Sourdough Simplified!
Back when the pandemic started and people were talking about sourdough, I decided to give it a go. How hard could it be? Kajsa and I did a sourdough course a few years ago and it seemed quite doable at the time.
Famous last words.
My first three attempts were, to put it charitably, educational. The first loaf was dense enough to use as a doorstop. The second had a beautiful crust but was completely raw in the middle. The third rose beautifully, then collapsed spectacularly the moment I scored it.
But I kept at it, because that's what you do. And somewhere around attempt number seven, something clicked. The dough felt right in my hands. The timing made sense. And when I pulled that loaf out of the Dutch oven (yes, the Griswold — more on that in another post), the crust crackled in a way that made me want to weep with joy.
Here's what I learned that nobody tells you upfront: sourdough is not about following a recipe precisely. It's about learning to read your dough. Temperature, humidity, the strength of your starter, the protein content of your flour — all of these variables affect the outcome, and no recipe can account for all of them.
What you need is a framework, not a formula. Here's mine:
My Sourdough Framework
The Starter
Feed your starter 8–12 hours before you plan to mix your dough. It should be active, bubbly, and at its peak — it should float in water. If it doesn't float, it's not ready.
The Mix
100g active starter, 375g warm water, 500g bread flour, 10g salt. Mix until no dry flour remains. Rest 30 minutes (autolyse), then add salt and mix thoroughly.
The Bulk Ferment
4–6 hours at room temperature (68–75°F), with 4 sets of stretch-and-folds in the first 2 hours. The dough should increase by 50–75% and feel airy and jiggly.
The Cold Proof
Shape, place in a floured banneton, cover, and refrigerate overnight (8–16 hours). Bake straight from the fridge.
The Bake
Preheat oven to 500°F with Dutch oven inside for 45 minutes. Score the loaf, bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown.
The most important thing I can tell you is this: don't give up after a few bad loaves. Every "failure" teaches you something. And when you finally pull out that perfect loaf — crackling crust, open crumb, that unmistakable sour tang — you will feel like you've accomplished something genuinely remarkable.
Because you have.