Artisan Sourdough Bread

Instructions

1. 1

   In a large bowl, combine 450g of bread flour and 50g of whole wheat flour with 350g of filtered water at 90°F (32°C). Mix until no dry flour remains, then cover the bowl and let it autolyse for 45 minutes.

2. 2

   After the autolyse, add 100g of active sourdough starter and the remaining 25g of water to the mixture. Squeeze the dough through your fingers until fully incorporated, then let it rest for 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Dissolve 10g of fine sea salt in 1 teaspoon of water and work it into the dough until fully combined. Perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes: wet your hand, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, fold it over to the opposite side, and rotate the bowl 90° to repeat this process.

4. 4

   After the final fold, cover the dough and let it bulk ferment at room temperature (75–78°F or 24–26°C) until it has increased in volume by 50–75%, is domed, and feels jiggly, which should take about 4–6 hours.

5. 5

   Once the dough is ready, gently scrape it onto an unfloured surface and pre-shape it into a round by tucking the edges underneath. Let it rest uncovered for 20–30 minutes until relaxed.

6. 6

   Lightly flour a proofing basket (banneton) and perform the final shape by flipping the dough, stretching it into a rectangle, folding the top third down and the bottom third up, then rolling it into a tight cylinder and placing it seam-side-up in the basket.

7. 7

   Cover the basket with a plastic bag and cold-proof the dough in the refrigerator for 12–16 hours. When ready to bake, place a Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes. Flip the cold dough onto a sheet of parchment, score it, lower it into the hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the temperature to 450°F (232°C), and bake for an additional 25–30 minutes until the crust is deep mahogany brown and the internal temperature reads 205–210°F (96–99°C). Cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.