Sourdough Loaf Recipe

Loaf recipe:

115g Starter

320g Water

20g Olive Oil

12g salt

530g Bread Flour

Combine your starter, water, olive oil, and salt together before adding the flour. Then mix well and let sit for 10minutes to rest. 

Do stretch and folds (turn 90 degrees and fold the top side of the dough down over the dough ball; do 4 so you have turned 360 degrees) every 30 mins for the first 2 hrs.

Cover and rise for ~8 hrs depending on your environmental conditions (it will rise faster at warmer temperatures). Look for the dough to almost double but not quite double in size.

Shake the bowl upside down over a prepared surface until the dough releases. Perform an envelope fold, so fold in thirds from the top and bottom, then in thirds from the right to left side. Now shape by pushing the dough up and away from you, then pulling back down towards you, kind of like a candy cane motion. Do this until the dough is in a nice, beautiful little ball, but the surface does not tear!

(Optional) Rest 30mins and briefly shape again.

Cold proof in a covered proofing basket in the fridge for 12-24 hrs.

Preheat over to 450 with your Dutch oven inside; it is super important the Dutch oven is the right temp.

Transfer by placing parchment paper over the proofing basket and turning upside down. Score with a wet bread lame; I like to make some fun shapes, but an X or lines across the top look really nice.

Carefully place the bread on the parchment paper inside the hot Dutch oven and add 2-3 ice cubes evenly dispersed around the outside of the Dutch oven. The ice cubes are essential for making steam and giving the bread a nice crust. With the lid on, put the Dutch oven back into the oven.

Bake at 450 for 35minuts covered, then 10-15minuntes uncovered. Once it’s golden brown, carefully remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Resist cutting it while it’s hot; it will be better if you wait for it to cool fully before cutting. Enjoy!