Go Back

Basic Sourdough Loaf

A basic sourdough bread that tastes amazing!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 55 minutes
Inactive Time 18 hours
Total Time 19 hours 55 minutes
Course Side Dish
Servings 2 loafs

Equipment

  • Cast iron dutch oven or cast iron combo cooker
  • Dough scraper or large clean putty knife
  • Proofing baskets
  • Proofing bags
  • Lame

Ingredients
  

Levine

  • 74 g all-purpose flour
  • 37 g fed sourdough starter
  • 74 g water

Bread

  • 850 g all purpose flour
  • 550 g warm water
  • 15 g salt

Instructions
 

Day 1

  • To make the Levine, mix together 74 g all-purpose flour, 37 g fed sourdough, and 74 g water. Let this sit in proofing box, oven on proof, or a warm spot for 6 hours.
  • An hour before the Levine is ready, mix together 850 g All-Purpose Flour, 550 g water, and 15 g salt. Let sit for an hour in the same warm spot as the Levine.
  • When the Levine is ready, create a well in the bread flour mixture and pour the Levine into it. Mix to combine. This can be done by hand or in a KitchenAid mixture with a dough hook. Once fully combined, let rest for 15 minutes.
  • Over the next hour and a half, stretch and fold the dough. To stretch and fold- take one side of the dough, pull it as far as it will stretch then fold it to the other side of the dough. Do this all around the dough.
  • After the last stretch and fold, left the dough rest 3-6 hours until just under double in size
  • Turn dough out onto the counter and divide into two loaves. Shape dough into two balls creating surface tension across the top.
  • Place into proofing basket, top side down, and place into a proofing bag before putting into the refrigerator overnight for 12-24 hours.

Day 2

  • The next day, put a cast iron dutch oven in the oven set to 500 F Degrees (or as high as your oven goes).
  • After an hour, take one loaf out of the refrigerator. Gently pour loaf onto parchment paper and score with Lame or sharp knife.
  • Carefully, place in the dutch oven putting the lid on and bake for 25 minutes. Remove lid and bake for 20-25 minutes more.
  • After removing from the oven, return the lid to the dutch oven for 15 minutes before repeating the process with the other loaf
  • Let cool completely before enjoying.

Notes

This recipe is adapted from FoodGeek’s Basic Sourdough recipe. It has been updated to use All-Purpose Flour and amounts have changed to adapt to how AP flour differs from Bread Flour.
NOTE: You can substitute whole wheat flour for PART of the All-Purpose Flour. I would suggest using 150 g whole wheat flour with 700 g All-Purpose flour.
 

Sample Time Line

Day 1:
  • 8 AM – Create Levine
  • 12 PM- Create dough
  • 1 PM- Knead together dough and Levine.
  • 1:15 PM- Stretch and Fold
  • 1:30 PM- Stretch and Fold
  • 1:45 PM- Stretch and Fold
  • 2:00 PM- Stretch and Fold
  • 2:15 PM- Stretch and Fold
  • 2:30 PM- Stretch and Fold
  • 5:00 PM- Shape Dough then place in fridge
Day 2
  • 8 AM- Turn oven to 500 degrees with dutch oven inside
  • 9 AM- Score Loaf and place in dutch oven
  • 9:25 AM- Remove Lid
  • 9:50-9:55 AM- Remove bread from oven and put the lid back on the dutch oven
  • 10:10 AM – Repeat with the second loaf.
  • 10:35 AM- Remove Lid
  • 11:00 AM- Remove the second loaf from the oven
  • 1:00 PM – ENJOY