Recipe Basics

Sourdough bread is made with four ingredients: 

1. Flour
2. Water
3. Salt
4. Sourdough Starter (a wild yeast culture)

The most typical recipe for a one-loaf batch, by weight in grams and expressed as a percentage of the dry flour weight (also known as the “baker’s percentage”) is: 

Bread Flour 500 grams (100%)

Water 375 grams (75% of flour weight)

Starter 100 grams (20% of flour weight)

Salt 10 grams (2% of flour weight)

The typical steps in the process are: 

Step 1: Autolyse/Fermentolyse – an optional step to mix water and flour (autolyse) or water, flour and starter (fermentolyse) to hydrate the flour and start the gluten formation process.  Typically, this step is 30-60 minutes at room temperature but can be done longer at lower temperatures.

Step 2: Mixing – Combine all remaining ingredients – the remaining ingredients are combined and hand-mixed until the dough is homogeneous (i.e., no dry lumps).  Within the mixing step, some recipes call for additional hand-mixing which build gluten strength early in the process.  Basic hand mixing or other methods such as the Rubaud method or the Slap-and-Fold method, are typically used for 10 to 30 minutes, with intermittent rest times.  This process builds gluten strength.  Traditional hand kneading is usually not possible with sourdough because it is a sticky, high-hydration dough.  

Step 3: Bulk Fermentation – The next step lets the dough rise and ferment.  The fermentation and rise process can take 4-12 hours (or more) depending on the dough temperature and your starter strength.  Bulk fermentation is highly dependent upon the dough temperature and room temperature.  Always seek out recipes that give guidance on both expected rise time and dough temperature.  

In bulk fermentation, there are various handling methods such as, 1) no handling, 2) stretch-and-fold, 3) coil fold, and 4) lamination.  These methods are described in detail elsewhere.  These steps continue to strengthen the gluten and build layers of gluten in the “gluten matrix” which builds loaf height.  These handling steps are usually done at 30-minute intervals 4-6 times early in bulk fermentation.  You do not want to be handling the dough as you get later into the bulk fermentation.  The dough should rest untouched for the end of the rise in bulk fermentation. 

After the handling steps are completed, the dough is monitored until it reaches a target percentage rise.  The percentage rise is measured as the change in volume in the dough from the initial mixed dough (measured in milliliters).  Most recipes call for anywhere from a 30% to 100% rise in the dough during this time.  Recipes with higher bulk fermentation temperatures (e.g., 80F/27C) usually call for a lower percentage rise (e.g., 30%).  Recipes with lower bulk fermentation temperatures (e.g., 70F/21C) typically call for a higher percentage rise (50-100%).  

Developing the skill to determine when bulk fermentation is done, is critically important for sourdough bakers and is covered in great detail on this website and my YouTube channel “The Sourdough Journey.”  This is the most imporant skill for new sourdough bakers.  Bulk fermentation makes the bread! 

Step 4: Pre-shaping – Pre-shaping is a gentle shaping of the dough into rounds to build loaf height, create surface tension and prepare the dough for final shaping.  After pre-shaping, the rounds of dough are left to rest for 20-30 minutes.  Some recipes skip the pre-shaping step, particularly if you are making a single loaf batch. 

Step 5: Final Shaping – Pre-shaped rounds are then final shaped into the final loaf.  Final shaping builds more loaf height and surface tension for baking.  Final shaped loaves are placed in a shaping basket (i.e., bannetons) until they are ready to bake. 

Step 6: Final Proofing – After the loaves are shaped, you have two options: 1) countertop final proof, or 2) refrigerator cold retard.  Countertop final proofing allows the dough to rise after shaping for about 1-4 hours.  The dough is ready to bake when it passes the “poke test.”  

An alternative to countertop proofing is an overnight “cold retard” in the refrigerator.  In this method, the loaves are covered and refrigerated typically for 8-12 hours, then baked.  Cold retarding the dough in the refrigerator slows down the fermentation process and builds more complex and more sour flavors in your bread.  Cold retards can be extended as long as five days before baking.  After three days in the refrigerator, your loaves can begin to lose shape and overproof, depending on your dough and your refrigerator temperature. 

Step 7: Baking – Most recipes call for baking in a Dutch oven.  The Dutch oven is typically preheated in the oven at 500F/260C.  Once the oven is preheated, score your loaf with a blade, then load the dough into the hot Dutch oven, and bake for 20 minutes with the lid on at 450F/232C.  After 20 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking for another 20 minutes at 450F/232C until the crust is browned.  

Step 8: Cooling – After baking, the loaf is removed from the oven and allowed to cool for 60-90 minutes.  Do not cut into a warm loaf or the crumb will be gummy.  The loaf is still cooking as it cools to room temperature. 

Step 9: Eating – Sourdough bread has a unique flavor that cannot be replicated by any other breadmaking method.  Sourdough baking can be challening and frustrating, but always take time to enjoy the bread!  Every loaf is a small miracle. 

Step 10: Learning – Always document the details of each bake.  Small changes can have a big impact.  Keep notes. Take photos. This is the best way to improve your baking. 

This recipe is provided as a basis for discussion in this section.  There are many more detailed and better versions of recipes available, but this is provided as a “baseline” standard recipe for purposes of the following FAQ’s. 

No. Cups are a volume-based measurement and bread recipes are based on weight-based measurements (grams).  Different flours vary significantly in density so a cup of flour from two different types or brands of flour can be quite different in weight.  You can also fill a cup of flour very loosely or very compactly and it will alter the weight by up to 15%.  This would have a material impact on the outcome of your recipe.

It depends, but if you use 120g as a rough approximation you’ll be in the ballpark.  But I would not use this conversion with a high confidence of accuracy in bread baking.  All ingredients should be weighed in grams.  A cup of flour, for example, can be loosely packed or tightly packed which can have a 15-20% difference in weight.  This difference would materially impact the outcome of a sourdough loaf. 

“Bread flour” is a term commonly used in the U.S. for wheat flour formulated for bread-making. It typically has 12% or higher protein content, and some of the bran and germ have been sifted out, so it is not a “whole wheat” flour.  Bread flour is often referred to as “strong flour” in other parts of the world.  

Some bread flours are referred to as “high protein” flour.  These will typically have 13% or higher protein content.  

In the U.S. you will also find some “high extraction” bread flours (also known as Type 80 or Type 85).  These flours are similar to a blend of bread flour and whole wheat flour.  They are sifted with a more coarse sifter which keeps some of the germ and bran in the flour, unlike “white flour” which generally has the bran and germ removed. 

Most sourdough recipes are formulated for “bread flour,” that is, flour with 12% or higher protein content.  All-purpose flour typically has lower protein content.  It is possible to make sourdough bread with such flours, but the results will be different than what you may see in the recipe.  Lower protein flours sometimes cannot handle the high hydration of a sourdough recipe which results in wetter, stickier dough.  Also, the crumb will typically be more dense and the loaf will not hold its shape as well, resulting in a flatter loaf.  

Most basic sourdough recipes call for at least 80% bread flour.  This is a good rule of thumb when substituting whole wheat or other flours for bread flour.  You can go up to about 20% of total flour weight with non-bread flour before recipes become unreliable. 

Sourdough recipes are formulated specifically for different types of flour.  The hydration percentages of recipes are highly dependent on the type of flours used, so flour substitution becomes tricky with respect to hydration.  If you wanted to make a loaf using 50% rye flour example, rather than trying to convert a recipe calling for 100% bread flour, find a recipe specifically formulated for 50% rye. There are all kinds of recipes like this available.  Beginners should find proven recipes rather than inventing new ones. 

For best results, always start with a high protein bread flour (sometimes called “strong flour”) with at least 12% protein content.  Sourdough recipes are carefully formulated for the specific type of flour called for in the recipe.  It is best to follow the recipe as written, with the exact type of flour recommended.

When you become more experienced, you can modify recipes by substituting differnt types of flours, but this is not recommended for beginners. 

Here is a helpful article from True Sourdough – Which Flour to Use for Sourdough Bread. 

There are many types of flours available for sourdough baking and the type of flour has a direct impact on the outcome of your loaves. 

See the video below, Experimenting with Bread Flours, for the most in-depth analysis of this topic you will find anywhere.  

Understanding and experimenting with different types of flour is an essential skill for the sourdough baker.  In this video, you will learn how to read bread labels including, protein content, extraction percentages, ash percentages, and you will understand the impact of each of these on sourdough baking.  

Yes.  Substituting milk for water in a sourdough recipe will produce a softer crust and more tender crumb. Adding any type of fat (milk, oil, butter) will have a similar effect.

The easiest way to do this conversion is to determine the total dry flour weight in the recipe and assume that your starter should be 20% of the flour weight. For example, if a recipe calls for 800g of flour and 1-3 grams of instant yeast, you would calculate 20% of 800g, and substitute 160g of sourdough starter for the 1-3 grams of instant yeast.  

Note, you are also adding additional hydration to the recipe because the starter is made up of part flour and part water.  A more precise conversion would reduce the water called for in the original recipe for the water content added in the starter.  

For example, if the original recipe calls for 600g of water, you would subtract 80g from that number and only use 520g of water because you are introducing 80g of water in your starter (assuming 100% hydration starter which is half water and half flour). 

Most sourdough recipes typically call for 20% starter, as a percentage of the dry flour weight. The maximum amount of starter recommended is 30%.  If you go beyond 30% you are adding too much acid load to the dough, and it will quickly overproof before the yeast can rise the dough.  

You can also reduce your starter down to as low as 1% (this method is known as respectus panis).  

It is very common for experienced bakers to reduce their starter percentage from 20% to 10% to slow down their bulk fermentation process, for example in warm weather baking seasons, or to extend bulk fermentation times overnight.  Similarly, you could reduce to 5% for an even slower start.   

When you reduce the starter percentage in your dough it elongates the fermentation time by essentially delaying the start of the normal process. For example, a recipe calling for 20% starter may take five hours to bulk ferment and the same recipe with 10% starter may take eight hours.  This means that it basically takes three hours for 10% starter to turn into 20% starter, then the recipe proceeds at pace with the original recipe.  Think of reducing the starter as simply “delaying the start” of the normal recipe by a few hours.  

Sourdough baking takes a long time, but there are many ways to modify the fermentation timing to suit your schedule.  There are also recipes specifically formulated for overnight bulk fermentation.  

Consider an overnight bulk fermentation schedule.  Note: this only works if you can keep your dough temperature below 70F/21C overnight. Otherwise, the dough will most certainly overproof.  You can also reduce your starter percentage from 20% to 10%, for example, to slow down the fermentation process if your dough is overproofing overnight.  Another technique is to mix the ingredients using cold water.  This will slow down fermentation and buy you a few more hours to let the dough sit overnight without overproofing.

Try mixing the ingredients in the early evening and doing a few stretch-and-folds. Leave the dough overnight at approximately 70F/21C (or slightly lower).  In the morning, shape the dough and put it in the refrigerator for a cold retard.  You can then bake the loaves any time, for example, later that day, or leave the shaped loaves in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and bake them at your convenience.  

There are many overnight sourdough recipes available from reliable sources.  

Respectus panis is a method of making sourdough using a very small amount of starter (sometimes 1-5% of the total flour weight), and doing a very slow fermentation process.  Sometimes the dough can take 24 hours or more to ferment, depending on the dough temperature. Advocates of this method believe the sourdough takes on a much more complex flavor and typically develops a more tender crumb and crust.  Give it a try.  

Sourdough baking is more about learning the process of fermentation than about mixing the basic ingredients.  Choose a basic recipe that provides a detailed description of the unique processes related to sourdough, such as bulk fermentation. 

One of the most popular sourdough recipes is Chad Robertson’s, Tartine Country Bread.  His process is more complex than some, but it will teach you all of the sourdough skills required for any other recipe you may encounter. 

Many sourdough bakers like to include add-ins like cheese, nuts, dried fruit and seeds.  These add-ins or “inclusions” are typically folded into the dough after the second round of stretch-and-folds in bulk fermentation. 

Trying to speed up the fermentation process is always risky. Sourdough fermentation is temperature sensitive. The dough ferments faster at warmer temperatures and more slowly at cooler temperatures, but there are limits to how much you can warm up the dough.   

You can accelerate the fermentation process by raising your dough temperature, but you never want to your dough temperature to exceed 90F/32C or the dough will rapidly begin deteriorating and overproofing. By controlling dough temperature, you control your baking schedule.  

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