Step-by-step guide to baking artisan sourdough bread at home — from starter to loaf

Artisan sourdough rewards precision, patience, and attention to fermentation. This guide walks you from building a lively starter to baking a beautifully caramelized, open-crumb loaf—using a practical formula, clear timing cues, and repeatable techniques. You’ll learn how to read your dough, adjust for temperature, and bake consistently great bread at home.

Essential gear and ingredients

• Digital scale: Accuracy matters for hydration and salt.
• Mixing bowl and rubber spatula: For mixing and folds.
• Bench knife and bowl scraper: For handling sticky dough.
• Proofing basket (banneton) or a lined bowl: For final proof.
• Lame or sharp razor: For scoring.
• Dutch oven or heavy lidded pot: For steam and oven spring.
• Parchment paper: Easier transfers.
• Optional: Instant-read thermometer, spray bottle, rice flour for dusting.

Ingredients:

• Bread flour (12–13% protein) and whole wheat flour
• Non-chlorinated or filtered water
• Fine sea salt
• Mature sourdough starter (100% hydration)

Build and maintain your starter (Days 1–7)

If you don’t have a starter, create one:

1. Day 1 (morning): Mix 50 g whole wheat flour + 50 g water (26–28°C/78–82°F). Cover loosely.
2. Days 2–3: Discard all but 50 g. Feed 50 g flour (50/50 bread + whole wheat) + 50 g water, 1–2 times daily, keeping 24–27°C (75–80°F). Look for bubbles and a tangy aroma.
3. Days 4–7: Feed at 1:2:2 or 1:3:3 (starter:water:flour) depending on temperature. It should double within 4–6 hours at ~26°C/79°F, smell pleasantly fruity/yeasty, and show a domed top with small bubbles.

Signs it’s ready to bake:

• Doubles predictably between feedings
• Mild acid aroma (not harsh vinegar)
• Passes “peak test”: at peak height or just before, not deflated Note: The float test can mislead; rely on rise timing and aroma more than floating alone.

Maintenance tip: Keep 20–30 g starter and feed 1–2x daily at room temp, or store in the fridge and feed weekly. Always build a levain for bake day for optimal timing.

The bake-day formula (intermediate-friendly)

Target: One medium loaf (~870 g baked weight) with balanced flavor, moderate openness, and manageable hydration.

Baker’s percentages (including levain):

• Total flour: 100% = 500 g (approx. 425 g bread flour, 75 g whole wheat)
• Water: 72% = 360 g
• Salt: 2% = 10 g
• Prefermented flour: 20% (in levain)

Practical ingredient list:

• Ripe levain (100% hydration): 200 g (contains 100 g flour + 100 g water)
• Additional flour for the dough: 400 g (e.g., 325 g bread flour + 75 g whole wheat)
• Additional water for the dough: 260 g (hold back 10–20 g for adjustments)
• Fine sea salt: 10 g

Why 72% hydration? It’s wet enough for an open crumb without overwhelming handling. Adjust ±2–3% for your flour and comfort.

Timeline at a glance (sample, room temp ~24–26°C/75–79°F)

• 7:00 — Build levain (1:2:2 or 1:3:3) to peak in ~4–6 hours
• 11:30 — Autolyse: mix flour + most water, rest 45–60 min
• 12:30 — Mix in levain and salt, brief knead or Rubaud mixing
• 13:00–16:30 — Bulk fermentation (3.5–4.5 hours) with 3–4 sets of folds
• 16:30 — Preshape, 20–30 min bench rest
• 17:00 — Final shape, into banneton
• 17:15 — Cold retard 12–16 hours at 3–5°C/37–41°F
• Next morning — Bake directly from the fridge

Adjustments: Warmer kitchens speed things up; cooler slow them down. Use your dough’s cues over the clock.

Build your levain

• Ratio: For most homes, 1:2:2 (starter:water:flour) works well. Example: 30 g ripe starter + 60 g water + 60 g 50/50 flour blend = 150 g. Scale to get at least 200 g for this recipe (with a little extra).
• Peak timing: Use at peak or just before. It should be domed, bubbly, and smearable without stringy collapse.

If your kitchen is hot (>28°C/82°F), try 1:3:3 to slow it slightly and improve flavor.

Mix, autolyse, and strengthen the dough

1. Autolyse (45–60 minutes)
   • In a bowl, combine 400 g flour with 240–250 g of the 260 g water (save 10–20 g).
   • Mix just until no dry bits remain. Cover and rest. This hydrates flour and jumpstarts gluten, improving extensibility.
2. Add levain and salt
   • Spread 200 g levain over the dough. Pinch and fold to incorporate.
   • Sprinkle 10 g salt and add the remaining water as needed for feel. The dough should be tacky but hold shape.
3. Initial strengthening (5–8 minutes)
   • Use the Rubaud method (quick scooping/lifting) or slap-and-folds until the dough is smoother and more elastic. Stop before it tears.
4. Target dough temperature (DDT)
   • Aim for 24–25°C (75–77°F) after mixing. Adjust water temperature next time if you overshoot.

Bulk fermentation: develop structure and gas

Total time: 3.5–5 hours at 24–26°C/75–79°F; follow the dough’s behavior.

Folds:

• Set 1 (30 min after mixing): 8–12 gentle stretch-and-folds around the bowl, or 1–2 coil folds if dough is loose.
• Set 2 (30 min later): Repeat.
• Set 3 (30–45 min later): Repeat; dough should feel stronger and smoother.
• Optional Set 4: Only if dough still slack.

Cues of properly progressed bulk:

• 30–50% volume increase (don’t chase a full double)
• Surface slightly domed with small bubbles at the edges
• Dough jiggly, smooth, and elastic; releases from bowl sides when tilted

Avoid:

• Underfermenting (dense crumb, poor oven spring)
• Overfermenting (soupy dough, weak structure, sour/boozy aroma)

Tip: Lightly oil or dampen hands to prevent sticking during folds. Keep the bowl covered to prevent crusting.

Preshape, bench rest, and final shape

1. Preshape
   • Lightly flour the bench. Turn the dough out gently.
   • Use a bench knife to create a loose round by tucking edges under. Be gentle—protect the gas you built.
2. Bench rest (20–30 minutes)
   • Cover the dough. It will relax, making final shaping cleaner.
3. Final shape
   • For a boule: Flip the round seam-side up. Stretch top and bottom toward center, then left and right. Flip seam-side down and tighten with circular pulls to create surface tension.
   • For a batard: Pre-shape oval, then fold top third down, sides in, and roll into a tight log, sealing with the heel of your hand.

Proofing container prep: Dust your banneton with a 50/50 mix of rice flour and wheat flour to prevent sticking.

Final proof: room temp vs. cold retard

• Room temp proof (30–60 minutes): Dough should slowly spring back when poked, leaving a slight indentation.
• Cold retard (12–24 hours at 3–5°C/37–41°F): Enhances flavor, makes scoring easier, and fits schedules. Most intermediate bakers prefer this.

Tip: If bulk was on the longer side or your dough feels very airy, shorten the room-temp proof before chilling to avoid overproofing overnight.

Bake for maximum oven spring and crust

1. Preheat
   • Place Dutch oven and lid in your oven. Preheat 45–60 minutes at 260°C/500°F.
2. Load and score
   • Unmold the cold dough onto parchment. Brush off excess flour.
   • Score with a 30–45° angled slash 1–2 cm deep along the top for an “ear,” or use a cross for a boule.
3. Steam and bake
   • Transfer to the hot Dutch oven, cover, and immediately reduce oven to 240–245°C/465–475°F.
   • Steam phase (covered): 20–25 minutes—loaf should expand dramatically.
   • Color phase (uncovered): Remove lid and bake 18–25 minutes more until deep mahogany, with blistered crust. Internal temp should reach ~96–99°C/205–210°F.
4. Optional finish
   • For extra crunch, crack the oven door slightly for the last 5 minutes to drive off moisture.

Cooling, slicing, and storage

• Cool on a rack for at least 1–2 hours. The crumb sets as steam redistributes—slicing too soon yields gumminess.
• Storage: Keep cut-side down on a board for 24 hours, then bag in paper or a breathable bread bag. Avoid the fridge (stales faster). Freeze slices in a zip bag for up to 2 months; toast from frozen.

Common pitfalls and how to fix them

• Flat loaf, poor spring
  • Cause: Overproofed final dough or weak gluten. Fix: Shorten bulk or proof; add one more fold earlier; ensure proper shaping tension; verify oven is fully preheated.
• Dense, gummy crumb
  • Cause: Underfermented dough or cutting too early. Fix: Extend bulk until 30–50% rise; wait longer before slicing; bake to proper internal temperature.
• Tearing during shaping
  • Cause: Overdeveloped or too cold dough, or insufficient bench rest. Fix: Shorter mixing, adequate rest, shape more gently, adjust hydration down 1–2% next time.
• Pale crust
  • Cause: Insufficient bake or lack of sugars at the surface. Fix: Bake longer uncovered, slightly lower temp to avoid burning; consider a brief room-temp proof before retard for more fermentation.
• Sticking in the banneton
  • Cause: Inadequate dusting or overly wet dough. Fix: Use rice flour mix; be thorough; consider slightly lower hydration or chill longer.
• Bitter or overly sour flavor
  • Cause: Starved starter or long warm fermentation. Fix: Feed starter more often; use levain at peak; employ cold retard for flavor control.

Best practices for consistency

• Track temperature: Dough temp governs fermentation speed. Aim for 24–25°C (75–77°F) after mixing.
• Keep notes: Record times, temps, folds, and results; adjust in future bakes.
• Flour matters: Higher-protein bread flour develops stronger gluten and handles higher hydration better.
• Water quality: If your tap is heavily chlorinated, filter it to avoid inhibiting yeast/bacteria.
• Salt timing: Adding salt after autolyse increases extensibility; avoid adding too late (it can tear gluten if kneaded aggressively).
• Gentle handling: Preserve gas from bulk to maximize oven spring and open crumb.

Variations and add-ins

• Seeded loaf: Add 60–80 g toasted seeds (sesame, sunflower, flax). Soak flax in equal water for 30 minutes to prevent drying the dough.
• Whole grain boost: Increase whole wheat to 20–30% of total flour; reduce hydration by 1–2% initially, then adjust to feel.
• Flavor infusions: Mix in 2–3% olive oil (by flour weight) for tenderness; add herbs (rosemary, thyme) during the first fold; incorporate olives or cheese during the second fold to avoid tearing.

Quick reference: complete process checklist

• Starter reliably doubles in 4–6 hours at ~26°C
• Levain built 1:2:2 or 1:3:3, used at peak
• Autolyse 45–60 minutes with most of the water
• Mix in levain and salt; brief strengthening
• Bulk 3.5–5 hours with 3–4 fold sets; stop at 30–50% rise
• Preshape, 20–30 min rest; final shape with good surface tension
• Light dusting in banneton; chill 12–16 hours
• Bake in preheated Dutch oven: 20–25 min covered at 240–245°C, then 18–25 min uncovered to deep brown
• Cool 1–2 hours before slicing

With this method, you’ll produce a loaf with a thin, crackly crust, nuanced acidity, and an open yet custardy crumb—an artisan sourdough you’ll be proud to bake again and again.