The Easiest Actually Good Sourdough Bread (No Mixer)

By Brian Lagerstrom

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Build the leaven about 12 hours before mixing: stir 25g ripe starter into 100g water at 90°F/32°C, add 100g bread flour and stir until no lumps remain. Cover and leave at room temperature for 12-14 hours until frothy, bubbly and risen.
2. Mix 275g water at 92°F/33°C with all the ripe leaven until dissolved. Add 400g bread flour, 50g whole wheat flour and 12g salt. Stir with a sturdy spoon until a dry clump forms, then wet your hand and squeeze and fold until smooth with no dry spots.
3. Rest the dough covered for 30 minutes.
4. Stretch and fold the dough 5-6 times, then flip and round it into a ball. Cover and rest for another 30 minutes.
5. Do one more stretch and fold after the second rest. Cover and ferment in a warm spot at about 90-95°F/35°C for 2 more hours.
6. Shape: flip the dough onto a lightly floured board, fold opposite sides over each other, turn and repeat at least 4 times. Flip it over and round it, stretching the top down and under for tension.
7. Dust a proofing basket with flour, or line a bowl with a floured tea towel. Place the dough seam side up and give it a few more pulls and folds.
8. Proof covered in a warm place for 60-90 minutes, until the dough has grown about 60% and slowly bounces back when gently poked.
9. Bake on a sheet tray: preheat the oven to 450°F/232°C. Flip the dough onto parchment, score with 5-6 overlapping snips, spray with water 6-10 times and cover with a foil pan. Bake covered for 15 minutes, then uncover, add a wire rack to the sheet and bake for 30 more minutes.
10. Or bake in a Dutch oven: preheat the Dutch oven in a 475°F/245°C oven. Flip the dough onto parchment sprinkled with semolina, make 5-6 angled snips, put it in the hot pot with the lid on and bake 15 minutes. Remove the lid and bake 20-25 more minutes.

Summarized from Brian Lagerstrom's video. Watch it for the details.

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