FAQ

How long does it take to make sourdough artisan bread?

It takes anywhere between 6-24 hours to make sourdough artisan bread, depending on the strength of your sourdough starter, the hydration of your dough, and the temperature of your home. I use a proofing box to control the temperature and humidity and speed the baking process up.

What type of flour should I use to bake sourdough bread?

How do I know when my dough is done fermenting during bulk fermentation?

When the dough is done fermenting, it will have doubled in size and pass the poke test. Poke the dough, if it bounces back quickly because it is light and springy, it is ready to shape.

How can I achieve an open crumb when baking sourdough artisan bread?

For an open crumb (lots of big holes) loaf, make a higher hydration dough. This means you will omit some of the flour in a standard recipe so the dough is stickier from the get-go. Also, cut down to 2 stretch and folds and allow the dough to bulk ferment longer than usual. Use bread flour for an open crumb loaf.

What is the Best Dutch Oven for Sourdough Bread?

I love my Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven, which I’ve had for years! The Lodge is a great value at around $49, but if you like the idea of making batards, baguettes and other oblong-shaped loaves, I can’t recommend the Challenger Bread Pan enough, which costs $299. The placement of the handles makes for easy removal and closure of the lid, and it creates beautiful, crusty loaves every time.

There are essentially 5 steps to making sourdough bread. Each of these steps is explained in more detail below.

1. Mix the Dough: This is simply a matter of combining water, sourdough starter, salt and flour in bowl, and stirring to form a sticky dough ball.
2. Bulk Fermentation: This is just a fancy name for the first rise. During the first two hours of the bulk fermentation, you’ll perform a series of stretches and folds, which will give the dough strength and elasticity.
3. Shape + Bench Rest: This step ends the bulk fermentation. You’ll shape the dough, let it rest, then shape it once more.
4. Proofing the Dough: In this recipe, you’ll cold proof the dough in the fridge, ideally for 24 to 48 hours, though you can get away with a shorter proof.
5. Scoring + Baking the Dough: After the dough has proofed, you’ll turn it out onto a piece of parchment paper, score it; then transfer it to a preheated baking vessel.

Baking Schedule Options

*times will vary depending on the strength of your starter, hydration of the dough, and temperature of your home. I use a proofing box to speed things up and be more precise with my baking schedule*

FOR MORNING BAKING

Feed your sourdough starter so that it is peaked and active by 3pm the day before you plan to bake.

Day before baking

• 3pm: Prepare the Dough
• 3:30pm: Add salt and mix
• 4pm: first stretch and fold
• 4:30pm: second stretch and fold
• 5pm: third stretch and fold
• 9:30pm: (or whenever the dough has doubled) shape the dough and place it in the fridge for final proof, it will remain in the fridge until the next day

Day of Baking

• 7am: preheat the oven and dutch oven
• 7:30am: take the dough out of the fridge, score it, and bake it according to instructions.

The bread should be cooled enough to slice and eat by lunchtime!

FOR SAME-DAY PREP AND AFTERNOON BAKING

Feed your starter the night before you plan to bake.

Day of baking

• 7am: Prepare the dough
• 7:30am: Add salt and mix
• 8am: first stretch and fold
• 8:30am: second stretch and fold
• 9am: third stretch and fold
• 11:30am: (or whenever the dough has doubled) shape the dough and place it in the fridge for final proof
• 1:30pm: preheat the oven and dutch oven
• 2pm: take the dough out of the fridge, score it, and bake it according to instructions.

The bread should be cooled enough to slice and eat by dinner time!

Sourdough Artisan Bread Made Simple: Beginner’s Recipe

Take the science, mystery, and complication out of baking beautiful sourdough artisan loaves with this simple recipe and beginner’s guide with written instructions and a video tutorial made by an avid home baker with 6+ years of experience in sourdough.