This is my go to beginners sourdough recipe for those who would like to teach themselves how to bake sourdough.
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If you've made bread before using dried yeast, this is a good transition recipe as it uses the kneading method to develop the gluten in your dough, which is similar to making yeasted breads.

It only requires some sourdough starter, bakers flour, water and salt. 
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It's quite incredible to think that with just those four things, you can make an amazing, tasty loaf of bread...but there it is...simple things in life really are the best!
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For first timers...

You will hear terms in the sourdough world such as hydration, autolyse, bulk ferment. These are all things you can learn about later. For the moment, so as not to confuse you, things are kept VERY SIMPLE.
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You will need a sourdough starter to be able to make this recipe. If you don't know anybody who can give you some, you can make your own the easy way with my mini sourdough starter course HERE.

Beginners Sourdough Recipe

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Ingredients

• 150g active, well fed sourdough starter (If the temperature is over 30°C use only 100g of starter)
• 300g unchlorinated, lukewarm water
• 500g baker's flour
• 2 teaspoons granulated sea salt

Method

1.Weigh the starter into a large bowl, then weigh in the water. Stir this together minimally to disperse the starter into the water slightly. 

​2. Next weigh in the flour on top of the water and starter, then the salt. Mix thoroughly with a spoon until it comes together to form a shaggy dough. 

​3. Turn the dough out onto a bench top and knead for 10 minutes. It doesn't need to be smooth at this point.  Don't be tempted to add more flour if it's sticky, this will make a dry crumbly loaf. 

• ​If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, you can do the last 3 steps using your mixer.
• You can also use a bread maker to mix your dough, but make sure you bake it in the oven so you can experience a true sourdough crust. 

​4. Once kneaded, shape it into a ball, then place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

5. After an hour, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press it into a 2.5cm thick rectangle shape using your fingers.

​6. Use your hands to fold one short end over itself until it reaches just past the centre, then repeat with the other short end and fold it over the top of the dough until it completely covers the other edge. (Just like folding an A4 Piece of paper to go into an envelope)

​7. Next fold the new short edges of the dough in on themselves and shape into a ball. 

​8. Place the dough back into the oiled bowl, making sure the dough has the smooth side facing upwards. Replace the plastic and leave to rest again for another hour.

​9. Prepare a cane banneton with rice flour. If you don't have a banneton, you can use a linen, or tightly woven cotton tea towel and a basket. Colanders work well as do ricotta baskets.

• To use this method, lay your tea towel out on the bench, sprinkle rice flour over the centre to make a rough 30cm circle. I use rice flour because it has not gluten so it doesn't get sticky. This means the dough won't adhere the tea towel.

You can see how to do it in this video 👇

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​10. After an hour, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and repeat steps 5 through to 7 again, however this time we are shaping the dough to go into its proving basket for its final prove so shape it into a boule (round) or a batard (oval). 

​11. Place the dough smooth side down into the prepared banneton, and cover with a loose plastic bag or a shower cap. Making sure the dough won't touch the top of the bag as it proves.

• If you are using a tea towel and colander or basket, place your dough onto the prepared tea towel, smooth side down, then carefully lift up the corners and place it into your basket. Cover with a loose plastic bag, closing up the opening but making sure it doesn't touch the top of the dough (see video above).

12. Leave in a warm place to do it's final prove. Or, place into the fridge to prove overnight.

• It can take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours (sometimes even longer) to prove at room temperature depending on the warmth in your kitchen. 
• If it's late, you can put the covered dough into the fridge to prove. This slows down the process, however you may still need to wait for it to finish proving once you remove it from the fridge the next morning.

​13. To check if your dough is ready to bake, it needs to have increase by at least 1/3rd in size or more. It may not have reached that point in the fridge, so remove it in the morning and leave it on the bench until it is ready. This can take from 1 hour up to 4 hours depending on the climate of your kitchen.

• Always use the poke test to determine if you dough is ready, regardless of whether it was proved on the bench or in the fridge.

 14. To test if it's ready, use the poke test. Lightly flour a small area on the top of the dough, then poke it gently with your finger to a depth of approximately 1cm.

• If it has resistance and springs back quickly, it is under-proved and needs more time. 

• If it has slight resistance when you poke it, but it springs back slowly and only leaves a slight indentation, it is ready. 

• If, when you poke it, the indentation stays and it starts to deflate, it is over-proved. Bake your bread as soon as possible and don't score it. 

See how it's supposed to look in this video 👇 

​15. Once it is almost ready, preheat the oven to its highest temperature.

• ​If you are baking straight on a baking tray, then place a baking dish with sides just under the shelf you are going to bake on so you can add some water to create steam.

• If you are using a Dutch oven, place it into the oven with the lid on first, then turn it on. (LEARN ABOUT IT HERE)

​16. Place a piece of baking paper onto the bench, then carefully tip the dough out onto it.

​17. Score the top of your dough with a bakers blade.

​18. If you are using a Dutch oven to bake your bread, carefully remove it from the oven and place your dough inside using the baking paper as handles. Replace the lid, put it in the oven. Turn the temperature down to 220°C / 200°C fan forced, and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, take the lid off and bake for a further 20 minutes or until it is golden and sounds hollow when you tap the base.

​19. If you're baking your bread directly on a baking tray, lift the dough onto the tray using the paper then place it into the oven. Quickly pour 1/2 cup of water into the baking dish below the shelf your bread is on. This creates steam that helps your dough stay soft whilst it's rising before it forms a crust. After 20 minutes, turn the tray around to ensure even baking. 

20. Your bread is cooked through if when you tap it on its base, it sounds hollow. 

​21. Allow to cool so it can finish cooking before you cut it. 

Consume bread, be happy!

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