TMT Beginner Sourdough Recipe

Ready to bake? Here’s my beginner sourdough recipe that’s perfect for anyone new to the craft. Be sure to have read my beginner’s guide to all things sourdough first!

Ingredients:

• 125g active starter

• 350g room-temperature filtered water

• 525g all-purpose flour

• 10g natural fine sea salt

Instructions:

1. Mix the Starter and Water

• Pour your 125g of active starter into a large mixing bowl.

• Add the 350g of room-temperature filtered water.

• Stir with a Danish whisk (or a wooden spoon) until the mixture is combined. The consistency should be smooth and well-mixed.

2. Add the Flour

• Gradually add the 525g of all-purpose flour to the starter-water mixture.

• Use the Danish whisk to mix it as you go, adding the flour a little at a time.

• Once the mixture starts to come together, switch to using your hands to create a fluffy, slightly shaggy dough. It doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth at this point—just well-combined.

• Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rest for 1 hour.

3. Incorporate the Salt

• After the dough has rested for 1 hour, it’s time to add the salt.

• Gently dimple the dough with your fingers, creating small crevices across the surface.

• Sprinkle 10g of natural fine sea salt evenly over the dough.

• Pour about 10g of water over the dough to help the salt dissolve and mix in.

• Perform your first stretch and fold by grabbing one side of the dough, pulling it up, and folding it over the center. Repeat this process on all four sides of the dough.

4. Continue Stretch and Folds

• Cover the dough again and let it rest for another hour.

• Perform three more stretch and folds (or coil folds) over the next 3 hours, resting the dough for an hour between each set of folds. Stretch and fold all four sides each time.

• Don’t worry about being too strict with the timing! You can come back to your dough when you remember. Sourdough is forgiving, and this flexible schedule works just fine.

5. Bulk Fermentation

• After your final set of stretches and folds, it’s time for bulk fermentation.

• Leave the dough to rest and ferment on the counter for 6-8 hours, or until it has doubled or tripled in size. The dough should feel less sticky and spring back lightly when touched—if no dough sticks to your finger, it’s ready!

• Tip: If you need to pause the process (like if it’s late and you need to head to bed), you can place the dough in the fridge after 1 hour of fermentation. This will slow the process but still allow the dough to develop flavor and structure.

6. Shaping the Dough

• Once bulk fermentation is complete, it’s time to shape your dough.

• Take your dough out of the bowl and shape it by performing a simple trifold (folding it like a letter), then roll it up. This step helps build tension on the surface of the dough.

• Place your shaped dough in a banneton or proofing basket, cover it, and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

7. Preheat and Bake

• While the dough is resting, preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with your Dutch oven inside.

• Once preheated, carefully transfer the dough onto a piece of parchment paper or a silicone sling for easy handling.

• Use a bread lame or sharp knife to score the top of your dough (this allows it to expand properly in the oven).

• Place the dough (with the parchment paper or sling) into the hot Dutch oven, cover it, and bake for 20 minutes.

• After 20 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 20-25 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown.

8. Optional: Cold Proof for a More Tangy Flavor

• If you want a more sour flavor and a harder crust, after shaping your dough and letting it rest for an hour, place it back in the fridge for 24-48 hours.

• When ready to bake, take the dough straight from the fridge to your preheated Dutch oven. This cold proof will enhance the sourdough flavor and create a crispier crust.

And that’s it! I hope this guide helps you feel confident starting your sourdough journey. Don’t worry if your first loaf isn’t perfect—sourdough is all about practice and patience. Have fun experimenting, and be sure to tag me in your creations on Instagram @themoderntrad!

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Additional Thoughts

Why all-purpose flour? Because it’s cheaper than bread flour, and honestly, I don’t notice a big difference in the taste of the finished bread. But I do feed my starter with bread flour since it has a higher protein content, which helps make the starter more active.

Feeding Your Starter

To keep your starter happy and healthy, I feed mine using a 1:1:1 ratio—one part starter (or discard), one part room-temperature filtered water, and one part bread flour. This gives my starter all the fuel it needs to stay bubbly and active. If I feel like it needs a bit of a boost, I’ll switch to an 80/20 blend of bread flour and whole wheat flour. This helps strengthen the starter and gives it more complexity. Remember, a strong starter = strong bread.

Xo, Ashley