Summary of Sourdough Bread: Step by Step

Directions 

Day 1: Sourdough Starter 

• (eg. require 140g starter. Always make a bit extra)
• half feeding in morning (eg. 20S+20W+20BF) 
• final half feeding in evening (eg. 50W+50BF) 
• (to accelerate process, put in oven with lights on)
• feeding of active starter ratio 1S:2W:2BF

Day 2: Prepare Dough 

• measure and mix all dry ingredients in a bowl eg. all flour, salt and diastatic malt (optional)
• add distilled water and starter and mix to shaggy dough 
• rest for 1 hr
• 3x stretch & fold every 30min (add additions at 2nd fold)
• check gluten development (window pane) if still not ready, do coil fold
• proof till size increase by 25% (total 3-8hrs or 12-24hrs if using unfed starter) 
• transfer on working surface (divide if required) and gently round with scraper making a tight loaf
• rest 20min
• meanwhile lightly flour banetton with rice flour 
• gently shape a tight dough and transfer to banetton
• cover with plastic and leave in fridge to cold retard for 8hr up to 48hr 

Day 3: Bake 

• pre-heat oven 240C no fan together with dutch oven for minimum for 45min to 1hr 
• transfer dough into freezer for 30min to firm up and help with scoring
• transfer dough to parchment or silicon paper 
• rub surface of dough with rice flour
• score deep enough for oven spring
• transfer into hot dutch oven and spray with water... quickly cover the dutch oven
• bake for 20min covered and lower oven to 230C and bake uncovered for another 15-20min till desired color 
• *Internal temperature for cooked sourdough bread should be 96-98°C
• cool on rack for > 1hr before slicing 

Optimal Sourdough Starter Preparation

Ratio 1:5:5

• divide required amount of starter by 2 eg. for 300g, use 150g BF: 150g W
• take 10% of 300g... so we need 30g starter
• use all sourdough starter once fully active or peaked

7min tips to get an Ear

• before baking, score bread as usual
• after 7min of baking, take out the bread and do a second score near the small "ear"
• continue baking
• ie. for a controlled scoring, score deeper at specific parts of bread after 5min of baking

Tips for better oven spring

• pre-heat dutch oven for 1hr
• immediately after putting in dutch oven+dough into the oven, turn off the oven for 20min
• turn on the oven 240C and continue baking for 20min or so and bake with open dutch oven till desired color

Click here for my go to regular recipe.

Foodnote: Usually I use prima unbleached bread flour. The above bread is baked with bob's mill unbleached bread flour.