Surprise, this is a condensed version of Perfect Loaf’s beginner’s sourdough. Makes 2 loaves.

Ingredients

Leaven

  • 37 g 100% hydration mature sourdough starter (50%)
  • 37 g whole wheat (50%)
  • 37 g bread flour (50%)
  • 74 g water (100%)

Dough

Final dough temperature target is 78°F (25°C).

  • 748 g bread flour (82.5%)
  • 110 g whole wheat flour (12%)
  • 49 g dark rye flour (5.5%)
  • 691 g water (76.2%)
  • 18 g sea salt (2%)
  • 184 g leaven (20.2%)

Procedure

Leaven

  1. Mix everything together in the leaven ingredients section.
  2. Keep at room temperature for 5-6 hours.
  3. Ready when expanded, bubbly on top & at the sides, and smell almost a little sour.

Autolyse

Start an hour before your leaven is complete.

  1. Reserve 50g of water from dough ingredients for later.
  2. Mix flour and remaining water until all dry parts are incorporated.
  3. Leave covered at room temperature.

Mix

  1. Add salt, reserved 50g of water, and leaven to dough mix. Spread it out on top, and pinch together by hand.
  2. Transfer to bulk fermentation container.
  3. Take the temperature, compare to 78°F (25°C), adjust water temperature accordingly next time.

Bulk Fermentation

  1. Set timer for 4 hours.
  2. Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds, every 30 min.
  3. By the end, dough should have risen 20-50%, and have a few bubbles on the top.

Divide & Preshape

  1. Flour work surface.
  2. Dump out dough.
  3. Divide into half with bench knife.
  4. Flour hands, and lightly turn and pull dough towards you to form a round circle.
  5. Let it rest uncovered for 25 minutes.

Shape

  1. Lightly flour surface and tops of the dough.
  2. Flip dough, so flour side is down.
  3. Stretch dough towards you, and fold it 2/3 up on itself. Stretch and fold over the sides, and finally the top to create an envelope.
  4. Flip or roll the dough, so the envelope seams are on the bottom.
  5. Using both hands, cup and pull the dough towards you to create rounds.
  6. Let rest for a few minutes.

Rest & Proof

  1. Place inside a basket with a towel lightly dusted with rice flour seam side up.
  2. Seal baskets inside reusable plastic bags.
  3. Rest for 20 minutes.
  4. Place in fridge to proof for 16 hours.

Bake

  1. Preheat oven at 500°F (260°C) with dutch oven inside for 1 hour.
  2. Place sheet of parchment paper and stiff surface on top of basket with dough, flip it to take the dough out.
  3. Score the loaf with a razor or scissors.
  4. Carefully open the oven, and using the parchment paper, transfer the dough into the dutch oven. Cover with lid to create a seal.
  5. Turn oven down to 475°F (246°C) and bake for 20 minutes.
  6. Remove the lid, turn oven down to 450°F (232°C) and bake for additional 30 minutes.
  7. Carefully remove bread using parchment paper and cool on wire rack.
  8. Turn oven back up to 500°F (260°C) and repeat for second loaf.

Wait 1-2 hours to slice the bread.