Tuesday, March 4, 2025

After attempting so many variations of a regular sourdough loaf, I have finally mastered the one that makes me drool just thinking about it! I started my sourdough journey a few years back when I first got pregnant. With more than one failed attempt at starting a sourdough starter from scratch, I almost gave up. But when a friend of mine told me she had the perfect starter and was willing to share, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to learn from her!

First loaf I received from a friend, got hooked real quick!

Over 2 years (and many interesting loaves) later, I finally tweaked the recipe enough to exactly how we liked it. It is so simple but so delicious. If you are new to sourdough (or thinking about quitting after trying and failing), do not give up! You will never buy crummy, over-enriched, bland bread again once you master this! Sourdough can be intimidating but the benefits are well worth the extra effort. Yes, it can be time consuming when you first begin but I think everyone just over-complicates it. After a few tries, I think you will see how simple it can actually be!

So let me share my favorite recipe ever- one that I passed on to my aunts and mom who then passed it on to my sisters and on it goes! Yes it is all in grams as that is how I learned initially since everyone said it can be finicky with the water to flour to salt ratio. But I have learned that it really does not have to be that precise, it has turned out great any time I went over the measurements with any of the ingredients!

favorite sourdough loaf recipe:

(this is 1.5x a regular loaf as we tend to destroy the smaller one way too quickly!)

Ingredients

750g bread flour
525g water (filtered and room temp)
150g active sourdough starter
15g salt
15g favorite oil (like olive or avocado)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine the active starter and filtered, room temp water. Mix until milky with most of the starter dissolved. Then add in the flour, salt and oil. Mix until well combined and a shaggy dough forms. Try to make sure there are no dry bits of flour left behind on the bottom of the bowl. Cover with a damp towel (or plastic wrap) and let it rest at room temp for 30-60 minutes.

2. Stretch and Folds

After the first 30-60 minutes, perform a set of stretch and folds. You'll want to do this 4-6 times, about every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. (It doesn't have to be perfectly timed, do it on your schedule!)

3. Bulk Fermentation

After the final stretch and fold, cover the bowl again and let rest at room temp until doubled in size. Timing will vary based on the temp of your kitchen! Try to place it somewhere where the temp is more consistent.

(yes, i totally overproofed mine... my child was having a rough night so we didn't get to it in time but still turned out delicious!)

4. Shape the Dough

Once the dough has risen, gently turn it out onto a floured surface. Shape it into a round loaf by folding the edges into the center and pulling it tight to create some tension. Place it seam-side up in a well-floured proofing basket or bowl.

5. Second Rise

Cover the loaf with a cloth and let it rise for another 2 to 4 hours at room temperature, or you can refrigerate it overnight for a slower fermentation which is my preferred method.

6. Preheat the Oven

After the final rise, preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) with a Dutch oven inside to heat up for about 30 minutes.

Get creative with your designs! I find rice flour works well for making them shine!

7. Bake the Bread

Meanwhile, gently turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper (just a few minutes before the 30 min timer goes off for the preheating). Score the top of the loaf with a sharp knife or razor blade. Place the loaf (with the parchment paper) into the hot Dutch oven, cover it, and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.