I began my most recent sourdough starter (Bertha) on 14 June 2024 and have been making bread with it every week. It isn't always a resounding success, but I seem to be getting into a good place with it recently, so thought I'd better record my current method in case I get out of the habit in future. With sourdough, the most important ingredient is patience: I start making this the day before I want to eat it!
Ingredients
150g sourdough starter
350ml warm water (hand-hot: 100°F/37°C)
1 tsp sea salt
3 tbsp olive oil
140g wholewheat flour
445g white bread flour
Method
I add all the ingredients in the order above, mixing after each addition, the day before I want to bake the bread (usually in the morning). Once it's all mixed, I don't usually bother kneading it, although I do sometimes. I might fold it a few times if I happen to be around, but I'm not convinced it makes a lot of difference. I just place the dough in my largest mixing bowl and put a dinner plate over the top of it to keep in the moisture. Then I leave it to sit at room temperature for the rest of the day and overnight.
Usually, by the next morning, the dough has risen to reach the plate and is sometimes lifting the plate off the mixing bowl. I put my round cast-iron Dutch oven (casserole dish) into a cold oven and then turn the oven on to 450°F/230°C. While the oven is heating, I knock the dough down and scrape it out of the bowl onto a floured work surface. I shape it into a round and sometimes I cut a few lines into the top (the one in the picture had a pound/hashtag symbol on it).
When the oven hits the right temperature, I take out the hot pot and carefully place the dough in it, covering it with the lid. I turn the oven down to 400°F/200°C and set the oven timer for 40 minutes. After that time, I remove the lid of the pot and place the bread back in the oven for another 20 minutes to finish cooking and to get the top the right shade of brown.
Once it is out of the oven, I try to leave it an hour before cutting into the loaf. But that's the hardest part of the process!
