Basic Sourdough REcipes

This recipe is prefect as is or as a base to add all kinds of amazing add ins!

active time: 1hr      inactive time: 15hrs

Ingredients:

50-100g active starter

the more starter the quicker the rise

330g lukewarm water

500g flour of choice

9g salt

Directions :

Combine your starter with the water until it is fully combine. It will look milky. 

Begin mixing in your flour a little at a time. Before you add in the final cup or so of flour add your salt in. Mix until all the flour is combine into a saggy ball. 

Drape a damn tea towel over the top of your dough and allow to rest for 30 minutes. 

After 30 minutes, it is time to stretch and strengthen the dough. Grab one side of the dough, gently stretch it upward as far as it will go without ripping and fold it towards the center. Turn the dough a quarter and repeat. Keep doing this until you've returned to where you started. Replace the towel and let rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat this process 3 times. The dough will get stiffer and that's ok. Just stretch it as much as it will allow. If you are not able to get a good stretch you can use the lift and fold technique, where you lift from the center and set it down, allowing the ends to fold up underneath the dough. 

After the final stretch cover and allow it to rest in a warm spot for the next 10-12 hours in a warm place. I usually do this overnight and in my oven with the light turned on. This is called the bulk ferment. You want the dough to double in size.

Once your bulk ferment, is complete gently turn your dough out on a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough into a ball. I do this by pushing the dough away from me and then pull it back towards me while cupping it under itself. This will form a tight ball.

Cut a strip of parchment paper and place in the bottom of a dutch oven. Place your dough in the bottom of the dutch over, replace the lid and allow to rise again for 1-2 hours. **if you do not have a dutch over you can use 2 loaf pans, one as the bottom and the other as a top. 

Preheat you oven to 425, REMOVE YOUR BREAD FROM THE OVEN IF RISING IN THERE. Using a razor blade or kitchen scissors score the entire top of the bread, at least a 1/2" deep. Once the oven has heated up place your bread in the oven, with the lid on it for 20 minutes. 

Remove the lid and continue to bake for another 20 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and let cool 30mins before slicing.

Which you definitely can make a pb & j on a classic sourdough, they just hit differently on sandwich bread. This recipe is for 1 loaf, but can be doubled for 2 and uses a standard bread tin.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup starter

1 1/4 cup lukewarm water

1 tablespoon honey

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup soften butter

4 cups flour

Directions :

Combine your starter with the water until it is fully combine. 

Mix in honey, salt, and butter.

Begin mixing in your flour a little at a time.  The dough will be very dense and it is best to use a stand mixer with a dough hook. If you do not have a mixer you can use your hands.

Once the flour is incorporated, continue to knead (by hand or mixer) for an additional 10 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a greased bowl with a damp tea towel over it and allow to rise until double, preforming stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. This bulk rise can take between 4-10 hours.

***you can speed this process up by setting the bowl on a heating pad set to low***

Once your bulk ferment, is complete gently turn your dough out on a lightly floured surface. Gently press the dough down and stretch it until you have a large rectangle  as wide as your bread tin and about 1/4" thick. 

Begin gently rolling the dough as tightly as possible (so it will fit in the loaf pan). 

Carefully tuck the ends up under the loaf and place in your loaf plan.

Place the damp towel or another loaf pan over the top and allow to rise until it is about an inch above the top of the pan. About 1-2 hours

Preheat oven to 350, remove the towel or lid and bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from oven, and immediately remove the loaf from the pan. Allow to cool completely before cutting.