Ingredients for Sourdough Bread
100 gm live, bubbly sourdough starter
10 gm salt
310 gm spring water (do not use alkaline water)
450 gm bread flour
Directions
1. Mix and rest
In a large bowl, mix the starter, water, salt, and flour until a shaggy dough forms. You don’t need to knead it. Just make sure all the flour is hydrated. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This short rest helps the flour absorb water and makes the dough easier to work with.
2. Stretch and folds
After the rest, begin your stretch and folds. With slightly damp hands, lift one side of the dough and fold it over itself, then rotate the bowl and repeat, folding north, south, east, and west. This is one full set.
Repeat this process every 30 minutes for a total of 3 stretch and fold sessions. The dough should feel smoother and more elastic after each round.
3. First bulk fermentation
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Place it seam-side up, cover with a clean disposable shower cap or lid, and let it ferment at room temperature.
Allow the dough to rise until it is about 30–50% larger, not doubled. This usually takes several hours, depending on your kitchen temperature. Bigger is not better here. Over-fermenting makes shaping harder later.
4. Pre-shape and final shape
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently do a few push-and-pull motions to bring it into a loose round. Then do one round only of letter folds, folding the dough like a letter into thirds to organize the gluten.
Flip the dough seam-side down and gently tighten it into a round. Don’t overwork it.
5. Cold fermentation
Dust your banneton generously with rice flour. Place the dough seam-side up into the banneton, cover, and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. This slow, cold fermentation improves flavor, structure, and makes the dough much easier to score and bake.
6. Preheat and score
Preheat your Dutch oven or bread oven to 450°F for 30 minutes. When ready to bake, turn the dough out onto parchment paper and score the top with a sharp blade or bread lame.
7. Bake
Carefully place the dough into the hot oven, cover, and bake at 450°F for 30 minutes. If you have a Dutch oven or bread oven, use it. It creates steam and helps develop a beautifully crisp, golden crust. Then, remove the lid, reduce the temperature to 425°F, and bake uncovered for 8–10 minutes more, until the crust is deeply golden and crisp. Let the bread cool fully before slicing. You want it closer to 90–100°F inside. Cutting too early releases trapped steam and can leave the crumb gummy, even if the loaf is fully baked.
Suzy Cohen, has been a licensed pharmacist for over 30 years and believes the best approach to chronic illness is a combination of natural medicine and conventional. She founded her own dietary supplement company specializing in custom-formulas, some of which have patents. With a special focus on functional medicine, thyroid health and drug nutrient depletion, Suzy is the author of several related books including Thyroid Healthy, Drug Muggers, Diabetes Without Drugs, and a nationally syndicated column.
