Everyday Sourdough Recipe
The sourdough recipe I use for every plain loaf in my microbakery. It's a reliable, versatile base that's perfect for adding sweet or savory inclusions.
Ingredients
- 453 g AP Flour
- 24 g Rye Flour
- 324 g Water
- 95 g Active Sourdough Starter 100% hydration
- 10 g Salt
Instructions
Mix the Dough
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, water, and active sourdough starter until no dry flour remains.
- Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Add the Salt
- Sprinkle the salt over the dough and mix until fully incorporated.
- Over the next 2 hours, perform 3 to 4 sets of stretch and folds or coil folds every 30 minutes.
Bulk Ferment
- Continue fermenting until the dough has increased in volume by approximately 80 to 90%, depending on your dough temperature.
Shape
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently pre-shape it into a round.
- Allow it to rest for 20 minutes before completing the final shape and placing it seam-side up into a floured banneton.
Cold Proof
- Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 16 hours.
Bake
- Bake in a preheated Dutch oven or covered baking vessel at 475°F (246°C).
- Bake covered for 30 minutes
- Remove the lid and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown.
- Allow the loaf to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
No rye flour? Replace it with an equal amount of all-purpose or bread flour. Rye adds depth of flavor and helps encourage a slightly more open crumb, but the loaf will still bake beautifully without it.
This recipe sits at approximately 68% hydration, making it easy to handle while still producing a light, airy crumb.
I use active, bubbly sourdough starter that has recently peaked for the best fermentation and oven spring.
This recipe serves as the base for many of my seasonal and flavored sourdough recipes.