A Beginner's Guide to Making Sourdough

Sourdough bread has been a staple in kitchens for centuries, known for its tangy flavour, chewy texture, and health benefits. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a complete novice, making your own sourdough at home is an incredibly rewarding experience. This guide is designed to walk you through the entire process, from creating your own starter to pulling a golden, crusty loaf out of the oven.

 

What is Sourdough?

Sourdough is a type of bread made through the natural fermentation of dough. Unlike traditional bread, which uses commercial yeast, sourdough relies on wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria to rise.

 

This gives sourdough its distinctive flavor and texture, as well as several health benefits, including improved digestion and better blood sugar control. With its rich history and rise in popularity, particularly during times when people are more focused on homemade, artisanal foods, sourdough has become a beloved bread choice for many.

 

Essential Tools and Ingredients for Sourdough Baking

Before you begin, you'll need to gather a few essential tools and ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

Tools:

• Mixing bowl: A large bowl for mixing your dough.
• Dough scraper: Helps with mixing and transferring the dough.
• Dutch oven: Ideal for baking the bread, as it traps steam to create a crispy crust.
• Kitchen scale: Ensures precise measurements, which is crucial in baking.
• Bench scraper (optional): Makes handling dough easier during shaping.
• Banneton (optional): A proofing basket that helps shape the dough.

Ingredients:

• Flour: Use high-quality bread flour or a mixture of bread and whole wheat flour.
• Water: Filtered water is best, as chlorine in tap water can inhibit yeast growth.
• Salt: Enhances the flavor and strengthens the dough.
• Sourdough starter: A mixture of flour and water that has been fermented to cultivate wild yeast and bacteria.

How to Make a Sourdough Starter from Scratch

Your journey to making sourdough begins with creating a starter. This mixture of flour and water will capture wild yeast from the environment and ferment, becoming the leavening agent for your bread.

Day 1:

• In a clean jar, mix 50g of whole wheat flour with 50g of water. Stir until no dry bits remain.
• Cover loosely and let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

Day 2-7:

• Each day, discard half of the starter and add 50g of all-purpose flour and 50g of water. Stir and cover again.
• By day 7, your starter should be bubbly and have a pleasant, tangy smell, indicating that it’s ready to use.

Maintaining Your Starter:

• Feed your starter daily if kept at room temperature, or store it in the fridge and feed it weekly.

Troubleshooting:

• If your starter isn't bubbling, try placing it in a warmer spot or using a different type of flour.

 

  

Mixing the Dough: A Step-by-Step Guide

Once your starter is active and bubbly, it's time to mix your dough. Follow these steps to create a basic sourdough loaf.

Ingredients:

• 500g bread flour
• 350g water
• 100g active sourdough starter
• 10g salt

Instructions:
1. Mix the dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour and water, mixing until no dry bits remain. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.
2. Add the starter and salt: After the rest period, add the sourdough starter and salt. Mix until fully incorporated. The dough will be sticky—this is normal.
3. Autolyse: Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and makes the dough easier to work with.

The Art of Folding and Stretching the Dough

Folding and stretching the dough helps develop gluten, which gives sourdough its structure and chewiness.

1. First fold: With damp hands, lift one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Do this for all four sides.
2. Repeat: Perform 3-4 sets of folds over the next 2 hours, allowing 30 minutes of rest between each set. As you continue, the dough will become smoother and stronger. 

Proofing: The Key to Great Sourdough

Proofing is the stage where your dough ferments and rises, developing flavour and texture.

Bulk Fermentation:

• After the final fold, cover the dough and let it ferment at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Final Proof:

• Once the dough has risen, gently shape it into a round or oval loaf. Place it in a floured banneton or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel.
• Cover and let it proof in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature for 2-4 hours.

Room Temperature vs. Cold Proofing:

• Cold proofing in the fridge slows down fermentation, developing a deeper flavour. It also makes the dough easier to score and bake.

 

How to Shape and Score Your Sourdough Loaf

Shaping your dough properly helps it rise evenly during baking, while scoring allows steam to escape and creates a beautiful crust.

1. Shape the dough: On a lightly floured surface, gently stretch the dough into a rectangle. Fold the bottom third up, then fold the top third down, like folding a letter. Turn it over and shape it into a tight ball by cupping your hands around the dough and pulling it towards you.
2. Score the dough: Using a sharp knife or a razor blade, make a shallow cut along the top of the dough. This will control how the dough expands during baking.

 

Baking Your Sourdough: Techniques for a Perfect Crust

Baking is where your hard work pays off, transforming the dough into a delicious loaf with a crispy crust and tender crumb.

1. Preheat the oven: Place your Dutch oven in the oven and preheat it to 250°C (482°F).
2. Bake the bread: Carefully transfer the dough into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown.
3. Cool the loaf: Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. This allows the crumb to set and makes slicing easier.

Common Sourdough Problems and How to Fix Them

Every baker encounters challenges, especially when starting out. Here are some common sourdough issues and how to solve them:

• Dense loaf: This could be due to under-proofing. Make sure your dough has doubled in size during the bulk fermentation stage.
• Flat loaf: If your dough spreads out instead of rising, it may be over-proofed. Try reducing the proofing time or shaping the dough more tightly.
• Too sour: If the flavour is too tangy, reduce the fermentation time or feed your starter more frequently.

Why Sourdough is Easier Than You Think

Making sourdough can seem intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s easier than you might expect. The key is to practice and not be afraid to make mistakes. Each loaf you bake is a step closer to mastering the craft.

Feeding Your Starter: The Dos and Don’ts

To keep your starter healthy, feed it regularly with equal parts flour and water. If you’re not baking every day, store it in the fridge and feed it weekly. Always discard some of the starter before feeding to prevent it from becoming too acidic.

Understanding Hydration Levels in Sourdough

Hydration refers to the ratio of water to flour in your dough. Higher hydration doughs (70-80%) create a more open crumb, while lower hydration doughs are easier to work with and produce a denser loaf.

The Science Behind Sourdough Fermentation

Sourdough fermentation involves wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria breaking down sugars in the dough. This process not only leavens the bread but also contributes to its unique flavour and health benefits.

Experimenting with Flavours: Adding Mix-ins to Your Sourdough

Once you’ve mastered the basics, try adding ingredients like seeds, nuts, or dried fruit to your dough. Mix-ins can add texture and flavour, making each loaf uniquely yours.

Storing Your Sourdough Bread

To keep your sourdough fresh, store it in a paper bag or wrapped in a clean kitchen towel. Avoid plastic, as it can make the crust soggy. Sourdough also freezes well—just slice it and store it in a sealed bag for easy access.

Sourdough Glossary: Key Terms to Know

• Autolyse: A rest period after mixing flour and water, allowing the flour to fully hydrate.
• Bulk fermentation: The initial rise period where the dough ferments and develops flavour.
• Levain: A portion of starter mixed with fresh flour and water, used to leaven the dough.
• Scoring: Making cuts on the surface of the dough before baking to control expansion.

Conclusion
Making sourdough is a journey of patience, practice, and discovery. Each loaf you bake will teach you something new, bringing you closer to mastering this ancient craft. Don’t be discouraged by challenges along the way—every baker has faced them. Keep practicing, experiment with flavours, and most importantly, enjoy the process. Sourdough baking is as much about the journey as it is about the delicious bread you’ll create. Start by sourcing your ingredients here.