Beginner Sourdough Recipe

It is important to make sure your starter has been fed before you bake and is at its peak, having doubled in volume or more. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the water and active starter until the starter is mostly dissolved.

Add the baker's flour to the water and starter mixture. Combine until a shaggy dough forms with no dry flour remaining.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle in the salt and mix well, pinching and folding the dough until it begins to smooth out and develop a stretchy, elastic structure.

Fit the dough hook. Add the flour and water to the mixer bowl and mix briefly on the lowest speed, just until no dry flour remains. Cover and leave to autolyse for 30 minutes.

Add the active starter and mix for 4 minutes on a low kneading speed. Use speed 2 on a KitchenAid, minimum to speed 1 on a Kenwood, or the lowest dough-kneading speed recommended for your mixer.

Add the salt and mix for a further 4 minutes at the same low speed. If using seeds, add them during the final minute. The dough should look smoother and feel elastic.

Turn the dough out onto the bench, gently shape it into a round and place it in a clean bowl.

Over the next 3 hours, perform 6 stretch-and-folds or coil folds, one every 30 minutes. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel when you are not working with the dough.

Cover the bowl and leave the dough to bulk ferment. Stretch-and-folds are generally not necessary because the mixer has already developed the dough's strength.

At a dough temperature of around 25–27°C, allow the dough to rise by approximately 70%. Use the rise as a guide rather than relying only on time. The dough should look aerated, feel lighter and jiggle when the bowl is moved.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. If you are making multiple loaves, use a dough scraper to divide the dough into equal portions by weight. Gently shape each portion into a round, pulling the sides slightly underneath to create tension on the surface. Rest for 30 minutes.

Shape the dough into your preferred loaf shape and place it seam-side up in a floured banneton or proofing basket.

While we update our own videos, we have included links to Maurizio Leo from The Perfect Loaf demonstrating how to shape both a round loaf (boule) and an oval loaf (batard). Maurizio is a highly respected figure in the sourdough community, and we find his videos clear, practical and easy to follow.

Cover lightly with cling wrap, a plastic bag, a tea towel or baking linen, then proof overnight in the refrigerator. This step is optional, but we highly recommend it if you have the time.

Preheat the oven to 250°C with a Dutch oven inside. Once the oven reaches temperature, continue heating the Dutch oven for another 30–40 minutes so it is evenly heated and very hot. If you do not have a Dutch oven, use an oven-safe pot with a lid.

If you have a dough sling, use it to transfer the loaf into the preheated Dutch oven. Score the dough with a lame, cover with the lid and leave the sling beneath the dough for the entire bake. Depending on your lame and Dutch oven, you may find it easier to score the loaf before transferring it.

Reduce the oven temperature to 240°C. Bake for 30–40 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and continue baking until the crust reaches your preferred colour, usually another 15–20 minutes.

Remove loaf from Dutch oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing, ideally until the loaf is completely cooled.