Sourdough Bread Wild Yeast (Printable View)

Create bakery-style sourdough with wild yeast for exceptional depth of flavor and texture.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3.5 cups bread flour
02 - 1.5 cups water (room temperature)
03 - 0.5 cup active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
04 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

→ Optional for dusting

05 - Rice flour or additional bread flour

# Cooking Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, mix the flour and water until just combined. Cover and let rest for 1 hour (autolyse).
02 - Add the sourdough starter and salt. Mix thoroughly until the dough is cohesive.
03 - Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes over 2 hours, keeping the dough covered between sets.
04 - Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until roughly doubled in size.
05 - Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a tight round or oval loaf.
06 - Transfer the shaped dough to a floured proofing basket (seam side up). Cover and refrigerate 8-12 hours for cold fermentation.
07 - Preheat oven to 450°F with a Dutch oven inside.
08 - Gently invert the dough onto parchment paper. Score the top with a sharp blade. Transfer loaf (with parchment) into the hot Dutch oven. Cover and bake 20 minutes.
09 - Remove the lid and bake another 20 minutes until crust is deep golden brown.
10 - Cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crust develops these incredible caramelized flavors you just can't get from store bought bread
  • Your whole house will smell like a professional bakery while it bakes
  • Once you get the rhythm down, it becomes this meditative practice that grounds your entire week
02 -
  • Your starter needs to be at peak activity, doubled in size and full of bubbles, or your bread won't rise properly
  • That cold proof in the refrigerator is non negotiable for the best flavor and easier handling
  • Wait the full hour before slicing, otherwise you'll ruin the crumb structure and release all that precious steam
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale for all measurements, sourdough is too precise for volume measuring
  • The Dutch oven creates steam automatically, giving you that professional bakery crust at home

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