Everyday white sourdough

Makes 1 loaf · about 960g of dough

• Bread flour (high protein, 12–13%)500g
• Water, room temperature (21–24°C / 70–75°F)350g
• Active, ripe sourdough starter (100% hydration, fed and doubled)100g
• Fine sea salt10g

70% hydration

1. 1

   Mix starter and water

   5 min

   Add 100g active starter to 350g room-temperature water and swirl with your hand or a dough whisk until the starter is dissolved and the water looks cloudy. Dissolving it first means it blends evenly through the dough.

2. 2

   Add flour and autolyse

   40 min

   Add 500g bread flour to the bowl. Mix by hand or with a dough whisk until no dry flour remains; the dough will look rough and shaggy, and that is correct. Cover and rest for 30 to 40 minutes so the flour fully absorbs the water.

3. 3

   Add salt

   5 min

   Sprinkle 10g fine sea salt evenly over the dough. Wet your hand slightly and pinch/fold the dough repeatedly until the salt is fully worked in and disappears, about 2–3 minutes.

4. 4

   Bulk fermentation with stretch and folds

   4 h

   Perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds at 30-minute intervals: wet your hand, grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat 4 times per set. After the 4th set, cover and leave the dough completely undisturbed until it looks puffy and has grown by roughly 30–50% in volume.

   At 20–24°C / 68–75°F this usually takes about 4 hours; a warm kitchen (24–28°C / 75–82°F) can be ready in about 3 hours, a hot one (28°C+ / 82°F+) sooner still, and a cool kitchen (below 20°C / 68°F) may need about 5 hours.

5. 5

   Pre-shape and bench rest

   25 min

   Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a bench scraper or your hands, gently shape it into a loose round by dragging it toward you in a circular motion. Let it rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

6. 6

   Final shape

   10 min

   Flour the top of the dough and flip it over. Fold the edges into the centre, then roll and tuck the dough toward you to build a tight, taut surface. Place it, folded side up, into a well-floured banneton or a bowl lined with a floured tea towel.

7. 7

   Cold retard (overnight proof)

   12 h

   Cover the banneton/bowl tightly with a reusable cover, cling film, or a shower cap, and place it in the fridge for 8–16 hours.

8. 8

   Preheat the oven and Dutch oven

   50 min

   Place your empty Dutch oven (with lid) on the middle rack and preheat the oven to 245°C (225°C fan) / 475°F for 45–60 minutes.

9. 9

   Score and bake covered

   20 min

   Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven. Invert the cold dough onto a sheet of baking parchment and lower it into the pot. Cut the top with a sharp blade in one confident motion. Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes.

10. 10

    Bake uncovered

    25 min

    Remove the lid, reduce the oven to 230°C (210°C fan) / 450°F, and continue baking for 20–25 minutes, until the crust is deep golden-brown and a probe thermometer inserted into the centre reads 96–98°C / 205–208°F.

11. 11

    Cool

    2 h

    Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let it cool completely, at least 1.5–2 hours, before slicing.