The Sourdough We Brag About
High-hydration sourdough is mostly water and consequences, which is why we start with a calm mix and an autolyse. Give the flour 30 minutes with water and it will do half the work for you. The goal is a dough temperature around 75°F; if you nail that, the rest of the day feels less like improvisational theater.
Bulk fermentation is where the flavor is earned. I look for strength, bubbles along the side, and a dough that holds a gentle dome. If you want a cheat code, use a tiny aliquot jar: pull off a thumb-sized piece of dough, mark the level, and watch it rise. It is honest, and unlike me at 4:30am, it does not exaggerate.
Shaping is quiet on purpose. A tight pre-shape, a short bench rest, then a final shape that builds surface tension without tearing. If the dough feels slack, wait ten minutes and try again; time is a tool, not a punishment. Dust the banneton with rice flour so the loaf releases cleanly and you can focus on the score.
Bake it hot, covered first, then uncovered for color. The crust should come out deep brown, not timid tan. Let the loaf cool fully before slicing; the crumb is still setting, and cutting early turns a great bake into a gummy apology. If you must slice early, do it knowingly and with butter. We are still friends.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 500g bread flour
- 400g water (80% hydration) plus a splash for mixing
- 100g active starter (100% hydration)
- 10g fine sea salt
- Rice flour for dusting
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix flour and 380g water until shaggy. Rest 30 minutes (autolyse).
- Add starter, salt, and remaining water splash. Squeeze and fold until combined.
- Bulk ferment 4–5 hours at 75°F, giving 3–4 stretch-and-folds in the first 90 minutes.
- Pre-shape, rest 20 minutes, then shape into a tight boule. Place seam-up in a rice-floured banneton.
- Cold proof 8–12 hours. Heat Dutch oven to 475°F. Score loaf, bake covered 20 minutes, uncovered 25–30 until deep brown.
- Cool at least 1 hour before slicing. Pretend to wait 2.