Basic Country White Sourdough

By Loaflo | Yield: 1 large loaf (around 800-900g)

A beginner-friendly sourdough bread made mostly with bread flour at about 70% hydration. It uses simple stretch-and-fold techniques and an overnight proof for flavor development. Difficulty: Easy. Unique characteristics: a mild tang, crisp crust from Dutch oven baking, and an open, tender crumb ideal for everyday use.

Ingredients

500g Bread flour (Unbleached, high-protein flour provides structure)
350g Water (Room temperature (around 70°F/21°C); this is ~70% hydration)
100g Active sourdough starter (100% hydration starter, recently fed (approximately 20% of flour weight))
10g Salt (Fine sea salt or kosher salt (about 2% of flour weight))

Steps

Mixing & Autolyse

In a large bowl, mix the flour and water until no dry bits remain. The dough will be shaggy and somewhat stiff.
Cover the bowl and let the mixture rest for about 30 minutes (autolyse).
After the autolyse, add the 100g of active starter and the salt to the dough.
Use your hands to squeeze and fold the dough, mixing in the starter and salt until evenly incorporated (the dough will start to become stickier and smoother).

Autolysing (resting flour and water) allows enzymes to begin gluten development and hydration before adding salt and starter, making mixing easier and improving dough structure. Adding salt after the autolyse ensures it doesn’t tighten the gluten too early, and fully dissolving the starter into the dough ensures even fermentation.

Bulk Fermentation (First Rise)

Cover the bowl and let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature (~75°F/24°C) for about 4 to 5 hours. During this time, perform stretch-and-folds: every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours, gently stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over onto itself, rotating the bowl and repeating on all sides (about 3-4 folds per session).
After the final fold, leave the dough undisturbed for the remainder of the bulk rise. By the end of bulk fermentation, the dough should have risen about 30-50% in volume, have a smoother surface, and be airy with some bubbles visible.

During bulk fermentation, the wild yeast and bacteria in the starter produce carbon dioxide, causing the dough to rise. The periodic stretch-and-fold technique strengthens the gluten network without intensive kneading, trapping gas and building dough strength for a better rise. By the end of bulk, the dough should feel lighter and billowy.

Shaping

Lightly flour a work surface. Gently turn the fermented dough out of the bowl, trying not to deflate it completely.
Pre-shape the dough into a loose round by folding the edges toward the center, then flipping it seam-side down and cupping your hands around it to form a round. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes under a light cover to relax.
For the final shape, flour your hands lightly. Flip the dough seam-side up. If making a boule (round loaf), pull the edges of the dough to the center again, working around to tighten it. Then flip it over and use your cupped hands to rotate and pull the dough toward you on the bench, tightening the skin to create a smooth, taut surface.
Once shaped into a tight round, place the dough seam-side up in a proofing basket or bowl lined with a floured cloth.

Shaping gathers the dough into a form that will hold its structure during the final rise and baking. The pre-shape and rest allow the dough’s gluten to relax slightly, making final shaping easier. Creating surface tension (a taut outer skin) is crucial for good oven spring, as it directs the expansion upward. A well-shaped boule will have a smooth top with the seam on the bottom.

Proofing (Second Rise)

Cover the shaped dough and let it proof at room temperature for about 1 hour. It will not double in size, but it should puff up slightly. Perform the poke test: gently press a floured finger into the dough; it should spring back slowly, leaving a slight indent.
After this brief room-temperature proof, transfer the entire proofing basket or covered bowl into the refrigerator to cold-proof overnight for 8-12 hours.

A short initial proof at room temperature gives the dough a head-start in rising. The poke test helps gauge readiness: a slow spring back means the dough is adequately proofed. An overnight cold retard in the refrigerator slows down yeast activity significantly while allowing lactic acid bacteria to continue working, enhancing flavor complexity without overproofing the dough:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}. This long, slow proof develops a richer flavor and makes the dough easier to handle and score when cold.

Baking

Place a Dutch oven (cast iron pot with lid) in your oven and preheat it to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes before baking. The pot needs to be thoroughly heated.
When ready to bake, cut a piece of parchment paper slightly larger than your dough and place it over the proofed dough. Invert the basket to release the dough onto the parchment; it should now be seam-side down. Dust off excess flour on the surface of the dough.
Score the dough with a sharp bread lame or razor blade: make a decisive slash about 1/4 inch deep across the top of the loaf (e.g., a single slash or an X pattern) to allow controlled expansion.
Using oven mitts, carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven and take off the lid. Lift the parchment with the dough and lower it into the pot (parchment goes in with the dough). Cover with the lid and place back in the oven.
Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 20 minutes with the lid on (the dough will steam itself, aiding oven spring). Then reduce the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C), remove the lid, and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown.
Carefully remove the loaf from the Dutch oven using the parchment. Let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing (cooling helps set the crumb and crust).

Baking inside a preheated Dutch oven traps steam from the dough, which keeps the crust soft initially and allows the bread to rise maximally in the oven (oven spring). Scoring provides a weak point for expansion, ensuring the loaf opens in a controlled manner rather than bursting randomly. The initial high heat and steam contribute to good rise and crust development, while removing the lid allows the crust to caramelize and crisp up. Cooling the bread is crucial to complete the cooking process internally and prevents the crumb from becoming gummy.

Troubleshooting

Dough is very sticky and hard to handle: This dough is somewhat sticky by design due to the hydration. If it’s unmanageably wet, you may have mis-measured water or your flour has lower absorption. Next time, hold back 5-10% of the water and only add if needed. Also ensure you performed the stretch-and-folds which build strength.
Loaf didn’t rise much in the oven (poor oven spring, dense texture): This could be due to underdeveloped gluten or over-proofing. Make sure you handled the stretch-and-fold process to strengthen the dough. Also, check that the dough wasn’t allowed to proof too long (causing it to exhaust its rise). Slight under-proofing is better than over-proofing for sourdough. Scoring properly and baking in a very hot preheated Dutch oven are also key to good rise.
Crust is too pale or soft: If the crust didn’t brown, your oven or Dutch oven might not have been hot enough. Ensure a proper preheat. Removing the lid for the final bake time allows moisture to escape and crust to crisp. If the crust softened after cooling, try baking a few minutes longer next time, or leave the loaf in the turned-off oven with the door cracked open for 5 extra minutes to dry the crust.