BASIC COUNTRY SOURDOUGH

Makes one 985g loaf

INGREDIENTS

• Bread flour: 450g
• WW flour: 50g
• Water (94F): 375g (350 + 25)
• Levain: 100g
• Salt: 10g

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix flour + 350g water (heated to 94F). Rest 30-45 min (autolyse).
2. Add levain, salt, remaining 25g water. Mix by hand, squeeze through fingers. Verify temp (target 78F).
3. Bulk ferment (in oven with light on): fold every 30 min for 2 hours.
4. One gentler fold after 30 more min.
5. Rest until dough rises 30-50%, is aerated, and jiggles when shaken. (Observe dough, not clock).
6. Pre-shape dough.
7. Bench rest 15-30 min, then final shape. Place seam-up in floured banneton.
8. Final rise: overnight in fridge. Ready when poke indent springs back slowly.
9. Preheat oven to 500F with dutch oven inside, 45-60 min.
10. Turn loaf seam-down into hot pan. Score top. Replace lid. Drop oven to 450F.
11. Bake covered 25 min. Remove lid, bake 20 min more.
12. Optional: remove from dutch oven, bake few more min on rack for crispier crust.
13. Cool before slicing.

@toritorhymes + Gemini 2026-08-02