Refined Sourdough Recipe

To Feed the Starter

• Let the Starter get to Room temp (if from fridge)

• Remove crusty skin (if any)

• Burp/ stir to remove big air bubbles

• Remove all but 50 grams of starter (excess can be used to bake bread with or for plenty other "sourdough" recipes)

• Add 50 grams bread flour into the jar

• Add 50 grams water into the jar

• Mix

Notes:

• Starter can stay in fridge for... a week? without being fed (I've heard longer). Starter can stay on the counter for a few days without being fed.
• To train the starter, make a regular cadence of when it gets fed, optimal dough making starter is at peak rise after being fed (depends on what cadence it gets fed).
• Starter is pretty resilient, sometimes liquid or a crust can form... mix it in or pour it off.
• Starter that is recently fed has a more mellow flavor, older starter has a stronger, more sour flavor (and smell)
• Mixing the starter with a chopstick is usually pretty easy way to mix
• Starter is less sticky in cold water (removes from spoons/ bowls/ etc), and dissolves better in warm water (get the bits that don't remove from cold water)
• Starter is a pain to go down the sink, throw it in the trash to dispose of it if at all possible

To Make Dough

Feed starter
Wait either 1 hour (if short on time) or until the starter doubles in size

Mix ingredients in a bowl:

• 100 grams of starter
• 385 grams of room temperature water (not cold, not hot)
  Mix, add:
• 520 grams of bread flour
  Mix
  (Optional: let rest for 30 minutes before adding salt)
  Add
  2 teaspoons Himalayan salt
  Mix

Fold the dough:

• You want to stretch the dough, this is in place of kneading it. Set the bowl in front of you and grab a small handful of dough on the side away from you. Pull it away from you and up to stretch it, don't pull it far enough to let it tear, fold over -on top of the rest of the dough, turn 90° and repeat 4 times (get all 4 sides of the dough)
  Cover with wet dish towel
  Let sit for 30 min in proofing oven/ on counter
  Fold again (all 4 sides)
  Cover, let sit for 30 min in proofing oven/ on counter
  Fold Again (all 4 sides)

To Proof and Bake

I have 2 pathways here, the first is the one I used for about 6-10 loafs as it is much less work and less time consuming, the second I developed into as I tried to get different results. But the first is still a go-to for me when I don't have the time/attention for the second. It still makes a tasty loaf.

I recommend Path 1 for a bit, you get yummy bread with less complications. Enjoy the bread, enjoy the work. Then you can experiment with Path 2 once you have enjoyed the first one/ gotten board with the first one

Path 1 (fast/easy)

After Folding, cover with clingwrap and sit overnight in proofing oven or on counter to rise (for the proofing oven, I'd turn it on and run it for about 20-30 minutes then turn it off and leave the door closed for the night).
The dough will typically double or triple in size, and might push on the clingwrap

=Wait 6-8 hours=

Pre-heat oven to 450° with Dutch oven inside, let Dutch oven warm for 30-60 minutes

Release dough from sides of bowl (cold spatula or cold hands -(delicately, try to keep form and keep bubbles in the loaf)
Dump dough onto parchment paper
Place parchment paper and dough onto Dutch oven

Bake for:
30 min with the lid on
Remove Lid
Bake for 15 min with the lid off (makes the crust)

Let cool for an hour or so. Cutting into still HOT Sourdough will make the bread gummy.

Path 2 (longer/ more complex)

After folding, cover with clingwrap and set:

• 2-6 hours on counter OR overnight (up to 24 hrs) in the fridge

Bench Rest:

• Sprinkle counter with bread flour, set dough into rough "log shape" (i guess, 10" by 4" rectangle?). Let sit for 30 minutes

Form the Loaf

• fold sides in on itself and roll the dough like a fruit rollup. The goal is to get a stretch in the outer layer. Tuck 'ends' of the roll under to get the loaf into the general shape of the Proofing Basket.
• Sprinkle rice flour (or other non-gluten flour like corn starch) on top of loaf, be liberal- this can be dusted off later. This prevent sit from sticking to the proofing basket.

Proof

• Place upside down in proofing basket (I just use a different bowl).
• Sprinkle additional rice flour around the edge- the dough will rise and now parts of the dough will meet the edge of the proofing basket.
• Cover with clingwrap and set:
  • 1-3 hours on the counter OR overnight (up to 24 hours) in the fridge

Prep for bake

• Pre-heat oven to 450° with Dutch oven inside, let Dutch oven warm for 30-60 minutes
• If fridge proofed: remove minutes before the bake. If counter proofed: place in fridge for 20 minutes, remove minutes before bake.
• Release edges of loaf from proofing basket (delicately, try to keep form and keep bubbles in the loaf)
• Turn out (upside down) onto parchment.
• Score top (sharp knife or razor blade to cut 1/8" deep slice into the top- this allows for expansion and growth in the oven)
• Place parchment paper into Dutch oven
• Cover with Dutch Oven lid

Bake for:
-30 min with the lid on
-Remove Lid
-Bake for 15 min with the lid off (makes the crust)

Let cool for an hour or so. Cutting into still HOT Sourdough will make the bread gummy.