There’s something magical about baking bread, especially when it’s sourdough bread. With its crispy crust, airy crumb, and tangy flavor, sourdough bread has become a staple in many kitchens. But making sourdough bread can be intimidating, especially for beginners. In this article, we’ll demystify the process and provide a recipe for a delicious and simple no knead sourdough bread recipe.
Sourdough Bread Tips for Beginners:
Making sourdough bread can be a bit daunting for beginners. However, with these tips, you’ll be on your way to baking beautiful loaves of sourdough bread in no time:
- Start with a simple recipe (like this one!) and work your way up to more complex recipes.
- Use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients, as it will give you more accurate results.
- Use filtered water for your sourdough starter and bread dough. Chlorine and other chemicals in tap water can inhibit the growth of yeast and bacteria.
- Don’t rush the process – sourdough bread requires time and patience.
Sourdough Bread Tools Breakdown:
Sourdough Toold dough:
- Kitchen Scale. A kitchen scale is an essential tool for baking, especially when it comes to making sourdough bread. Measuring ingredients by weight, rather than by volume, ensures accuracy and consistency in your recipe. A kitchen scale enables you tp weigh flour, water, and other ingredients with precision. This makes it an indispensable tool for any home baker.
- Stand Mixer. A stand mixer is a kitchen appliance used to mix and knead dough, as well as perform other kitchen. It’s a great tool to have for bread making, as it can save time and energy during the kneading process.
- Dough Whisk. A tool commonly used for mixing bread dough is a dough whisk, which typically consists of a long handle with wire loops at the end that effectively mix ingredients. They are a popular tool because they mix dough the without incorporating too much air and overworking the gluten. I use this Jillman Dough Whisk.
Proving:
- Banneton. A banneton, or a proofing basket, is used to house your dough while it proves. It helps the dough keep its shape as it rises and gives the bread a beautiful, artisanal look. I use these:
- Bench Scraper. A bench scraper is used to scrape dough off the work surface and divide dough into portions. It’s a useful tool to have when working with sticky doughs like sourdough. I use this one:
Baking:
- Bread Lame or Scoring Knife. A bread lame is a traditional tool used for scoring sourdough bread dough. It consists of a handle and a replaceable razor blade. The blade can be adjusted to different angles for different scoring patterns. A scoring knife is similar, but instead of a handle, it has a long, thin blade with a sharp edge. It’s ideal for scoring large loaves of bread or for making longer cuts.
- Dutch Oven or Baking Stone. A Dutch oven or baking stone is used to create a steamy environment for your sourdough bread in the oven. This helps the bread rise and develop a crispy crust. A Dutch oven is a heavy, lidded pot made of cast iron or ceramic. A baking stone is a flat, porous stone used to evenly distribute heat in the oven.
Note: if you are a beginner, Amazon also has great and affordable kits with all the necessary bread gear. Like this one.
How to Know When Your Sourdough Starter is Ready to Bake With:
Your sourdough starter is the heart and soul of your sourdough bread. Knowing when it’s ready to use is essential for a successful bake. Here are some signs to look for:
- Bubbles: Your sourdough starter should be bubbly and active, with a layer of foam on top.
- Rise and Fall: Your starter should be able to double in size after feeding, and then collapse again. This means that the yeast in your sourdough starter is active and healthy.
- Smell: Your sourdough starter should have a pleasant, slightly sour smell, like fresh yogurt or vinegar. If it smells overly sour or foul, it may be past its prime and in need of a feeding.
- Float Test: You can also perform a float test to see if your starter is ready. Drop a small spoonful of your starter into a glass of water. If it floats, it’s ready to use. If it sinks, it may need more time to develop.
Once your starter is active and bubbly, it’s ready to use in your sourdough bread recipe.
Simple Sourdough Bread Recipe Without Starter:
While I highly encourage you to make your own sourdough starter, you can still make delicious sourdough bread without it! Here’s how to make this simple sourdough bread recipe without starter:
- Combine 3 cups of bread flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of instant yeast, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of plain yogurt and 1 1/2 cups of lukewarm water.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, either by hand or using a stand mixer.
- Cover the dough and let it rise for 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Follow the rest of the recipe as written, using the commercial yeast and yogurt mixture instead of the sourdough starter.
Shaping Sourdough
The classic shapes for sourdough bread are the boule and the batard. The boule is a round loaf of bread that is shaped like a ball. A batard is an elongated loaf that is shaped like an oval or torpedo. Both shapes are popular for sourdough bread because they allow the dough to rise and develop a crispy crust. Shaping the dough takes practice, but once you master the technique, you can create beautiful and delicious sourdough bread.
Boule. After the final proof, gently remove the sourdough bread dough from the banneton and place it on a lightly floured surface. Gently fold the dough over onto itself, creating a tight ball shape. Use your hands to pull the dough towards the center, creating tension on the surface of the dough. Place the dough into a floured banneton or proofing basket, seam-side up.
Batard. After the final proof, gently remove the sourdough bread dough from the banneton and place it on a lightly floured surface. Gently fold the dough in half, lengthwise. Use your fingers to create a crease in the center of the dough. Fold one side of the dough over the crease, then fold the other side over the top. Use your hands to roll the dough towards you, creating a tight log shape. Place the dough into a floured banneton or proofing basket, seam-side up.
Scoring Your Sourdough
Scoring is an important step in the sourdough bread baking process. It involves using a bread lame to make shallow cuts on the surface of the dough just before baking. Scoring serves several purposes. Firstly, it allows the dough to expand during baking, preventing it from bursting open in random places. Secondly, it creates a beautiful pattern on the surface of the bread, adding to its aesthetic appeal. Thirdly, it helps control the release of steam during baking, which affects the development of the crust. Finally, scoring can be used to indicate the type of bread or the baker’s signature mark. Scoring is a crucial step in the sourdough bread baking process that helps achieve both aesthetic and functional results.
Here tips on the proper way to score sourdough:
- Use a sharp, serrated knife or a razor blade to make the cuts. This will help create clean, precise cuts that won’t tear the dough.
- Make sure the dough is properly proofed before scoring. The dough should be slightly springy to the touch and have a visible rise.
- Score the dough just before placing it in the oven. This will ensure that the cuts don’t seal up before the sourdough bread has a chance to expand.
- Make shallow cuts at a slight angle. This will allow the bread to expand evenly and prevent it from bursting in one spot.
- Be confident and deliberate when making the cuts. Hesitation or uncertainty can lead to uneven cuts and a less attractive finished product.
Remember, practicing is key to scoring sourdough, so don’t be discouraged if your first few loaves are not perfect. With time and practice, you’ll be able to create beautifully scored loaves of sourdough bread. Once comfortable, you can begin experimenting with different scoring patterns to create unique designs on the surface of your bread. Popular patterns include a cross, a tic-tac-toe pattern, or a spiral, but can be as complex as leaves and flowers!
The Most Difficult Part of All: Let Your Sourdough Cool!
While the smell of your sourdough bread will tempt you to slice into it right away, PLEASE let it cool! As the bread bakes, moisture is trapped inside the loaf, and it continues to cook after it’s removed from the oven. Allowing the bread to cool slowly helps to evenly distribute the moisture throughout the loaf, which helps to create a tender and flavorful crumb. If you slice into the bread while it’s still hot, the moisture will escape, and the bread will become dry and tough. In addition, cutting into a hot loaf can cause the bread to become misshapen or lose its crust. To get the best texture and flavor, it’s recommended that you let your sourdough bread cool on a wire rack for at least 1-2 hours before slicing into it.
How to Make a Sourdough Starter
Simple No Knead Sourdough Bread Recipe:
Simple & Delicious Sourdough Bread
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale optional
- Large mixing bowl or Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- Bread lame or sharp knife for scoring
- Proofing basket or bowl lined with a clean, floured towel
- Baking stone or Dutch oven optional
Ingredients
- 500 g bread flour
- 375 g water
- 100 g sourdough starter See my Sourdough Starter blog post (linked above)
- 12 g salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the bread flour, water, and sourdough starter. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Add the salt to the dough and mix on low speed for another 2-3 minutes, until it is fully incorporated.
- Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours, until it has doubled in size.
- Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a few times to release any air bubbles.
- Shape the dough into a round or oblong loaf, depending on your preference. (See the videos and instructions above for shaping tips). Place the shaped dough into a proofing basket, seam side down.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel and place in the fridge overnight. [If you cannot wait to test your delicious bread, simply let it rise again for 1-2 hours, until it has increased in size by about 50%].
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and place a baking stone or dutch oven inside to preheat as well.
- Carefully transfer the dough to the baking stone or dutch oven. Score the top of the dough with a bread lame or sharp knife.
- Bake the bread for 45 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown, and the internal temperature of the bread reaches 200°F (93°C). If you are using a dutch oven, remove the cover about half way through the baking time.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
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