Overnight Sourdough Bread Recipe (Perfect for Beginners)
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Learn how to make delicious overnight sourdough bread at home with a step-by-step video that’s perfect for the beginner and that your family will love.
Overnight Sourdough Bread recipe is the perfect recipe to learn baking with a sourdough bread starter. Our step-by-step instructions and video will have you creating an amazing loaf of bread at home in no time.
This Sourdough Bread recipe couldn’t be easier to make and it’s a lot quicker compared to other sourdough bread recipes from starters.
This 500g homemade sourdough recipe has a tender crumb with a slightly sour flavor surrounded by a beautiful crisp crust that has that pull you want in artisan bread.
Sourdough Bread had been on this list for 3 years! I let uncertainty and trepidation keep me from jumping on the Sourdough Bread bandwagon. How can Bread and water be intimidating? Right?
Participating in an online monthly bread challenge finally pushed me into trying sourdough, and the rest is history.
I was fortunate enough to receive some dried starter from a wonderful woman named Selma. Selma passed away a few years ago but her blog “Selma’s Table” still remains and I consult it often. This is a recipe that I got from her blog.
She named her starter “Twinkle” and encouraged everyone to name theirs too. My starter’s name is “Phoenix” because she rose from dust. She has amazing vigor. I’m not always vigilant about keeping her fed but she doesn’t hold it against me and rises to the occasion every time.
I’ve included photos of my 1st loaf and a recent one at the end of this post. I’m proud of both and hope you’ll try this basic sourdough bread recipe too.
Hello, Julie. Just wanted to say thank you for sharing your overnight sourdough recipe as it really works well for me, a lot of people have shared their methods and this one is simply the best one I have come across so far. So thank you again!”
Kris T
What is Sourdough Bread
Sourdough bread is made by fermentation of dough using naturally occurring lactobacilli and yeast. Sourdough bread has a mildly sour taste not present in most bread made with baker’s yeast and keeps better than other bread due to the lactic acid produced by the lactobacilli. Wikipedia
What is different about sourdough bread?
The difference is in how they are made. Regular bread is made using store-bought yeast that reacts with gluten making the dough rise. Sourdough bread is made with a “starter“. This starter is made from a combination of yeast and bacteria growing inside a paste made of flour and water.
Make your own starter!
If you have questions on making or using a Bread Starter, read “How To Make Your Own Bread Starter (and how to maintain it).”
Health Benefits of Sourdough bread
The fermentation that occurs from using a starter has been shown to lower blood sugar, be easier to digest and can even be tolerated by gluten resistant individuals.
However, that’s not to say it is gluten-free. Sourdough bread contains higher levels of folate and antioxidants than other bread. Healthline is a very thorough reference regarding the health benefits of sourdough.
Ingredient Tips:
- Bubbly starter – I recommend feeding your starter and letting it sit out at room temperature 4 to 6 hours or until it increases in volume by about 30% and passes the float test.
- If your dough is runny it can be because your starter was actually starving when you used it.
- Bread Flour – Bread flour has a higher protein content than AP flour. That higher protein provides more structure to your loaf.
- If you substitute they will both be delicious and the texture will be the same but you may find the loaf made with AP flour balloons out more or doesn’t rise as high.
- Water – There’s a lot of controversy regarding water in bread making. Some experts say if you can drink it you can use it to bake with. Other experts say the chlorine can inhibit yeast activity.
- Mineral content (hardness) can reduce extensibility (elasticity and ability to stretch) of the dough.
- Salt – I use fine sea salt. It is easier to incorporate and dissolve than coarser salt.
The above pictures from top left to bottom right.
- The freshly fed starter is thick.
- The Bubbly starter is ready. when bubbly and passes the float test.
- 1st quick knead just to combine ingredients (about 1 minute). The dough is thick and heavy.
- 2nd quick knead after a 30-minute rest. The dough is softer and smoother.
- Dough after 8 hours is full of air bubbles.
- Dough after final delicate knead is smooth and silky.
Absolutely! We love adding dried fruit such as apricots or cranberries, chopped nuts, cheese, olives, or herbs such as rosemary or thyme.
We recommend that you start by adding no more than 20%. So for this 500-gram loaf that would be
500 x 20% = 100 grams. You shouldn’t have to adjust your baking time.
Be careful that you don’t add a lot of moisture. Semi-hard cheeses such as cheddar shredded or diced into smaller pieces work well. Drain fresh fruit or olives of excess juice.
Recipes using a bread starter
- Multi-Grain Wheat Bread Recipe
- Spelt Sourdough Bread
- Sourdough Sandwich Bread using Bread Starter
- Multi-Grain Wheat Bread
- 750gr All-Purpose Flour Sourdough.
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Pro tips for Overnight Sourdough Bread
Resting times
Don’t let bread rule your life! Here are some resting times that may help you to bake according to your schedule
- Counter rise – Written as is, this recipe has a counter rise of 3 to 8 hours. I’ve shaped it and let it rest in a banneton or you can carefully shape it just before baking it. The rise time is variable. If you have a warm kitchen it may be ready sooner. Press your thumb into the dough and if it bounces back slowly it’s ready to bake. If it bounces back quickly, it needs a little more time to rise. If it stays dented, it’s probably over-proofed.
- Refrigerator proofing – If you don’t choose to bake your bread at the 3 to 8 hour counter proof, we recommend a 90 minute to 4 hour counter proof. Shape the dough and place it seam-side up into a banneton basket or a bowl lined with a kitchen towel that’s dusted with flour. We like dusting ours with a 50/50 mix of wheat flour and rice flour. We’ve actually left our bread in the refrigerator for up to 18 hours with no problems.
- When you’re ready to bake, remove the shaped dough from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter while your oven preheats. Place it in the dutch oven, score it, and bake as usual.
If you do the full counter proof and then refrigerate the dough it will be over-proofed. For that reason, try a much shorter counter rise and then refrigerate it.
More helpful tips
- Feed your starter earlier in the day. When it’s bubbly do the test float. If it’s runny it’s used up all its energy and needs to be fed again before you can use it. To see if your starter is ready, put a small amount in a bowl or cup of water. If it floats it’s ready!
- Your bread can be cooked in a cold Dutch oven but I like the color and oven rise I get from preheating my lidded pot.
- To properly bake the bread we rely on an instant-read thermometer. The bread is finished baking when it reaches an internal temperature of 205ºF to 210ºF.
- This bread freezes beautifully. I wrap it in plastic wrap or a ziplock bag and then heavy-duty foil.
- Each time you bake, we keep a notebook and write down anything we do differently such as resting time, baking time, or adding additional ingredients. It’s so difficult to remember what worked the best unless we can look back and see what we were happy about or wanted to do differently the next time. This will also help you to determine what resting times work for you.
YOU MAY NEED
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6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven. – I love this Dutch oven. I have three that are triple the price of this one and it’s my favorite. It bakes my bread perfectly and makes a mean ragu recipe.
Zatoba 1003 Black Walnut Bread Lame Decorative Dough Slasher, 2x2x8 inches – I started out with a lesser quality lame and while this one isn’t expensive it’s definitely better quality and has made a prettier slash in my dough. You can also use a sharp knife.
Instant-read Thermometers aren’t just for meat! I use them to know when my bread is baked. I bake until I get an internal temperature of 205º F to 210º F or anywhere in between.
I have two books (out of several) that I’ve learned so much from. I recommend them exclusively to help in your bread experience. They are easy to read and will help you get that beautiful loaf on the table!
This is a 500gr loaf of bread which isn’t large. Baking bread is all about percentages. If you want a larger loaf, you can adjust the “Servings” in the recipe card and it will calculate your ingredients. (Thank you, Daniel, for this question!)
I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.
Conversions are listed below the recipe card
Overnight Sourdough Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 150 g bubbly starter
- 285 g *purified water or filtered water at room temperature
- 500 g bread flour organic
- 9 g sea salt fine
Instructions
- Squelch all of the ingredients together briefly (just for a minute is enough) with your hand. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold the dough into the bowl several times for about a minute. Cover and leave it out on the counter overnight, 6 to 8 hours. In the morning it will have doubled in volume at least.
- Pre-heat the oven to 475 °F (240/250C) (I preheat to 475°F and place your lidded pot inside to heat up. You can use an enamel Dutch oven or aluminum roaster. You can also put the dough into a cold pot.
- Dust your counter with flour. I use a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and then dusted with rice flour. It makes it easy to pick up the dough. Scrape the dough out onto the counter. Don’t punch it down. You want to keep as many of those bubbles as you can.
- Pull the outside thirds into the middle and shape as you wish. Try to pull the outside of the dough as tightly as possible so it will hold its shape well. I shaped mine into a ball also known as a boule.
- Cover with some oiled plastic wrap loosely. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. Set the timer as this is the only proofing that should NOT be overdone.
- Remove the plastic wrap and slash with a sharp knife or lame.
- Carefully remove the pot from the oven and remove the lid. Carefully place the dough into the pot. I lift mine by the edges of the parchment paper and put the whole thing into the pot. Replace the lid and place in the oven.
- Reduce the heat to 425 °F 220C (425°F convection). Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 205 °F ri 212 °F when tested with an instant-read thermometer.
- Immediately remove from the pot and cool on a cooling rack completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
- If you want to mix bread earlier in the day. After rising for 90 minutes or up to 4 hours at room temperature, shape and set the covered dough in the refrigerator to bake the next day. Remove the dough from the refrigerator to sit out while the oven preheats.
- Feed earlier in the day. When it’s bubbly do the test float. If it’s runny it’s used up all its energy and needs to be fed again before you can use it. To see if your starter is ready, put a small amount in a bowl or cup of water. If it floats it’s ready!
- Your bread can be cooked in a cold dutch oven but I like the color and rise I get from preheating my lidded pot.
- This bread freezes beautifully. I wrap it in plastic wrap or a ziplock bag and then heavy-duty foil.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
Conversions for Overnight Sourdough Bread recipe
We realize that many of you aren’t comfortable using a scale. The closest conversions are the following.
- 4 cups flour
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 2/3 cup starter
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
A disclaimer is that I’ve never made this recipe without weighing the ingredients so I can’t guarantee or possibly troubleshoot any problems you may have with the recipe.
If you like this recipe you may enjoy these too
- Homemade Crusty Bread recipe
- 6 Ingredient Simple Classic Italian Bread Recipe
- Soft Buttermilk Sandwich Bread
- Simple Ciabatta Bread Recipe – Made 2 Ways!
- Spiced Apple Star Bread
This bread was made possible by the resources and recipes shared by Elaine, Selma, and Celia! Please visit all three of these blogs for amazing bread information!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Don’t forget to pin it for later and follow me on Pinterest for more delicious recipes like this one!
Hi, can you just bake this in a regular loaf pan?
I wouldn’t, Lana. You can bake it in a roaster or even free form on a baking stone if you have one. You could even try baking it on a baking sheet I believe but haven’t tried that. Unless you can cover it and trap the steam you will not get that crust. You can set your oven up like a steam oven such as I did in our sourdough sandwich bread recipe that is baked in a loaf pan. https://hostessatheart.com/sourdough-sandwich-bread/?
Does elevation have anything to do with the bread not rising and coming out doughy?
Hi, Cindy! Honestly, I’ve never had to bake bread at a high altitude, but I know that it can be difficult. I found this article which may be of some help. https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/sourdough/how-altitude-affects-sourdough-baking/
I have made this twice and bread turned out wonderful! I am interested in making an olive bread can olives be added to this recipe to create this type of bread?
That’s great Nancy! Yes, you can add anything to this bread that you like. The only tip I would give you is when adding ingredients just be mindful of the items that have a lot of moisture. Of course your olives wouldn’t be a problem.
What a great recipe! I’ve been trying a few different sourdough recipes during lockdown in the UK and most have turned our pretty dense which is a shame when it’s hard to get hold of flour! This recipe was by far the easiest, minimal effort and great results! Thank you again…this will be my go-to recipe from now on!
Thank you so much, Sarah for letting me know!
I bought a banneton basket. Could you tell me if this would work with recipe and if you could tell me how you would use it. thanks
So fun, Sandra! I don’t use it so much with this recipe because when you do the final shape it will remove the texture. I do use it when I make this bread – https://hostessatheart.com/multi-grain-wheat-bread/ and it will show you how to use your banneton too. A lot of the tutorials you will find tell you to put the dough right in the prepared banneton. However, I line it which reduces the amount of flour that gets stuck in it. I had one that molded and so I don’t do that anymore.
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! I had just gotten my first starter from a friend and was overwhelmed by a lot of the recipes and the process. I followed your exactly and my FIRST loaf turned out perfectly!!!!!! I was in total shock and very proud. Now I’m addicted and have made two more loaves and will experiment with other methods too but your recipe was much appreciated. Thank you!
What a kind gesture from your friend Allison, thank her from me! I’m so proud of you. So many people are afraid of taking this leap. Please let me know if I can answer any questions for you or want to see something on the blog. ~ Julie
This was a great recipe, I hadn’t made a sourdough in forever and when I did make it, the starter method wasn’t the best. I definitely didn’t get the sour flavor of a proper sourdough loaf. This loaf came out great! I was fine that I had a smaller loaf, especially when I was scared about it working and all. I will totally try out this recipe again, excellent instruction, and method!
Thank you so much, Jacob! I just love when we have a great bread experience. I let sourdough scare me and don’t want anyone else to think that they don’t have the skills to make it.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I decided to try sour dough. I finally got my starter active. I have tried a few different recipes and have found this one is the best and easiest. I am wondering if I can put this in a warm oven and have it raise faster so I don’t have to wait 8 hours to bake it. Again, this is the easiest recipe I have used and it came out the best.
The thing about sourdough Sandy is that it needs that long fermentation time. I tried speeding it up and got something that resembled sawdust in texture. Thank you so much for your kind words and I’m so glad that you like this recipe!
Hi! Thank you so much for this great beginners recipe! I’m new-ish to sourdough baking but have made regular yeast breads for my family for years. But I couldn’t eat them due to digestive issues. (celiac and UC)
My questions are regarding fermentation. I need a nice 24 hour or more fermentation to break down that gluten. Your overnight is 8 hours but is that where the time is flexible? Could I extend that to 20 hours ? Or do I extend time with more folds and resting periods?
I’ve heard of over fermenting or over proofing and am not sure where the sweet spot is in getting a long ferment cycle without ruining the end result.
I am about to bake my first loaf from your recipe but would love to try again with a longer ferment if possible.
Thank you!
You can slow the fermentation by keeping it in the fridge for a longer period of time Benita. Keep me posted!
Also, are you asking us to preheat the dutch oven at 475 degrees Fahrenheit for over 30 minutes while the bread is resting?
I could smell chemicals all through my house from pre-heating the dutch oven at such a high temp for so long. I just want to be sure I understood.
Also, you bake the bread with the parchment paper inside the Dutch Oven?
Thanks!
Cathi
Yes I preheat my Lodge dutch oven at that high temp with NO chemical smell. What brand are you using? Mine is an enameled cast iron dutch oven. Also I do keep the parchment paper with the bread but make sure your parchment paper is rated for that high heat. I almost had a fire before I realized they’re heat rated.
We got that smell you describe, not from the dutch oven itself but from the lid’s handle, made from resin and not rated higher than 400•F.
Thank you for helping her out!
Tried my first sourdough bread today after 14 feedings. The starter failed the float test, but I baked anyway and it was just fine. Not quite as fluffy as your current loaf though LOL! Thank you for your recipe!
Cathi in Pennsylvania
Thank you Cathi! Are you letting your starter sit at room temperature? How long after the feeding are you using is?
Hi Julie,
I was wondering if you could help me. The first time I made this recipe it turned out beautifully, the best sourdough loaf to date. However each subsequent loaf I have done is turning out worse and worse. I have been following the steps as per video, and the only thing I can think of is that my dough is SO SO SO sticky after the 8 hour rest. I cannot handle it by hand without it half the dough sticking to my hands, therefore not being able to pull the ball tight. I am not using bread flour as it is impossible to find in Canada at the moment, however the very first loaf that turned out so wonderfully also had regular flour in it.
Hi Alex, exchanging all-purpose flour for bread flour shouldn’t make that big a difference except in the rise which might be a little less because APF has less protein. What does your bread feel like after the 30-minute rest? If it is really sticky at that time, I would add enough additional flour to be able to handle it. Please take a look at the video and get that texture. Another thing you could do is let it rest the 30 and then do the knead, cover it and let it rest another 30 minutes. This will let it build more gluten and strengthen it. I sure don’t know why it all worked at first and then didn’t but we’ll get that great loaf back.
Hello, this may be a silly question but I’m super new to sourdough and I’m going to attempt this recipe as my first try at sourdough bead. My question is – after I feed and let my starter become bubbly, do I stir it down before adding to the ingredients or do I pour it out without knocking too much air out? I did skim through the comments and tried googling as well but I’m still questioning it. Thank you
Thank you for your questions Chrissy, it’s one I had, in the beginning, myself and one I’ll address in my post. If your starter passes the float test it is ready to go and you don’t need to worry about stirring the bubbles out of it. Just measure out the amount you need. I hope this helps and your questions help others too. Let me know if you have any other questions. I can’t wait to hear how it goes for you!
Thank you so much for your response and recipe! It turned out fantastic for my first try! I had already mixed up the dough by the time I read you comment and I did stir my starter because I figured, it’s going to get mixed up anyhow. For anyone else who may be interested – my starter was 10 days old when I attempted this recipe. She was doubling in 5 hours and passed the float test. I followed the recipe and instructions to a T but should have added a splash more water as my dough was a little tough and hard to stretch/fold. I let it rise in a closed oven with the light on (it stays about 79 degrees in my particular oven) for 8 hours then refrigerated because it was quite late by then. In the morning I let it sit for about 15 mins before doing the final fold/rest. Baked 40 mins total. And to my surprise and delight, she’s turned out nearly perfect! A good rise, chewy crust, nice pockets/crumb. Great recipe and thanks so much again! I will add a photo to pinterest.
Oh, Chrissy, I am so darned proud of you and appreciate your letting me know and sharing with the community your experience!
Hey there! Thank you for the recipe, I found this one to be the least daunting as a new baker! It came out beautifully and actually tasted great but was very dense. I think it has something to do with my starter which has been established for about 2 weeks now. It did not float? It’s bubbly though so I tried feeding it after removing it from the fridge and letting it come to room temperature. Do you have any suggestions? I want to attempt again! Thank you!
Hi Madeline! Thank you for a detailed description of your process. I feed my starter before bedtime and let it sit out at room temperature before using it the next morning 6-8 hours). I need to clarify this in my post. By refrigerating it, you are slowing it down so it’s not ready to use. I think this will absolutely solve your issue and hope you’ll give it another try and tell me how it goes.
Hi! I’m wondering if when refrigerating overnight, do you do the final fold and shape first? Or in the morning before baking? This will be my 4th attempt at this recipe, and it’s only getting better!
Hi Garret, do a delicate fold the next morning before baking. #3 through #10 of the recipe instructions are all prior to baking. Mine only improved when I first started too! Happy baking. Julie
Would love to try this recipe however i don’t have a scale!
Do you have conversion amounts?
Hi Lorrie, I’m, actually doing a scale giveaway. See https://hostessatheart.com/sourdough-sandwich-bread/. Here are the conversions for this recipe: 500 gr flour is 4 cups, 285 gr water is 1 1/4 cups, 150 grams of starter is 5.25 oz or 2/3 cup, and 9 grams of salt is 1 1/2 tsp. A disclaimer is that I’ve never made this recipe without weighing the ingredients. Let me know if you have any questions! Julie
Thanks so much for the quick reply!!
I am hoping to attempt my first ever loaf tomorrow but I don’t have a Dutch oven. Do you have any suggestions about alternatives that I can try? Not easy to get equipment in lockdown Spain. Thank you for your help.
You can use an aluminum roaster or another oven-safe pan as long as it will handle the temperature. Let me know how it goes Jacqui and thank you for stopping by!
Just made my second loaf using this recipe , and got another winner! I used a multigrain bread flour that had cracked wheat and rye, and whole flax. The resulting loaf is very dense, but I really like heavy, dense loafs, so that’s fine by me. I presume it’s more dense than the photos here because of the flour I used. Thanks for a great recipe!
That blend sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing! You’re right Luis, the flour does affect the crumb. I’ve got a multi-grain recipe that you may use with your flour that may help if you’re finding this too dense. I’ve found that when I use flour that uses more whole grains more water is helpful. https://hostessatheart.com/multi-grain-wheat-bread/
Hello! I live in Singapore and our evening temperatures can go between 27-30 celcius. Is it ok to do overnight proofing at room temperature? Thank you in advance. Not very successful first 2 attempts using other SD bread recipes & I really hope this recipe will be a success for me. 🙂
That’s about the perfect temp for the overnight rise Sien so definitely do the overnight proof at room temperature. Let me know how it goes!
Thank you Julie! Will keep you posted!
My best loaf ever! Thank you so much! This recipe is a keeper! 🙂
Hi Julie!
Just wanted to say THANKS SO MUCH! First time ever baking sourdough and it’s a success! I had some issues with the starter, but managed to get it going and I have a beautiful loaf now that may or may not last until tomorrow I’ll be sticking to your recipe forever
Thank you, Karolina! You’ve made my day with such a sweet comment. Welcome to the sourdough bread community!
Julie- I’m probably writing this too late at night for you to see this comment but I have a question: I’ve been proofing two loaves since about 4:00 PM. Right now it’s 10:15 so about 6 hours. I am worried about over-proofing because the earliest I will get up in the morning is about 6:00 AM. Should I stick these in the fridge to slow-proof, or in the cool garage for a not-quite-as-slow-proof, or leave on the counter in my 68-70 fahrenheit kitchen. Thoughts?
So sorry I missed this Erin! I would definitely have put it in the refrigerator and then you can bake it at your convenience the next morning. I oil all of my bowls for rising whether it’s sourdough or quick yeast. I’m sad your bread didn’t come out well. I hope you’ll give it another try and report SUCCESS!
I just ate a thick slice and the flavor is absolutely amazing, even if the rise isn’t quite as high as I would have liked. The gluten structure is not awful and it has some nice airy holes too, it’s just not very tall. It tastes so much like the sourdough miche bread that my German great aunt and uncle used to bring us when I was little, it’s a very nostalgic flavor for me. The combination of ry spelt and bread flour is gorgeous! I just fed my AP starter and will try another loaf tonight with White bread flour alone.
Oh, and I forgot to say that I hedged between the kitchen counter and the fridge and put the dough in my 50 degree F garage. Next time I will try the fridge because I think I like the flavor this cold fermentation offers. At least I think it’s in part due to the cold fermentation…maybe it’s jus the fours? I guess I’ll find out with experimentation!
That’s great Erin! For a spelt loaf did you see our Spelt Sourdough? https://hostessatheart.com/spelt-sourdough-bread/ is amazing. I really like the flavor that develops with the slow fermentation you get by putting it in the refrigerator. Enjoy your day my bread baking friend!
Starter question: I have just created a new starter and it’s not super strong. I noticed yesterday it took more like 10hr to get bubbly and float-able. So…am I to keep feeding and waiting a few more days (is it not truly ready yet)? Or should I go with it when it is bubbly? I fed this morning and it’s not ready 6hr later but it def didn’t rise and fall already bc I checked every 3 hours…it smells amazing (very bread-like) and has a good appearance once it is bubbly I’m just wondering if it will even be able to rise a loaf at this point?
I’ve had three failed attempts (two that probably could’ve been saved had I more knowledge)…first one grew mold, second I forgot to feed for several days (should NOT have thrown that one out), third got left in oven when someone preheated . Needless to say, I’m nervous thanks for any help!
How long have you been consistently feeding this new starter Allison? It will take 5 to 8 days to grow before I would bake with it. Also, are you feeding it with even ratios? What kind of lour are you using? An active starter should be close 6 hours after feeding. What I do is feed mine before I go to bed and then do the float test first thing in the morning. You’ve sure had some starter drama lol. Let’s get you a hearty one that you can maintain. I’m here it help you.
This is day 10. I’ve been using the 1:1:1 ratio with plain old all-purpose (as was recommended in the recipe I was following). Now it’s looking really bubbly. I’ll take a chance it try it now and see what happens! But I’ve also read it takes months for the starters to really get crazy strong.
My new starter that I made last summer was just as vigorous as my starter that I’ve been maintaining for years so you never know. Glad it’s perking up for you!
Update: 1) the bread turned out INCREDIBLE. So tangy and delicious. The crust is so beautiful. 2) the starter got really bubbly and crazy this morning so I guess it’s just hit it’s stride! Can’t wait to see the next loaf with it seeing how well the first loaf turned out…Thanks for the recipe and great instructions, as well as your helpful replies!
Allison, I’m so happy for you! It’s so exciting when you get something that beautiful from your own hands right? Thank you for letting me know!
Even though my starter gets bubbly, I’ve never had one that passes the float test. Not surprisingly, I’ve also never managed to make a sourdough loaf with a good rise. I feel like I’m sourdough cursed. Trying again tonight — fingers crossed!
Shoot Amy! Maybe try feeding your starter right before bed and using it first thing in the morning. Or, you can feed it and just watch when it hits it’s highest rise point and see how long that takes. Try the float time then and use that for your measure of when it’s best to use.
Hi! I’m loving this recipe and have had success with one loaf (do I call this a loaf?) and am currently proofing my next one!
Question: when I let it sit over night it does get larger but I don’t visibly see any big bubbles like in your video.. why might that be? Also when I go to transfer it to my pan to fold over I notice that the top has gotten dry and seems to have sort of a crust over the top? When I start folding it to its final shape I’m able to mix some of the out (as I’m stretching the sides and folding to the middle) but I wonder what might be making it so dry on the top overnight?
Hi Dana! What are you covering it with for the overnight rest? I put it in an oiled bowl and turn it so the top gets some oil on it too and then covering it with a piece of plastic wrap that’s been spritzed with cooking oil might help too. Also, don’t flour the top. This will dry it. You shouldn’t be developing this crust. Temperature might have something to do with how your “loaf” develops over night. If it’s cool in your kitchen, you can just put the bowl in the microwave (off) so it’s out of drafts. I’ve also just heated a cup of water for about 90 seconds and left it in there so my bread has a warm moist place to rise. I hope this helps. Please let me know.
I wish I had read this comment earlier, regarding using an oiled bowl for the overnight rest. My dough rested right into the bowl that I originally mix it in. I must have missed this oiling of the bowl I the instructions and video. I didn’t notice that oil was used anywhere until the final 30 minute rest which indicated that the plastic wrap should be oiled. So my dough stuck to the bowl considerably.. I had a very hard time getting it out and it deflated quite a bit in the process. It just went into my preheated dutch oven, but it was subsequently very flat. Maybe I’ll get some oven spring back in the baking process! Next time I will use an oiled bowl for the overnight rest for sure.
I’m noticing that when I let the dough rest in the fridge overnight after rising, and then fold into a boule, after baking I can clearly see a gummy outline of the boule folds. Is this because the dough is too cold and not incorporating correctly? Thanks.
Hi Lindsay. The only reason I think you’re getting a gummy outline is because of the condensation of a warmer dough into the cold refrigerator. That condensation becomes thick when it mixes with the dough. You also said you don’t have a banneton. You don’t need one. You can use a bowl and just line it with a dish towel and dust it with your flour. I will just flip the sides of the towel over my dough and then put it loosely into a plastic grocery bag and loosely tie the handles of the bag together or tuck them under the bowl. You shouldn’t get condensation collecting by doing this either.
My family says this is the best sourdough bread I made, and I made three others. I tried to make it again last night, but with new, higher-protein flour from a mill (there’s a run on flour in stores). I was uncertain whether to add more water since the dough was so dry because I’m a newbie, but I added just a little more, left it to rest for 30 min. When I tried to stretch and fold, the dough was almost like tight, firm clay, unraveling in the middle, so I spray-bottled more water until it finally came together after three tries/attempted to fix the unraveling. I’m so hesitant to do anything other than the recipe since I’m new, even though I need to go by feel more than exact measurements. After watching your video just now, I’m relieved that the dough was supposed to be drier than I initially thought. First time I made this, dough was very wet, because of the store-bought bread flour. When the milled flour turned the dough drier, I panicked! We’ll see tomorrow. I never know when to add extra flour, so I added it during the first & (added) second S&F.
Hi Carol, You’re right that the flour makes a big difference. I’ve found that whole grain flours need more water so don’t be afraid to add it. It’s about consistency. Also, if your bread is too wet, sometimes just letting it rest and then giving it a few folds will firm it up. Wet breads can be very moist. Hang in there my friend, bread is definitely a learning journey but don’t be afraid of it!
I made one tiny change- I chopped up 6 cloves of garlic and toasted them in a skillet with some fresh rosemary (didn’t measure the rosemary, it was maybe a sprig or two) and folded them in right before the 8 hour rise.
It came out perfect! There is a high end specialty grocery store with a bakery near us, and my favorite bread from them has always been their garlic rosemary sourdough. This is almost exactly the same in taste, texture, everything!!!
Thank you for the awesome recipe and for saving me $7 every time I go by that store!
That’s amazing Nicole! Mixings will not change this bread unless they are in the fat or acidic category such as buttermilk. Since your starter is acidic it doesn’t play nice. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hello from Dubai,
I started two starters during our personal quarantine. One is ready(the one with whole wheat flour) I already baked 3 breads they were pretty good, according to us. Rye based starter will be ready in1-2 days. Tonight I will try your recipe. But I am struggling with the final shaping. I am afraid to lose those nice bubbles This is why I am just folding one round and sprinkle some flour and rest it 30-45 minutes. When I watch videos they are pulling folding and flatting the dough and I am terrified to do that what if my starter used all of its energy in the prior processes.
Helo Sedef! The loaf on the final loaf isn’t overly big and you do deflate it quite a bit in the final shaping. However, it gets an amazing spring back during baking. I try and keep as many bubbles in my loaf as possible and just gently shape it in the final process. Give it a try. Congratulations on your starters! Have you seen our wheat bread recipe that uses a starter? https://hostessatheart.com/multi-grain-wheat-bread/ This recipe doesn’t have that final shaping that your afraid of either. Let me know what you do Sedef and thank you for stopping by!
Thanks a lot, I will let you know tomorrow morning. And I will try multi grain bread as well. It looks yummy. I have already sun flower seeds yay!!! I will use them
Hello, I baked 2 loaves, first one was not as good as I expected but It was by fault because I used whole wheat flour , apparently i needed to put a little bit more water. It was tasty but kind of dense. This morning I baked the second one with my new rye based starter with all purpose flour. It was very tasty we liked it , it was a feast for our breakfast. But I have 2 questions for my future bakings. 1. My dough was very sticky even at the final kneading. I managed to shape it but when I watch your video your dough looks like more manageble and less sticky. Should I decrease the water to 250 grams? 2. Crust was kind of hard and thick for my kids. Do you think that next time I should shift 5 mts of the open lid baking to close baking time. (25 close 15 open). By the way I am feeding both of my starter with 100 gr flour 100 gr water
Thank a lot
Hi Sedef! Flours can definitely affect the crumb of the bread because of the protein contents. Wheat produces a much denser crumb and I too have found that I needed to include more water. Don’t be afraid to add more flour. You want this loaf to be manageable. The crust on this loaf is indeed chewy and perhaps not the favorite for our little ones. You can experiment with your open lid baking. Personally, I would bake more of a sandwich-type loaf for them such as https://hostessatheart.com/whole-grain-bread-recipe/ or https://hostessatheart.com/honey-oat-pain-de-mie/. Congratulations on those loaves! You are well on your way to discovering your favorite artisan bread!