Crusty Artisan Sourdough Bread (Printable Format)
Craft a traditional crusty loaf with wild yeast fermentation for authentic tangy flavor and chewy texture.
# What You Need:
→ Starter
01 - 3.5 ounces active sourdough starter, fed and bubbly
→ Dough
02 - 13.2 ounces bread flour, plus extra for dusting
03 - 0.9 ounce whole wheat flour
04 - 9.7 ounces water, room temperature
05 - 0.4 ounce sea salt
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, mix bread flour, whole wheat flour, and water until just combined. Cover and rest for 1 hour.
02 - Add sourdough starter and salt to dough. Mix by hand or spatula until fully incorporated.
03 - Cover and ferment at room temperature for 4-5 hours. Every 30-45 minutes, stretch and fold dough in bowl 4 times.
04 - Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Shape gently into round, cover, and rest 20 minutes.
05 - Shape dough into tight round loaf. Place seam side up in well-floured proofing basket or bowl.
06 - Cover and rise at room temperature 2-3 hours, or refrigerate overnight for pronounced sour flavor.
07 - Place Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid in oven. Preheat to 480°F for at least 30 minutes.
08 - Gently invert dough onto parchment paper. Score surface with sharp blade. Transfer to preheated pot, cover, bake 20 minutes. Remove lid, reduce to 430°F, bake 25 minutes until deep golden brown.
09 - Remove bread from pot. Cool completely on wire rack before slicing.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Nothing beats pulling apart a steaming hot loaf fresh from your own oven
- The tangy flavor develops naturallyno commercial yeast needed
- Your kitchen will smell like a professional bakery
02 -
- A cold overnight proof transforms flavor completely, worth the extra planning
- That initial flat loaf I mentioned? I probably didn't develop enough strength during stretch and folds
- Slicing too soon will ruin the crumb structurelet it cool completely
03 -
- Use a kitchen scale for consistent resultscup measurements lie
- Score your dough confidentlyhesitation creates ragged edges