- Gather your ingredients and equipment
- Mix and ferment the dough
- Shape and proof the dough
- Bake the sourdough bread
- Cool and enjoy your homemade sourdough bread
Gather your ingredients and equipment
Start by gathering high-quality flour, water, salt, and sourdough starter. You'll also need a large mixing bowl, a kitchen scale, a clean kitchen towel, and a Dutch oven or baking stone for baking.
Mix and ferment the dough
Combine the ingredients in a bowl and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Let the dough ferment at room temperature for several hours or overnight, allowing the natural yeast to develop and the dough to rise.
Shape and proof the dough
After fermentation, shape the dough into a round loaf and let it proof in a floured proofing basket or bowl lined with a kitchen towel. This step helps the dough develop structure and flavor.
Bake the sourdough bread
Preheat your oven and baking vessel, then carefully transfer the proofed dough into the hot vessel. Bake the bread with the lid on for the first part of the baking process to create steam, then remove the lid to allow the crust to develop.
Cool and enjoy your homemade sourdough bread
Once the bread is baked to a golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, remove it from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack. Slice and enjoy your freshly baked sourdough bread!