Homemade Sourdough Bread Recipes

Steps:

• For the levain: Combine the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, water and starter in a medium bowl and mix to combine. Cover and let sit at room temperature until bubbly and increased in volume by about 20 percent, about 8 hours.
• For the dough: Add the all-purpose flour, water and whole-wheat flour to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Weigh out 7 ounces of the levain (about 1 cup) and add to the mixer (discard any remaining levain). Mix on low until a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Add the salt to the dough and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes; the dough should feel a bit sticky and wet but look smooth and very stretchy. Scrape the dough into a plastic or glass container about twice its size. Cover and let sit at room temperature until puffed, about 45 minutes.
• Put the dough on a floured work surface, flatten it gently, then fold in thirds like a business letter. Transfer it back to the container. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.
• Repeat the folding process one more time, transfer back to the container, cover and let sit at room temperature for another 45 minutes. After the third 45-minute rest, the dough should feel soft and pillowy; when pressed with a finger, it should leave an indentation that begins to spring back.
• Gently scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide in half using a bench scraper. Shape each piece loosely into a round by gently tucking the edges under. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Drape 2 kitchen towels into 2 medium (8-inch) bowls and dust very generously with flour. Dust the top of the dough rounds very lightly with flour and flip over using a bench scraper. Flatten one piece of dough into a circle, then fold the left and right sides of the dough over the center. Keeping tension in the dough, begin folding down from the top edge in 3 segments, sealing the bottom edge with the last fold. Loosely cup the dough and, using your hands and the tension between the board and the dough, pull the bread very slowly towards yourself while creating a taut ball. Gently flip the dough ball over and into one of the prepared bowls. Cover loosely with another kitchen towel. Repeat the process with the second piece of dough. Place both in a warm place to rise until about 1 1/2 times their size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• About 20 minutes before baking, position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven, put a 4-quart Dutch oven and lid on the rack and preheat to 500 degrees F. When preheated, carefully transfer the hot Dutch oven to a heatsafe surface with oven mitts (leave the lid in the oven). Flip one round of dough over into the Dutch oven. Using a sharp knife, scissors or bread lame, score the top of the bread in a cross or desired pattern. Return to the oven, immediately cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 425 degrees F, uncover and bake until dark brown, about 10 minutes more. Transfer the bread to a cooling rack to cool completely. Return the empty Dutch oven to the oven, raise the temperature to 500 degrees F and let heat for 10 minutes before repeating the baking process with the second dough round.

Steps:

• Before measuring out your 2 cups of starter culture, it must be proofed: To proof, I usually start with 1 cup of starter and stir into it equal parts of flour and warm water (for this recipe, 1 1/2 cups of each would be more than enough).
• Let mixture sit, covered loosely, for 8 to 12 hours-- the longer it sits, the sourer the flavor will be.
• At this point, measure out the 2 cups required for recipe, and return leftover starter to refrigerator for next time.
• Pour starter into mixing bowl.
• Melt butter (microwave works well).
• Add milk to butter and warm briefly (85 degrees F).
• Add the salt and sugar, stir until dissolved.
• Add this mixture to the culture and mix well.
• Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, stirring until the dough is too stiff to mix by hand.
• Turn onto floured board and knead in the remaining flour until the dough is smooth and satiny.
• Pat dough into a 1-inch thick oval and form loaf by rolling oval up from the long side, pinching the seam together as you roll the dough, tucking ends to form the loaf.
• Place in lightly greased loaf pan (I spray with cooking spray), and let rise, covered, at 85 degrees F for 1 1/2 to 3 hours.
• When the dough rises 1 to 2 inches above the edges of pan, it is ready to bake.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes (baking time varies according to your oven and your personal taste--some like a darker crustier bread than others).
• Remove loaf from oven and brush the top lightly with melted butter; turn loaf out of the pan and cool on wire rack.
• If you prefer, you can shape this into a round or oval loaf and bake on a baking sheet.

Steps:

• Bring sourdough starter to room temperature.
• In a large mixing bowl combine 2-1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast; set aside.
• In a saucepan heat and stir water, sugar, butter, and salt just until warm (120-130 deg.) and butter almost melts.
• Add to flour mixture.
• Add sourdough starter.
• Beat with until mixed and smooth, scraping bowl.
• Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
• On a lightly floured surface knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic.
• Shape into a ball.
• Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface.
• Cover and let rise until doubled.
• Punch dough down.
• Turn out on a lightly floured surface.
• Divide in half.
• Cover and let rise for 10 minutes.
• Lightly grease a large baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.
• Shape each half of the dough into a ball, place on baking sheet, flatten to about a 6-inch circle.
• With a sharp knife make crisscross slashes, 1/4 inch deep, on the top of the loaves.
• Cover and let rise 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375-deg.
• After heated place bread in oven and steam.
• Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes, or till bread tests done.
• Cool on a wire rack.

Steps:

• For the levain: Combine the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, water and starter in a medium bowl and mix to combine. Cover and let sit at room temperature until bubbly and increased in volume by about 20 percent, about 8 hours.
• For the dough: Add the all-purpose flour, water and whole-wheat flour to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Weigh out 7 ounces of the levain (about 1 cup) and add to the mixer (discard any remaining levain). Mix on low until a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Add the salt to the dough and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes; the dough should feel a bit sticky and wet but look smooth and very stretchy. Scrape the dough into a plastic or glass container about twice its size. Cover and let sit at room temperature until puffed, about 45 minutes.
• Put the dough on a floured work surface, flatten it gently, then fold in thirds like a business letter. Transfer it back to the container. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.
• Repeat the folding process one more time, transfer back to the container, cover and let sit at room temperature for another 45 minutes. After the third 45-minute rest, the dough should feel soft and pillowy; when pressed with a finger, it should leave an indentation that begins to spring back.
• Gently scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide in half using a bench scraper. Shape each piece loosely into a round by gently tucking the edges under. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Drape 2 kitchen towels into 2 medium (8-inch) bowls and dust very generously with flour. Dust the top of the dough rounds very lightly with flour and flip over using a bench scraper. Flatten one piece of dough into a circle, then fold the left and right sides of the dough over the center. Keeping tension in the dough, begin folding down from the top edge in 3 segments, sealing the bottom edge with the last fold. Loosely cup the dough and, using your hands and the tension between the board and the dough, pull the bread very slowly towards yourself while creating a taut ball. Gently flip the dough ball over and into one of the prepared bowls. Cover loosely with another kitchen towel. Repeat the process with the second piece of dough. Place both in a warm place to rise until about 1 1/2 times their size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• About 20 minutes before baking, position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven, put a 4-quart Dutch oven and lid on the rack and preheat to 500 degrees F. When preheated, carefully transfer the hot Dutch oven to a heatsafe surface with oven mitts (leave the lid in the oven). Flip one round of dough over into the Dutch oven. Using a sharp knife, scissors or bread lame, score the top of the bread in a cross or desired pattern. Return to the oven, immediately cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 425 degrees F, uncover and bake until dark brown, about 10 minutes more. Transfer the bread to a cooling rack to cool completely. Return the empty Dutch oven to the oven, raise the temperature to 500 degrees F and let heat for 10 minutes before repeating the baking process with the second dough round.

Steps:

• First, make your starter. In a large bowl, mix together 100g of the flour with 125ml slightly warm water. Whisk together until smooth and lump-free.
• Transfer the starter to a large jar (a 1-litre Kilner jar is good) or a plastic container. Leave the jar or container lid ajar for 1 hr or so in a warm place (around 25C is ideal), then seal and set aside for 24 hrs.
• For the next 6 days, you will need to 'feed' the starter. Each day, tip away half of the original starter, add an extra 100g of flour and 125ml slightly warm water, and stir well. Try to do this at the same time every day.
• After 3-4 days you should start to see bubbles appearing on the surface, and it will smell yeasty and a little acidic. This is a good indicator that the starter is working.
• On day 7, the starter should be quite bubbly and smell much sweeter. It is now ready to be used in baking.
• Tip the flour, 225ml warm water, the salt, honey and the starter into a bowl, or a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Stir with a wooden spoon, or on a slow setting in the machine, until combined - add extra flour if it's too sticky or a little extra warm water if it's too dry.
• Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 mins until soft and elastic - you should be able to stretch it without it tearing. If you're using a mixer, turn up the speed a little and mix for 5 mins.
• Place the dough in a large, well-oiled bowl and cover. Leave in a warm place to rise for 3 hrs. You may not see much movement, but don't be disheartened, as sourdough takes much longer to rise than a conventional yeasted bread.
• Line a medium-sized bowl with a clean tea towel and flour it really well or, if you have a proving basket, you can use this (see tips below). Tip the dough back onto your work surface and knead briefly to knock out any air bubbles. Shape the dough into a smooth ball and dust it with flour.
• Place the dough, seam-side up, in the bowl or proving basket, cover loosely and leave at room temperature until roughly doubled in size. The time it takes for your bread to rise will vary depending on the strength of your starter and the temperature in the room, anywhere from 4-8 hrs. The best indicators are your eyes, so don't worry too much about timings here. You can also prove your bread overnight in the fridge. Remove it in the morning and let it continue rising for another hour or 2 at room temperature. The slower the rise, the deeper the flavour you will achieve.
• Place a large baking tray in the oven, and heat to 230C/210C fan/gas 8. Fill a small roasting tin with a little water and place this in the bottom of the oven to create steam. Remove the baking tray from the oven, sprinkle with flour, then carefully tip the risen dough onto the tray.
• Slash the top a few times with a sharp knife, if you like, then bake for 35-40 mins until golden brown. It will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Leave to cool on a wire rack for 20 mins before serving.

Steps:

• Put initial starter in refrigerator 3-5 days (can store up to two weeks). Take out and feed another mixture of the starter recipe.
• Leave starter out of refrigerator all day (8-12 hours) until bubbly at room temperature. Take out 1 cup and return rest to refrigerator where you leave it for 3-5 days and then feed again. If not making bread after feeding, throw away one cup or give away to a friend. Also, after 3 or 4 feedings, your starter accumulates so you can give some or throw away some. Try to keep basic starter down to less than 2 cups. Leave lid on jar of starter quite loose, especially when out of refrigerator being fed, (Put in clean container at each feeding.).
• In large bowl, make a stiff batter of:.
• 1/3 cup sugar.
• 1/2 cup corn oil.
• 1 cup starter.
• 1 Tbs. salt.
• 1 1/2 cups water.
• About 6 cups plain bread flour.
• Grease large bowl with corn oil. Put dough in and turn over. Cover with foil and let stand overnight at room temperature (about 70 degrees).
• Next morning, punch down and knead dough a little (8-10 times). Divide into 3 parts and knead each part on a floured board a few times (8-10 times). Put into 3 greased loaf pans and brush with oil. If dough is rising slowly it may take most of the day. Dough should double in bulk. Cover with waxed paper while rising (glass bread pans work best).
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Remove and brush with butter. Cool on rack. Wrap in foil. May be frozen.

Steps:

• In a glass bowl, add water and yeast. Mix the yeast into the water and let it sit for a couple minutes.
• Add in the rest of the ingredients for the starter. Mix well until everything is fully incorporated.
• Wrap the bowl with clear wrap, making sure not to tightly seal the bowl. Let the starter breathe a little and keep it in a dark place at room temperature. Stir every 12 hours until making the dough. The starter will rise and shrink each day and you should see bubbles, letting you know that the yeast is being activated!
• On day 5, combine all ingredients into a bowl, and knead for 10 minutes on low if using a machine; if kneading by hand, knead for 20 minutes until dough is stretchy yet doesn't stick to your hands.
• While the dough is kneading, store your starter for future use. Your starter will last forever as long as you maintain and care for it. It can stay in the fridge and be fed once a week with a teaspoon of sugar. To replenish your starter, simply add 1 cup of flour (125g) and ½ cup of water (120ml), mix, and place it back in the fridge. Leave it out overnight to get to room temperature before preparing the dough.
• Place kneaded dough into a large floured bowl with a towel over the top, then sprinkle flour and let it rise for 12 hours.
• Place risen dough onto a floured board and knead for a few minutes. Place it into a floured proofing basket or a medium bowl, sprinkle flour and let it rise for another 4 hours.
• Preheat oven to 480°F (250°C).
• Flip the dough onto a parchment paper, and transfer the dough and paper into a large cast-iron dutch oven.
• Score the top of the bread.
• Place the lid on top and bake for 30 minutes.
• Take the lid off and bake for another 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
• Transfer onto a cooling rack and let it rest for an hour. Knock the bottom of the bread to listen for a hollow knock.
• Nutrition Calories: 1615 Fat: 4 grams Carbs: 340 grams Fiber: 11 grams Sugars: 19 grams Protein: 42 grams
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• To make the sourdough starter, whisk 50g strong white flour and 50g strong wholemeal flour with 100ml slightly warm water until smooth. Transfer to a large jar or plastic container. Leave the lid ajar for 1 hr or so in a warm place, then seal and set aside for 24 hrs. For the next six days, you will need to 'feed' it. Each day, tip away half the original starter, add an extra 25g of each flour and 50ml slightly warm water, and stir well. After a few days, you should start to see bubbles on the surface, and it will smell yeasty. On day seven, the starter should be bubbly and smell much sweeter. It is now ready to be used, but make sure you keep half back and carry on feeding for your next loaf.
• Tip both the flours, 300ml warm water and the starter into a bowl, stir with a wooden spoon into a dough and leave somewhere for an hour.
• Tip in 25ml more water and the salt and bring everything together. Cover and leave somewhere warm for 3 hrs, folding the dough onto itself several times in the first hour. The dough should increase in size by about a third.
• Line a medium bowl with a clean tea towel and flour it really well, or flour a proving basket. Tip the dough back onto your work surface, shape into a tight, smooth ball and dust it with flour.
• Place the dough, seam-side up, in the bowl or proving basket, and leave at room temperature for 3 hrs - or better still in the fridge overnight - until risen by about a quarter.
• Heat oven to 230C/210C fan/gas 8 and put a casserole dish with a lid or a baking stone in the oven for at least 30 mins to heat up, and a large roasting tin filled with boiling water underneath. After 30 mins, carefully remove the casserole dish, invert the loaf into it and slash the top. Cover and bake for 20 mins, then take the lid off and bake for another 20 mins. Or invert onto the baking stone, slash and bake for 40 mins, or until the crust is as dark as you like it.

Steps:

• 9:00AM (Day Before Baking):.
• Make the levain by combining 25 grams mature starter, 25 grams whole wheat flour, 25 grams bread flour and 50 grams warm water (80°F), in a Mason jar, until well combined. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and store in a warm spot until it doubles in size, about 5 hours. I like to put it in the oven (no heat) with the light turned on.
• 12:00PM (Day Before Baking):.
• About halfway through the levain's rising time, make the autolyse. In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, spelt flour and 350 grams of the water. Use your hands to squeeze the flour into the water until all of the flour has been hydrated. Use a plastic dough scraper to scrape any bits of the dough from your hands. At this point, we're not looking for a smooth dough at all. We just want the flour hydrated with water. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest alongside the levain.
• 2:00PM (Day Before Baking):.
• This step of the process is called bulk fermentation. At this point your levain should have doubled in size. Measure out 100 grams of levain and add it to the autolyse. Use your hands to incorporate the two mixtures together by poking your fingers through the dough. Then you can start folding the dough unto itself until it becomes uniform. Let rest for 15 minutes. Then sprinkle in the salt and pour the remaining 25 grams water on top. Fold the dough onto itself until it comes together once again. You might find that the water and dough separate a bit but continue folding until the dough becomes uniform and soft.
• Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 4 to 5 hours. This depends on the temperature of your kitchen and the temperature of your water. The best part about this recipe is that you don't have to knead the dough too much. You just have to fold the dough onto itself a few times during this rest.
• Every 30 minutes uncover the dough and fold it onto itself by wetting your hands and going into one side of the dough and pulling and stretching it up and over onto itself. Do this a few times, rotating the dough each time. Cover, return to rest and repeat a few 4 to 5 more times during the bulk fermentation period.
• 7:00PM (Day Before Baking):.
• Carefully transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Fold the dough onto itself from top to bottom and then side to side. Cover loosely and rest for 20 minutes. Flip the dough over and then shape into a round smooth ball as best as you can.
• Dust a proofing basket or large round bowl (lined with a clean kitchen towel) with rice flour. Rice flour doesn't absorb into the dough, which will prevent it from sticking to the bowl. Transfer the dough into the prepared basket or bowl, round smooth side down. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight.
• 8:30AM (Morning Of):.
• Place a 5 qt or larger dutch oven (with the lid) in the oven and preheat to 450°F for 1 hour.
• 9:30AM (Morning Of):.
• Remove the dough from the fridge. Cover with a small piece of parchment paper and place a pizza peel or cutting board on top. Flip over and then remove the bowl from the top. Dust the top of the bread with a thin layer of bread flour. Use a sharp bread lame or sharp paring knife to cut a design on top.
• Using heavy-duty oven mitts, carefully remove the pot from the oven and uncover. Use the parchment paper to carefully transfer the bread (along with the paper) to the hot pot. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 30 minutes until deep golden brown and the internal temperature of the bread is 208°F.
• Remove the pot from the oven and carefully lift the bread out of the pot, using the parchment paper to grab it. Place on a wire rack and allow to rest for 1 hour before cutting and enjoying.
• Useful Tools:.
• Plastic dough scraper.
• Bread proving basket.
• 5 qt Dutch oven.
• Bread lame.

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water, rest for ten minutes.
• Mix in flour, sugar& remaining water.
• Allow to stand, loosely covered, in a warm place for 3 or 4 days. Use a large (preferably ceramic) bowl as it will rise considerably.
• Every time the batter is used to make a product set aside 1 cup to be used as a"starter" for another batch.
• Keep covered in the fridge (a pint jar works nicely).
• To make it into a basic batter again, add another 2 cups flour& 2 cups warm water and allow to stand at room temp overnight It is now ready to use, but again reserve a cup of the starter.