John’s Basic Sourdough Loaf
Recipe that I use to bake my sourdough bread, often I start with this and then tweak it for other bread with mix-ins.
Yields
2 loafs
Ingredients
Leaven
Prepare the leaven about 8-12hrs prior to mixing the final dough.
| Ingredient | Weight |
|---|---|
| White Flour | 150g |
| Wheat Flour | 50g |
| Water | 200g / 90ºF |
| Starter | 50g |
Final Dough
| Ingredient | Weight |
|---|---|
| White Flour* | 900g |
| Wheat Flour | 100g |
| Water | 750g / 90ºF |
| Salt | 22g |
| Levain | 200g / 100% Hydration |
* Note: I’d recommend using bread flour with a higher protein content.
Bakers Formula
Assuming a 100% hydration levain.
| Ingredient | Percent |
|---|---|
| White Flour | 90% |
| Wheat Flour | 10% |
| Water | 75% |
| Salt | 2% |
Schedule
- 30mins of autolyse
- 3-5hrs of bulk fermentation
- Include 3-5 folds
- Proving
- If cold: 8-12hrs in the fridge
- If on counter: 2-3hrs
- 45-60mins of heating up the dutch oven / baking environment @ 475ºF
- 30mins of baking @ 475ºF w/ the lids on the dutch oven / baking environment
- 15-20mins of baking @ 475ºF w/ the lid OFF
- 20mins cooling
Sample Schedule - Evening Levain Mix (no cold prove)
- 9:00pm: Mix levain
- 8:00am: Initial dough mix and autolyse start
- 8:30am: Final mix, bulk fermentation starts
- 3-5 folds layered in over the next 3hrs
- 2:45pm: Shape and store for proving
- 4:00pm: Preheat oven w/ baking apparatuses
- 5:00pm: Bake
Additional Notes
- When available, sub in dark rye instead of whole wheat for a nuttier taste
- You can add inclusions (chocolate, cheese, nuts, etc…) to this dough
- Mix them into the final mix before bulk fermentation begins