Sourdough Loaf Recipe

In a large bowl, mix the starter and water.

Add flour and salt and mix well until it forms a shaggy dough and there are no dry bits of flour left in the bowl.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for one hour at room temperature.

Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds: With wet hands, grab one side of the dough and stretch it up and over the rest, then fold it back onto itself. Repeat this process for each side of the dough, so you have performed eight folds. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for another 1 hour. Repeat 3 more times.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 12 hours on your kitchen counter. The dough will rise by about 50-75%.

Tip your bowl of sourdough over and let gravity bring your dough onto the counter. Be patient let it fall out on its own.

Stretch the dough into a thin rectangle. Tri-fold the dough over on itself so that it forms a long thin rectangle. Fold one side of the dough up and over the middle, then fold the other side up and over the first fold.

Roll the dough up onto itself making a ball shape.

Use your hands to gently cup the dough, pulling and twisting it towards yourself until it forms a tight skin on the outside. Repeat the push-pull motion for a minute or two until the dough ball is holding its shape. Let set for 20 minutes. Repeat shaping.

Transfer it into a medium-sized banneton or bowl. Seam side up.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Or until you have time to score and bake.

Score and Bake: Preheat the oven, with the Dutch oven inside, to 450°F

Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the banneton and flipping over carefully letting the sourdough come out of the bowl.

Score the top of the dough with a razor or a sharp knife. Once again, use the parchment paper as a sling to lift the dough up and transfer it into the warm Dutch oven.

Add a few ice cubes in between the parchment paper and the Dutch oven to create steam.

Bake at 450*F with the lid on for 20 minutes.

Take the lid off and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Transfer the baked bread to a cooling rack for 1-2 hours before slicing. The bread will continue to cook inside during this time. If you slice into it too soon, it will result in a gummy loaf.

Store: Keep the bread at room temperature, in a bread bag, wrapped in a kitchen towel or beeswax wrap. You can also store the bread, cut-side down, on a cutting board with a cake-stand top covering the bread. Do not refrigerate.

Freeze full loaves or individual slices wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and inserted into a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

Nothing beats the taste of warm sourdough bread slathered with homemade butter.