Introductory Sourdough Guide
To correctly make sourdough there are certain tools and ingredients that are imperative for early success. With lots of experience you may be able to get away without all of the recommended supplies, however, if you wish to be successful early on do not attempt this recipe unless you have everything listed below.
Choosing the correct ingredients for sourdough is critical to your success. Not all flour, water and salt are the same.
Four this recipe I recommend a blend of white bread flour and whole wheat flour. While you can change this ratio later on to your liking(refer to my bread calculator) I recommend starting here until you have the process down. For white flour use a strong bread flour, this is not something I would compromise on, having enough protein in the flour is essential for good gluten development. Weak dough may be too hard to handle and will struggle to trap the necessary air bubbles produced by the starter. As long as your white flour is a strong bread flour, you can get away with pretty much any whole wheat flour, as long as its fresh and milled fine. For both I highly recommend King Arthur flour because it is an extremely reliable product and is widely accessible. Whatever flours you decide on NEVER use any flour that is bleached or bromated, these chemical processes can impair the starter's ability to feed off the flour.
While water may not be an ingredient you normally thing about for sourdough the quality of your water matters. Chemicals in water can prevent growth of yeast and bacteria. If you are using tap water make sure your water is filtered of chemicals. If you cannot filter your water I recommend buying spring water, however as a last option you can use tap water and let it sit out overnight, this will at least allow some chemical compounds to evaporate. Temperature is also critical here. Water that is too hot can kill your starter but water that is too cold will stunt its growth. Having a thermometer is very helpful here but not completely necessary. Aim for water that is about 84°f, which if you can't test with a thermometer feels just barely warm to touch but not hot.
Any salt will work fine. Some say iodized salt can impair sourdough starter but I have had success with it. Nonetheless, I tend to use non-iodized sea salt.
Toppings are a great way to easily change your bread without having to learn a new recipe. Add any of your favorite toppings to this bread. Some of my favorites are everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and rolled oat.
While learning to feed your sourdough correctly is key to making good sourdough, for this recipe I will assume you already have a strong living starter. If you wish to make your own starter from scratch you can follow my guide to do so. To make this recipe I will give you two options for feeding your starter, overnight or morning of. The process for both is the same, however, the ingredient ratios will differ. Preparing the starter the night before allows you to start preparing the dough first thing in the morning, while feeding the starter in the morning will mean the dough cannot be made until the afternoon. Regardless, the bread will not be ready to bake until the day after.
To correctly make sourdough there are certain tools and ingredients that are imperative for early success. With lots of experience you may be able to get away without all of the recommended supplies, however, if you wish to be successful early on do not attempt this recipe unless you have everything listed below.
To correctly make sourdough there are certain tools and ingredients that are imperative for early success. With lots of experience you may be able to get away without all of the recommended supplies, however, if you wish to be successful early on do not attempt this recipe unless you have everything listed below.
Shaping is a difficult step that will require practice to feel natural, but don't worry even if you don't get it perfect on the first try this will not impair the flavor. We will preform two rounds of shaping, the "pre-shape" and the "final shape".
The pre-shaping should be done without flour on the surface. A light misting of water is recommended to prevent excessive sticking, but be careful not to make the surface too wet, as the dough needs to adhere slightly to the surface for this process.
To correctly make sourdough there are certain tools and ingredients that are imperative for early success. With lots of experience you may be able to get away without all of the recommended supplies, however, if you wish to be successful early on do not attempt this recipe unless you have everything listed below.
To correctly make sourdough there are certain tools and ingredients that are imperative for early success. With lots of experience you may be able to get away without all of the recommended supplies, however, if you wish to be successful early on do not attempt this recipe unless you have everything listed below.