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Basic Sourdough Bread

From the book The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart

Total Time	3 days
Yield	2 loaves

Introduction

This third (and final) step in making sourdough bread uses the barm made from the seed culture to create a bakeable dough.

Ingredients

Firm starter

	⅔	cup (4 ounces) barm
	1	cup (4½ ounces) unbleached high-gluten or bread flour (see Note)
	⅛ to ¼	cup (1 to 2 ounces) water

Final dough

	4½	cups (20¼ ounces) unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
	2	tsp. (½ ounce) salt
	1½ to 1¾	cups (12 to 14 ounces) lukewarm water (90 to 100 degrees)
	~	Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting

Steps

Remove the barm from the refrigerator and measure it out 1 hour before making the firm starter to take off the chill. To do this, dip a ⅔-cup measuring cup into a bowl of water, then scoop it into the barm to fill (the wet cup will allow the barm to slide out easily). Transfer it to a small bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and allow it to warm up for 1 hour.
Add the flour to the bowl and mix together the barm and the flour, adding only enough additional water so that you can knead this into a small ball. You do not need to work this very long, just until all the flour is hydrated and the barm is evenly distributed. Lightly oil a small bowl or mist the inside of a plastic bag with spray oil, and place the starter in the bowl or bag, turning to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl or seal the bag.
Ferment at room temperature for approximately 4 hours, or until the starter has at least doubled in size. If it takes more time than 4 hours, give it additional time, checking every hour or so. Then put it in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove the starter from the refrigerator 1 hour before making the dough. Cut it into about 10 small pieces with a pastry scraper or serrated knife. Mist with spray oil, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let sit for 1 hour to take off the chill.
To make the dough, stir together the flour and salt in a 4-quart mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Add the starter pieces and enough water to bring everything together into a ball as you stir with a large metal spoon (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment).
Sprinkle the counter with flour, transfer the dough to the counter, and knead by hand for 12 to 15 minutes (or mix with the dough hook for 4 minutes on medium-low speed, allow the dough to rest for 5 to 10 minutes, and then mix for 4 minutes). Adjust the water or flour as needed. The dough should be firm but tacky. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Ferment at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, or until the dough has nearly doubled in size.
Gently remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 2 equal pieces (about 22 ounces each), or divide it into smaller pieces if you are making rolls. Gently shape the dough into round or oblong shapes.
Proof the dough on parchment-lined sheet pans that have been dusted with semolina flour or cornmeal. Mist the exposed part of the dough with spray oil and loosely cover the dough with a towel or plastic wrap. Proof the loaves for 2 to 3 hours.
Prepare the oven for hearth baking by placing a large cast-iron pan or heavy-duty baking pan on the top rack. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Ten minutes before baking, remove the towel or plastic wrap from the loaves. Generously dust a baking peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal, and gently transfer the dough to the peel or pan. (If dough was proofed in a sheet pan, it can be baked directly in that pan.) Score the dough and slide it onto a baking stone (or leave it in the sheet pan) and place it in the oven.
Pour 1 cup hot water into the cast-iron or heavy-duty baking pan on the top oven rack and close the oven door. After 30 seconds, spray the oven walls with water and close the door. Repeat twice more at 30-second intervals.
After the final spray, lower the oven setting to 450 degrees and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the loaves 180 degrees for even baking and continue baking for another 10 to 20 minutes, or until the loaves are done. They should register 205 degrees in the center, be a rich golden brown all over, and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.
Transfer the finished loaves to a rack and cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing or serving.

Notes

You can substitute other types of flour, including whole-wheat flour, for some or all of the high-gluten or bread flour. Use 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour, rye flour, or a combination of both flours for a classic French pain au levain.

Read more about making homemade bread in Melissa Lion’s essay, “The sourdough apprentice.”

This content is from the book The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart.

Sift

Sourdough made simple

How to make your own starter

First Person

The sourdough apprentice

Two weeks, five pounds of flour, one loaf

Dinner Guest Blog

‘Sourdough fever’s got me’

Making starter at home

The Bread Baker’s Apprentice

Barm

The second step in making sourdough bread.

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sourdough,
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There are 60 comments on this item

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Average Rating 5

26% recommend this recipe

1. by elliemay on Nov 20, 2008 at 4:39 PM PST

I love homemade sourdough bread! I just started making it, and have been have been pretty successful so far (although my shaping technique certainly leaves something to be desired.) I use a little bit of rye flour and a little bit of whole wheat for extra flavor. Yum!

2. by Morgan on Nov 20, 2008 at 7:09 PM PST

Sourdough is my favorite! I’ll have to give this a try sometime soon.

3. by sito on Nov 21, 2008 at 9:04 AM PST

I love sourdough bread but have never had all the directions together at the same time. I will be starting my sourdough starter this weekend.

4. by catriona_sweeps on Nov 21, 2008 at 9:20 AM PST

I love the smell and taste of fresh hot sourdough. I’m excited to have the complete recipe to follow.

5. by cdziuba on Nov 21, 2008 at 9:28 AM PST

Great recipe. I had to get a taste for sourdough, I didn’t like it initally. cdziuba@aol.com

6. by Kelly F on Nov 21, 2008 at 12:06 PM PST

This is a great recipe. I can’t wait to make it into a soup bowl. Soup and sourdough bread is the best!

7. by pinkii666 on Nov 21, 2008 at 12:09 PM PST

Love sourdough bread

8. by anonymous on Nov 21, 2008 at 12:37 PM PST

Please enter me in the giveaway. I love to bake!

mjf926 at gmail dot com

_Melinda

9. by Joy on Nov 21, 2008 at 12:37 PM PST

Baking is so much fun, please enter me. This recipe looks easy and tasty

10. by M. Fathel on Nov 21, 2008 at 12:38 PM PST

Please enter me!

11. by Matthew Meisenhelder on Nov 21, 2008 at 12:42 PM PST

this looks like a really great recipe.

its simply, yet have the wow factor. i will definitely try it !

12. by fangirl on Nov 21, 2008 at 1:49 PM PST

I love the easy to follow step by step instructions. I think I could do this. And... I love SourDough.

13. by mverno on Nov 21, 2008 at 3:13 PM PST

love the recipe i’ll certainly try it

14. by chromiumman on Nov 21, 2008 at 3:16 PM PST

gonna have to try this

15. by LOVESTOBAKEJUSTLAZY on Nov 21, 2008 at 3:43 PM PST

looks yummy

16. by Aletha Hendrickson on Nov 21, 2008 at 3:49 PM PST

I love sourdough bread and have a friend who makes it regularly. It takes expertise and tenacity, but Melissa’s instructions make it seem doable.

17. by geekbearinggifts on Nov 21, 2008 at 4:57 PM PST

Thank you for the detailed instructions. I’ve found with bread I really need everything spelled out for me.

18. by MARILOUISE on Nov 21, 2008 at 5:47 PM PST

I love sourdough so that was this was the first recipe I went to, only to find that I had to go back and read the barm and seed culture to be able to make the bread.

19. by anonymous on Nov 21, 2008 at 9:49 PM PST

Oh this looks sooo good. I LOVE sourdough and can’t wait to try this!

leachamb@charter.net

20. by mimikgt on Nov 22, 2008 at 1:47 AM PST

I love the smell of bread cooking. This sounds good.

21. by anonymous on Nov 22, 2008 at 8:00 AM PST

Would love to become a well-known bread-baker and bake this bread.

22. by Christina on Nov 22, 2008 at 10:47 AM PST

Please enter me, thanks!

23. by LIDARKSIDE on Nov 22, 2008 at 11:54 AM PST

Sour dough bread was an acquired taste for me.

24. by DePro on Nov 22, 2008 at 12:26 PM PST

Love sour dough bread. Takes a little work, but it’s worth smelling fresh, hot bread.

25. by azdave58 on Nov 22, 2008 at 12:33 PM PST

Great recipe, it look scrumptious.

26. by Lagniappe on Nov 22, 2008 at 2:39 PM PST

Basic Sourdough Bread - now that’s a sourdough bread.

My mom’s sourdough “plant” was in use for over 35 years, and I can say the resulting bread was always delicious!

27. by steadier572 on Nov 22, 2008 at 2:54 PM PST

I bake bread all the time but have never tried to make sourdough bread. My husband would love this.

28. by aleach61 on Nov 22, 2008 at 3:51 PM PST

This looks like it would be fun to try.

29. by mcferret on Nov 22, 2008 at 4:56 PM PST

Love having all three steps in making this bread! The book should be fabulous!

30. by Julie Donahue on Nov 22, 2008 at 11:40 PM PST

I’d love to learn to make this. Hubby loves sour dough. And San Fransisco is too far away now!

31. by samanthapayntr on Nov 23, 2008 at 2:37 AM PST

this sounds like an awesome recipe!

32. by anonymous on Nov 23, 2008 at 6:03 AM PST

Thanks for the opportunity to win this book and for posting what looks like an easy to achieve recipe.

Nan

33. by Carla Pullum on Nov 24, 2008 at 11:55 AM PST

What a great recipe!! LOVE BREAD!
Carla

34. by AICORP on Nov 23, 2008 at 10:08 AM PST

I’m always looking for a good sourdough recipe

35. by Teacher A on Nov 23, 2008 at 10:25 AM PST

Sourdough bread reminds me of being a kid. We always made sandwiches using sourdough.

36. by SeahorseLady on Nov 23, 2008 at 10:51 AM PST

This looks like a wonderful recipe. I’m going to have to try it out this week.

37. by teechbiz on Nov 23, 2008 at 12:22 PM PST

i love sour dough bread but until i saw this recipe i was nervous about tryingto make my own. thanks for sending this recipe my way

38. by LynA on Nov 23, 2008 at 1:56 PM PST

Each sourdough bread has a distict taste - It changes from region to region -- I would love to get a starter from another region to change up the flavor of my bread -

39. by saturdaynightfever on Nov 23, 2008 at 2:03 PM PST

This looks like a good way to spend a fall or winter afternoon with my family, who loves sourdough bread!

40. by anonymous on Nov 24, 2008 at 11:55 AM PST

Thank you so much for this wonderfully presented, well-written, and delicious-looking recipe for Sourdough bread.

and thanks you for the giveaway!

41. by thriftycook on Nov 23, 2008 at 2:44 PM PST

I love sour dough bread although I don’t think I have the patience to make it! I would love to win a copy of the cookbook though.

42. by Marianna B. on Nov 23, 2008 at 3:43 PM PST

My grandmother always made the best sourdough but I didn’t realize what all was involved. I can’t wait to try it-will bring back great memories. Thanks for the posts.

43. by anonymous on Nov 23, 2008 at 5:09 PM PST

Can’t wait to try this. I love sourdough bread!

44. by artmarcia on Nov 23, 2008 at 5:39 PM PST

Sourdough bread is so delicious. I have to be careful not to eat too much and gain weight however.

45. by nesta67 on Nov 23, 2008 at 7:18 PM PST

I love sour dough. I will have to give this a try for the holidays.

46. by Dolores Olsen on Nov 23, 2008 at 7:23 PM PST

I had no idea there were 3 steps in making sour dough bread. Making bread is one of my favorite things to do. Would really like to win this book.

47. by momrec on Nov 23, 2008 at 8:15 PM PST

My husband is always trying to make the “perfect” sourdough bread. This book would be ideal for him.

48. by honeythewonder on Nov 23, 2008 at 9:49 PM PST

The sourdough bread looks wonderful.

49. by Kate on Nov 23, 2008 at 10:11 PM PST

This looks amazing! I’ll have to try it.

50. by theodore esteghamat on Nov 23, 2008 at 10:29 PM PST

I love the taste and smell of sourdough bread. can’t wait to make some myself.

51. by Atreau on Nov 23, 2008 at 10:32 PM PST

There is nothing in the world that smells as good as freshly baked sourdough bread.

52. by jayfr on Nov 23, 2008 at 11:08 PM PST

My, this looks tasty.

53. by azur on Nov 24, 2008 at 6:50 AM PST

Sourdough bread is eaten with so many things and so many ways. From San Fransico, CA to Paris, France.

54. by garrettsambo on Nov 24, 2008 at 7:33 AM PST

I can’t wait to try this recipe. I think I am going to bake the bread using the floor combination. garrettsambo@aol.com

55. by Tarah on Nov 24, 2008 at 7:34 AM PST

I love sourdough and this recipe makes it sound so easy to make! Thank you!

56. by sbshortie on Nov 24, 2008 at 7:37 AM PST

I love sourdough but have never made my own. Maybe I will now. Thanks!

57. by lilyk on Nov 24, 2008 at 8:29 AM PST

This recipe sounds very tasty! I will try to bake some sourdough bread soon.

58. by luckyme on Nov 24, 2008 at 8:41 AM PST

This recipe for sourdough bread has me really excited to start making my own bread. A breadmaker
will beon my xmas list. I can smell it now.

59. by Robert Doscher on Nov 24, 2008 at 9:44 AM PST

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, I know good sourdough. I have never made my own however, although I have many recipes for it. Perhaps I will try with this one.

Cheers!

60. by choochoo on Nov 24, 2008 at 11:14 AM PST

I never knew Sourdough bread was such a long process. I guess a good loaf of sourdough will, from now on, be very much appreciated by this palate. Thanks!

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