total flop! (was not one of your recipes) This one was a baking win!! But, my loaf could use some improving…the crumb was a bit moist, it did have good air pockets, but could be a bit airier. Also the crust was quite hard, almost too much to chew. Any suggestions? I cooked it in a Le Cruset dutch oven, followed the recipe and instructions exactly with one exception, I used AP flour (king Arthur brand) instead of bread flour. I did not take any temps either…yes, i Know, you say temp is an ingredient! 😉 I don’t own a thermometer yet. Any suggestions would be great! But all in all I’m super duper stoked on my loaf!!
Awesome — sounds super delicious! If the crumb was on the moist side it may have been that you didn’t bake it fully. If you grab an instant read thermometer use that to ensure the interior of your bread is 210ºF to 212ºF.
Make sure you preheat the Le Cruset with your oven so it’s super hot when you load your dough into it (be careful!). If your crust was really thick it might be that you didn’t have the LC lid on tight enough to trap steam, or the temperature in your oven might have been too hot. If you had the lid on tight try reducing the temperatures I have listed in this post by 15ºF or so and see if that helps next time.
I hope that helps and I’m really happy you made such great bread! It’s addicting, for sure 🙂
omg second try at this was phenomenal!! I should have realized my oven was just too hot…it always runs hot, but I had it in my head that hotter was better for bread ?! Anyway, turned the temp down by 15degress, (which made the temps where they were supposed to be) and the results were off the charts amazing!! Thanks for the tips! Now, what would you recommend for my next loaf?? And also, maybe one that doesn’t require so much time needing to be in the kitchen? Thanks again, your site rocks!! PS i tagged you on Insta with photos of my Beginner Sourdough, I’m @surrenderandsmile 🙂
Excellent — your bread looked awesome! I would recommend you give my cranberry/walnut loaf a try if that sounds good to you — it’s an awesome combination! If you’re looking to try out some more loaves on the “white” side check out my Recipes page and give any of those a try! Do a few more lower hydration bakes before trying anything in my high hydration section as these can be a bit challenging at first 🙂
Happy baking!
Once again loads of great information and stunning pics!
Thanks so much Maree 🙂
Hi Maurizio – followed your instructions – baked my second batch of sourdough bread – and SUCCESS!!!! I am hooked – thank you for taking the time to post and reply to comments as these all help. Definitely an ‘art & science’ project combined.
Woo hoo, that’s awesome to hear. Glad you’ve got your baking in the right groove — definitely half art, half science, and that’s what’s fun about it 🙂 Have fun!
Hi Maurizio – I have what is probably a pretty silly n00b question about baker’s percentages. When you say, “Note that the baker’s percentages listed below are with respect to the final dough ingredients and do not take into account the levain”, does that mean that I should be subtracting the amount of flour and water in my levain from the totals listed? Ie: the dough formula calls for 748g of bread flour but my levain has 40g of bread flour in it already, so should I only be using 708g of bread flour for the autolyse stage? I just want to make sure I’m understanding correctly. Thank you so much!
Not a n00b question at all. What that means is the percentages shown in the dough formula table don’t factor in the ingredients in the levain. So, for example, the water in the levain doesn’t show up in the dough table calculations, meaning the overall hydration of this bread is actually a bit higher than what’s shown there (because there’s a lot of water in the levain, so that adds hydration to the overall dough). It’s a preference thing and I choose not to show the levain factored in so people can adjust the dough formula only without affecting the levain build. In my Vitals section I show the overall calculations for hydration and other information just to be complete (and in my hydration example there you can see the hydration is higher in the vitals area vs the dough formula because that does take into account the levain).
I hope that makes sense!
I ended up doing what I said – subtracting the amount of flour and water constituting my levain from the total formula (so, I used 708g bread flour, 70g whole wheat flour and 651g water, 50g of which I reserved for mixing in the levain and salt after autolyse, as per your directions). The resulting loaves were two of the best I’ve made to date. Nice open crumb, bubbly crackled crust and way more oven spring than I’ve gotten with other formulas to date. It may have just been a lucky shot in the dark, but a win’s a win…:D Thank you for your website – it’s been super helpful so far.
Wow, well that’s great then! You’re welcome, glad my page has helped you make some really fantastic sounding sourdough 🙂
Also, I’m not seeing the “Vitals” section you mentioned above and that’s something I’d really like to check out. Could you provide a link?
I can’t link to the section but search the page (CMD+F or CTRL+F and type in “vitals”) or look for the “Beginner’s Sourdough Bread Formula” section, it’s right under it.
Hi Maurzio, Thanks for this, I consider myself to be a half proficient sourdough baker but I’m a strong believer in going back to basics now and again so thanks so much for this, flour is autolysing now!
One question; you refrigerate just 20 mins after shaping, I’m familiar with baking straight from the fridge but normally let the Bannetons sit, at room temp, for a couple of hours before heading to the fridge. You sure the dough will be sufficiently risen to bake?
Hi Maurizio, what can I say? I followed your instructions almost to the letter and, other than small spread, the loaf came out perfectly! The crumb is nicely open, the crust is oh so crusty and, unlike my other loaves, has stayed really crispy hours after taking out of the oven, and the whole loaf is gorgeously chewy! My only smal variation was a final S & F 30 mins before bulk was completed then in the fridge for an hour to make shaping a little easier.
A triumph! Thank you!
Awesome! Sorry for taking so long to get back to you but I guess it worked out 🙂
You can definitely let your dough sit on the counter a while before you retard it to the fridge, but you really only need to do that if you think you need extra fermentation time before it slows in the cold environment. If you followed my instructions above (and kept the dough near those temperatures) you most likely would not need that extra time. It’s a judgement call you’ll have to make each bake, whether things look active enough or not.
Really glad it turned out for you thanks so much for the feedback!
My Levain test shows it is over fermented as it sinks like a stone in the water
What do I do now ? As I’m getting ready to make bread today
If your levain has gone too long before using, you can make an intermediate build if you still want to bake today. Instead of the ratio I have here with 50% mature starter, you can use 100% mature starter so your levain will be ready in about 2-3 hours. Mix together 100g mature starter, 100g flour and 100g water at 85ºF. This should be ready to use, and float, after a couple hours.
Exactly what I needed a few months ago. Highly concise guide for beginners with beautiful and to point photography. It sure fills the gap between sourdough baking books, I must have flipped cover to cover, a few 100 times looking for ‘that’ little more information. Bravo! Maurizio 👏 A lot of peeps will benefit from it!
Thanks Jinal, I really appreciate that! It’s those little gaps that really tripped me up in the beginning, that’s for sure 🙂 Happy baking!
Ciao Cristiano! Thanks again 🙂
Yes, there’s a very different result when you do a “true” autolyse, which is just water & flour. If you think about it, when you “autolyse” with levain included you’re really starting your dough down the path of fermentation right when your levain hits the rest of your dough. A true autolyse does a number of things before we even start fermenting (conditions gluten, enzymatic activity, etc.) and I find even a 30 minute auto helps. I tend to get nicer final crust caramelization, more extensible dough and a host of other things.
I hope that helps!
Hi Maurizio, great recipe. Tried it this weekend. I normally use a Banneton and did so this weekend. But struggled to get the bread out of the Banneton the next morning. I normally line with rye flour…..Noticed you have yours lined. Im guessing this stops it sticking? do you recommend lining the Banneton? Thanks again
Thanks, Chris! I have these liners that I tend to use, sprinkled with a bit of white rice flour to ensure the dough really doesn’t stick. It’s up to you whether you want to line, you can get good results either way — if you don’t use a liner (e.g. tea towel or a kitchen towel) you can use a small sifter to lightly sift white rice flour all over the banneton until you have a thin layer covering the entire surface. When I work with high hydration recipes (> 85%) I will always use a liner, the dough is simply too wet!
I hope that helps!
I’m at 5000ft elevation. Do you know of any modifications I should make to account for that?
JH — I live at 5280 ft, no modifications necessary!
That is a very specific elevation… you wouldn’t happen to be a fellow Denverite, would you?
Very close! I’m down in Albuquerque, NM. We’re up pretty high too 🙂
Hey Maurizio–magnificent! I literally just gave a friend a link to your website only to find that you have this up now, which is so well-timed! She’s sharing your link with neighbors who are just starting their baking journey on a gift of her own starter discard. I know this will help them immensely–but they’re not the only ones. 🙂
That’s really awesome to hear! Spreading the word about sourdough and getting people into baking awesome bread at home is what I’m all about 🙂 Thanks!
Looking for some troubleshooting. I baked a loaf using this recipe. Everything looked fine until the actual bake. I noticed the loaf had deflated considerably at the 20 minute mark. By the time I pulled it out of the oven, it had flattened quite a bit and there was even a noticeable indent on one side. What could have caused this? I am not using any pizza stones and I baked in a Le Creuset dutch oven.
There are a few reasons this could happen: over hydrated the flour, over proofed the dough or shaping was not quite tight enough causing spreading. Without more details, and knowing the hydration isn’t overly high for this recipe, my first guess would be your dough was overproofed. If you followed the times and temperatures above you might want to reduce either your water temperature some, cut your bulk fermentation time by 1/2 hour or reduce your final proof time by a couple hours.
With regard to shaping, try to ensure you have a fairly taut top surface of your boules when you shape them. Your dough should hold its shape on the counter after you do your final shaping and should be nice and smooth on top.
I hope those suggestions help!
Thank you for your helpful suggestions. A few tweaks later, the second batch came out great. We almost ate an entire loaf in one day.
That’s what I like to hear! 🙂
Fantastic post Maurizio!
Exactly the type of post I wish had been around when I started my sourdough journey a few months ago.
Disregard the naysayer – everything they didn’t like about the post and thought would discourage beginners was exactly what I was looking for as a beginner and worked brilliantly for me! Suggesting beginners will have more success (and be less intimidated) with less control over the process and more variability in their measurements etc seem truly absurd; Accuracy and Precision are the beginner’s most valuable tools and friends (whilst Experience is still off having a good time somewhere else). Beginners are not by default unintelligent or lacking in the ability to comprehend clear instruction – knowledge will help guide their initial endeavours and make success (and thus encouragement) all the more likely! (And a trip to the shops isn’t that difficult for most.)
Yes, the complexity of sourdough baking can be scary, but being ignorant of that complexity doesn’t erase its existence. Keep up the great work! I hope many a budding baker is inspired and assisted by this post (as I’m certain they will be).
(Also: amazing photography – as always.)
Thanks, Adam! Very good points and I wholeheartedly agree with it all, especially the fact that ignoring complexity doesn’t make it magically disappear — well said.
You’re right, SD can be overwhelming at first, even this post went on longer than I’d hoped but the fact is there are a lot of moving parts to doing this type of SD.
Thanks for the comments 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to explain everything so thoroughly. I have searched and read so many sites – yours is my favorite. Made my first loaves last weekend – lots of questions and your post came at the perfect time. Looking forward to using your tips and suggestions the next time I bake
Great to hear that, Karen, glad I put this up when I did! Good luck on the next bake 🙂
Totally hooked on this site. I’m chasing my own Perfect Loaf! This post is just what I needed. Seriously the best resource I’ve found for sourdough online. Very practical information. Thanks, keep it up!
Thanks for the feedback, really appreciate that — happy baking, Jeff!
Hardly what I’d call a beginner’s loaf, or an instructional post for the beginning baker. I don’t have a scale, don’t need one, and quickly bypassed anything like this post when I was learning about sourdough baking. You started off pretty nicely explaining things, but it took off from there and got complicated. So let’s just scare off any new bakers before they even learn how to get a starter mature and ready to bake. I have seen a lot of instructional posts and articles, but this one takes the cake. Much, much too complicated to call it a beginner’s instruction page. I have had to help too many new bakers who are scared to even try to bake the first loaf, seeing posts about a starter and getting bubbly and then getting discouraged when it’s not. This one would have then tossing it all in the garbage right off the bat. You don’t need the thermometer, scale, dutch oven, special tools, multiple types of flours or any of that. Most folks learning to cook will do so with the tools on hand — measuring cups, bowls, dishtowels, sharp knife and timers. Maybe a basic AP flour or whole wheat. And that’s all you need to be a beginner baker and make a fantastic loaf of bread. Giving measurements in grams only makes posts like these sound elitist. Totally went over my head very early on, especially all the issues with math, a subject I have always done well in. Your issues with precision make me scared to pull my starter out of the fridge and make bread, afraid I’ll bomb at it. Oh wait, I successfully made 4 loaves a couple weekends ago, shared one with my neighbor. Guess it doesn’t take precision and scales after all.
If you didn’t care for it, move on. But the criticism is uncalled for. I have read many, many books by professional bakers that have had parts I wasn’t ready for. Did I write to them to tell them they wrote a crummy book? Nonsense! Go bake your crappy bread.
I responded this way because the very first paragraph was misleading. The exact quote: ” And starting out can be daunting, especially with sourdough, but that’s
what this post is about: a beginner’s sourdough bread. A how-to guide
on getting started with baking sourdough at home, using only the most
necessary items and a touch more explanation for some of the
steps and terms.”
1. a beginner’s sourdough bread. 2. how-to guide on getting started. 3. only the ‘most necessary items.’
It really should be revised to state that this is for the person who has already tried their hand at baking sourdough, not getting the results expected, and wanting to take it to the next step. To state that “the most necessary items” for a beginner’s loaf required going out and spending a couple hundred dollars on an experiment is a bit deceptive. It’s like telling a college kid he needs a $2,000 laptop on day one of school when his old one he got for $200 will do the same thing. And no, most books and recipes are not in grams, especially not on beginning recipes. Most folks cook by measure, not weight.
Agreed, I could see how those things could be misleading. I reworded my intro a bit to make it clear this is “my style of sourdough”. Thanks!
I’m a total beginner and this site, especially this recipe, has made it possible for me to bake my first loaf. I for one especially appreciate the precision, the details, the discussions about the tools, and especially the discussions about the why’s of doing certain things. I cannot stand touchy-feely recipes that gives no reason for doing things except some cosmic goodwill. I appreciate the weights in grams because they are easy to calculate. I have been cooking for years, though not baking, and I always appreciate it when a recipe gives quantities in weight, not measures, so that I would know exactly how much of each item to use. I like to plan what I do before I do it. I like knowing why I would do something, and I like to know precisely what I am to do, not just what it should be like, more or less. Most importantly, precisions lets me duplicate the results, so that I could figure out what should and should not be changed next time. Please do NOT reword this page. If someone doesn’t like it, there are plenty of fuzzy recipes and websites around on the web.
Thanks for the feedback, Dan! Don’t worry, no rewording of the page will happen (unless it’s a fix :)).
Glad you’re off to baking great bread at home, that makes me happy. Happy baking!
Actually, most folks in the US might cook by measure, but at least here in Belgium we always use weight as that is way more accurate then weight.
You definitely have some points there. You don’t need a scale, thermometer or even a Dutch oven to make great bread, far from it! Bread has been made for millennia before such tools even existed.
I’m sure your bread is great but for my site, and for sourdough that I truly enjoy, I think this is a good place to start, to learn the terms you’ll definitely overhear somewhere along the way, and to help those who visit here see a little deeper into the way I learned to bake. There are recipes for bread that require a whole lot less than this, but this is where I started and this is what I’m passing on to people.
Calculating baker’s math is not difficult in any way, to be honest. You’re multiplying, dividing and adding, if there’s trouble there whip out the ol’ trusty calculator! Nothing to be scared of. Additionally, measuring things in grams is the standard around the world, only in a few locations across the globe do we use the Imperial system. It’s not being elite, it’s just a different method for measuring.
Thanks for the comments though, I definitely appreciate another take on this! Happy baking, Mary.
You’re a good man, Charlie Brown …..I appreciate both your post and the quality of your character
Thanks 🙂
Actually, this kind of recipe was what I was looking for as a beginner and didn’t get until I found Maurizio’s website. (I’m sure some of the books out there would have done the same, but money is tight right now.) My bread is also very well received, but as someone who likes to always get better at things, it was so wonderful to find this blog. I knew bloody well from the beginning that I don’t have to use “precision and scales” and in fact often don’t, and I get exactly the bread you’d think because of it…but thanks to Maurizio, I know why and how to get the loaf to where I want it, which is the only perfect loaf that counts. My friends and family say my bread is already way better than store-bought, and even my sourdough hating boyfriend likes my bread…but my own drive and passion for doing things I do as well as I can more than appreciates the artistry, passion, and drive that Maurizio brings to his bread making, as well as the time and generosity it takes to share those things through his blog.
There’s no such thing as a perfect loaf in reality…just bread that’s perfect for each person’s tastes, but the tools to get to that perfection are universally the same, from Boudin to Tartine to Maurizio.
By the way, most of the world does cook by weight, not cups. Americans are not the definitive source for a way of cooking, as stunning a thought as that might be.
But thanks for giving us the opportunity to read how a class act responds to…someone like you. Maurizio clearly does not need me to defend him, but I admire his generous and classy response to your negativity.
The ability to convert a “sourdough hater” into a “sourdough lover” might be one of the best compliments ever! Thanks for all the comments, really appreciated 🙂
Wow! Is all I can say about the thoroughness and completeness of this explanation for beginners! I’m American and drank a glass of wine while reading this and unfortunately, all the measurements just swam together in my head. I’m used to cups and tablespoons. I’ll convert this tomorrow when my mind is clear. I can’t thank you enough for providing us “Newbies” with these directions!
You’re very welcome Andrea! Let me know if you have any questions along the way, happy baking!
Hi Maurizio – thank you so much for taking the time to put together such a comprehensive blog (and especially this post!) about sourdough breads. I’ve had so much fun browsing your site.
I have one quick question about the formula you describe here – you don’t really seem to do much of a knead, other than quickly mixing things together before the bulk ferment. I’m just wondering how that ends up working out in the end in terms of gluten development etc. Is it just because there’s such a long rising time involved in sourdoughs? I usually knead my sourdough but it would be nice to know if it isn’t always necessary.
Thanks again!
Super glad to hear that, Lauren!
You can definitely build more strength upfront with this bread, or sourdough in general. This more minimal mixing approach relies on a series of stretch and folds during bulk to develop enough strength in your dough. In addition to this, organic acids that are present, and produced by, your starter/levain help condition the gluten and build strength in your dough during the long bulk and cold proof. The flour I used here also has such a high protein percentage the dough strengthens up rather quickly during bulk, even with just a few stretch and folds.
If I’m working with a lower protein flour, or a really high hydration, I’ll sometimes help the process along by kneading (in the form of slap/fold) for a few minutes at mix time before performing several sets of stretch and fold during bulk. Sometimes it’s necessary to build a little more strength upfront.
If you haven’t tried a no-knead approach like this I’d suggest you give it a try, you might be surprised how much strength can be created with such minimal interaction!
Beautiful and very very useful post!! I always go back to “Tartine Berad” too, every time I need to check something. A really good investment this book!
Yet about fresh milled whole wheat. I finally could shape it with sucess but this week I didn’t prepare my levain correctly. I hope the next time I’ll achieve “the perfect loaf” 😉
Thanks! Yes, Tartine Bread is one of my most cherished books — it’s pretty much falling apart at this point 🙂 Good luck with the fresh milled wheat!
Finally!! Success!! A beautiful tasty bread with fresh milled wheat! Now, is definitely going to my list of great breads! Thank you for sharing the recipe and this great post “step by step” (I was needing to remember some details 😉
Excellent! Really great to hear, I’m glad it worked out for you. Time for some bread and butter 🙂
In this case, the bread was ordered by a colleague. She tasted one of the other breads and she liked so… Now I need to do another just for me! And to practice 😉 And to try it with walnuts!!
Hah! Yes, definitely try out some walnuts, really great flavor.
How wet and sticky is your dough by the end of bulk fermentation? For me, shaping is very often frustrating because dough sticks to much when I am handling it.
Yes, the dough is definitely sticky and takes practice to handle. At this hydration I do not have any issues, but as we get closer to 90% then it really becomes a test.
I’d say flour liberally at first until you get a good feel for the dough, then back off the flour until it becomes unmanageable for you. Also, I rely heavily on my bench knife and keep the contact between dough and my hand to a minimum.
Hope that helps!
Thanks for reply!
I tried to follow Tartine recipe and incorporate as little flour as possible when handling dough, but it’s impossible to do the last fold (when you get letter) and after it’s almost impossible to pull dough from the surface. And yes, scraper is my best friend.
Thanks for advises.
I tried today this recipe and it resulted in very manageable dough. So far, I was usually sticking to Tartine recipe but your method really made a difference. I think long autolyse without levain was the thing that helped. I usually did it with levain for 20-30 minutes only. Also, I usually used colder water for mixing so that maybe sped up fermentation. In the end, I used some new flour that’s stone milled so maybe it absorbed more water.
Lots of changes when I sum it like this, but I was very pleased how it went. I hope it will be good tomorrow.
Thanks for this good text. It was exactly what I needed to change my routine a bit.
Excellent! Sounds like you’re well on your way. I wanted to mention that cooler water should actually slow fermentation whereas warmer water will speed things up. That’s probably what you meant.
You’re welcome and thanks so much for the feedback, Ivan!
Well, I meant that I usually use cooler water so using ~90F as you recommend sped up things but wrote it wrong 🙂
In the end, bread was fine, maybe a bit overfermented so I’ll try to adjust it a bit tomorrow.
Thanks for taking time to respond to all comments with good advises.
You’re welcome — happy baking!
Maurizio, thank you so much for taking the time to record your process in such detail. You are an inspiration to me. I have been baking sourdough for about three months and want to refine and improve my already-good results by applying your master-baker techniques. It is very kind of you to share your process and findings.
Thanks, Janet I appreciate that. Just doing what I can to help, and inspire 🙂
Hi Maurizio: love your recipes and attention to detail.
I have a question about seasoning your cloche – I’ve tried rice flour, rice flour blended with white flour, and all manner of seasoning the linen – with little success – I usually have a mess – nothing sticks to the sides. I use a large square cloche – not one that tightly fits the banneton like yours – perhaps the difference? also do you ever wash them – kinda defeats the purpose of seasoning doesn’t it? and where do you keep yours? mine are in the freezer in plastic bag . Thank you!
nothing sticks to the sides, that is, except the dough! 🙂
Thanks!
If you have linen or canvas inside then I lightly dust the entire surface with white rice flour only, using a small handheld sifter (I fill the sifter with the flour and then gently tap the side of it as I move around dropping a cloud of flour all over). I find that when I turn my baskets over even if the dough does stick to the canvas, which is slightly does, especially when wet, I can just lightly peel off the canvas with no issues. I do actually wash them occasionally. Wet flour + time will eventually = mold 🙂 After I’m done baking I’ll typically let the flour dry and then brush out any excessive clumps.
If you’re using just a cane/wood banneton I keep them seasoned and then occasionally brush out just the same.
For the liners you see above I keep them in the baskets as they are kind of custom-fit to them. I can remove them, but I leave them on. My other cloche, which is just a long canvas, I keep folded up in my pantry where air can circulate somewhat. Freezer isn’t a bad idea!
I don’t know if any of this helps, I hope it does!
Love all your breads , What size is the cast iron?
Thanks! It’s this Lodge 3qt. Combo Cooker — love it for more than just bread, it’s a workhorse in my kitchen.
I’m getting ready for my first Tartine bake and this is a perfect accompaniment! Are there any big differences between the two that I’m missing? Looks pretty similar, slightly smaller?
Also thanks for your site in general, I’ve been diving in pretty hard the past 24 hours and it’s extremely helpful!
It’s quite similar, different percentages, addition of rye and a little higher hydration. But you could definitely use my guide here as an augment to the Tartine formula (different photos, words, etc.). You’re very welcome, glad you’re enjoying my site! Happy baking, Anna 🙂
I have copied and pasted this very excellent tutorial into Evernote. You are a master bread maker. Thank you for this.
You’re welcome, thanks for the kind words!