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Sourdough bread loaf

Beginner Sourdough Loaf

Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 55 minutes
Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients

  • 250 g (1 cup) water
  • 150 g (⅔ cup) bubbly sourdough starter (active and doubled in size)
  • 20 g (1 tbsp) olive oil
  • 25 g (1 tbsp) honey
  • 440 g (3½ cups) flour (all-purpose or bread flour works best)
  • 10 g (2 tsp) salt

Instructions

  1. Feed Your Starter: The evening before baking, feed your sourdough starter with equal parts water and flour. Let it sit at room temperature overnight to ensure it's active and bubbly.

  2. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix 250g water and 150g bubbly sourdough starter. Add 20g olive oil and 25g honey, stirring to combine.
  3. Add Dry Ingredients: Add 440g flour and 10g salt to the mixture. Mix until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.
  4. Rest Dough: Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour to absorb the liquids.

  5. Stretch and Fold: Wet your hands. Perform 8-10 stretch-and-fold motions (gently pulling one side of the dough and folding it over). Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes. Repeat this process for 3-5 rounds, depending on time.

  6. Bulk Fermentation: After the final stretch-and-fold, cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it ferment at room temperature for 6-8 hours, or until it nearly doubles in size.
  7. Shape the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Fold in the edges, then roll the dough from the bottom to form a tight loaf.

  8. Prepare the Loaf Pan: Grease a glass loaf pan with olive oil. Transfer the shaped dough into the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. After that, put it in the fridge to proof overnight for 12 to 24 hours.

  9. Bake the Bread: Preheat the oven to 210°C (410°F). Cover the loaf pan with another loaf pan to trap steam. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

  10. Cool and Slice: Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. Allow it to cool completely (1-2 hours) before slicing.

Recipe Notes

  • Cooling the bread completely before slicing ensures the crumb sets properly.
  • Freeze sliced bread for easy reheating later.