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Bakery Style Sourdough Bread Recipe

Unlock the secrets of ancient Egyptian baking with this incredible, step-by-step sourdough bread recipe, adapted from Cook's Illustrated! This recipe delivers amazing flavor and texture, but requires some advance planning. A healthy, refreshed sourdough starter is key (see note below for refreshing instructions). Master the art of sourdough and impress your friends and family with a loaf worthy of a bakery. Even short on time? A slightly altered step is optional for a quicker bake.

Prep Time 720 mins
Cook Time 1485 mins
Calories 233.7 kcal
Protein 15g
Rating 4.2 (6 Reviews)
Bakery Style Sourdough Bread 98

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Chef Forktionary, author of this recipe

Recipe adapted from Food.com. Standardized by Forktionary.

Ingredients for Bakery Style Sourdough Bread

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How to Make Bakery Style Sourdough Bread

  1. In a large bowl, combine 500g of bread flour, 100g of whole wheat flour, 10g of salt and 375g of lukewarm water.
  2. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
  3. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
  4. Add 200g of active sourdough starter to the dough.
  5. Knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  6. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise for 4-6 hours at room temperature, or until doubled in size.
  7. Gently shape the dough into a round or oval loaf.
  8. Place the dough in a floured banneton basket (or a bowl lined with a floured linen cloth).
  9. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 24 hours.
  10. Preheat oven to 250°C (480°F) with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes.
  11. Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven.
  12. Gently flip the dough from the banneton into the Dutch oven.
  13. Score the top of the dough with a sharp knife or lame.
  14. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 20 minutes.
  15. Reduce the oven temperature to 230°C (450°F).
  16. Bake, uncovered, for another 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 93-99°C (200-210°F).
  17. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
  18. Optional Step (Step 21): If you're short on time, skip the refrigeration (step 9) and proceed directly to step 10 after the first bulk fermentation (step 6). The bread’s flavor will be slightly impacted.

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

Sodium

20 g

Sugar

0g

Fat

0g

Carbs

15g

Recipe Tags (Choose a tag and find related recipes!)

Time To Make Course Cuisine Preparation North American Breads Canadian 1 Day Or More