Description
This easy overnight sourdough bread recipe yields a beautifully rustic loaf with a tangy flavor and a perfect crust. Using a simple mix of sourdough starter, all-purpose flour, salt, and water, this method involves an overnight fermentation and no-knead folding technique to develop structure and airy texture. The dough is baked in a Dutch oven to create a crispy, artisan-style crust and tender crumb, making it a perfect homemade bread choice for any baker.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 90 grams sourdough starter
- 520 grams all-purpose flour
- 12 grams salt
- 1 7/8 cups water
Instructions
- Mix Ingredients: The night before baking, combine 520 grams of flour, 12 grams of salt, and 90 grams of sourdough starter in a bowl. Pour in 1 7/8 cups of water and use your hands to mix the dough together. The dough will be quite wet and not smooth, which is expected.
- Initial Rest and Fold: Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. After resting, perform about 15 folds by taking a corner of the dough and folding it over itself, rotating the bowl as you go. Wet your hands slightly to prevent sticking. This develops gluten structure despite the wet dough.
- Second Rest and Fold: Cover the dough again and let it rest for another 15 minutes. Repeat the folding process once more, cover, and then leave the dough to rise overnight at room temperature.
- Prepare for Morning Folding: The next morning, the dough will have risen and show air bubbles on top, indicating good fermentation. Line another bowl with parchment paper and dust flour on the bottom to hold the dough after folding.
- Final Fold and Refrigeration: Wet your hands and loosen the dough from the bowl edges. Lift the middle and tuck ends underneath, rotating the bowl quarter turns after each tuck. Do this process three times total. Transfer the shaped dough carefully to the prepared bowl with parchment, tuck ends underneath, sprinkle the top with flour, and refrigerate for 5 hours.
- Preheat Oven and Dutch Oven: Preheat your oven to 500°F, preferably on convection mode. Place the Dutch oven inside while it heats to get it very hot for baking.
- Score and Bake: Remove dough from fridge. Using a sharp knife or razor, score the top of the dough with your desired pattern. Transfer the dough with parchment paper directly into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove Lid and Continue Baking: After 25 minutes, remove the Dutch oven lid, reduce oven temperature to 450°F, and bake for an additional 12-14 minutes until the crust is deeply golden and crisp.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool briefly in the Dutch oven until it is safe to handle. Then transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely for about 1 hour before slicing to enjoy.
Notes
- You can use other flours, but it is recommended to keep a large portion of all-purpose flour for best texture.
- Adjust baking times to get your preferred crust color. Longer covered baking produces a lighter crust, while less time with lid off gives a softer crust.
- Using unfed starter imparts a more sour flavor. Feeding your starter 8-12 hours before use is optional depending on taste preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 60g)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 0.3g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 1.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
