My Perfect Sourdough

Making sourdough bread is a two day process so I have included timings for the actual work involved. I use a cast iron round casserole dish, like Le Creuset, but a Pyrex style glass dish with lid would work just as well.
Prep Time2 days
Cook Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Bread
Keyword: bread, sourdough

Equipment

  • Casserole Dish with Lid

Ingredients

  • 600 g strong flour
  • 325 ml water
  • 10 tbsps sourdough starter
  • 10 g salt

Instructions

Day 1 - 8am – The Sponge (3 minutes)

  • Put 300g flour, all the water and sourdough starter in a large bowl.
  • Mix together with a spoon.
  • Cover and leave for 10-12 hours.

Day 1 - 8pm

  • Add the remaining 300g flour and the salt.
  • Use your hands to incorporate the flour and salt into the Sponge. (3 minutes)
  • Turn the dough out on to a floured board

Stretch and Fold

  • Gently shape the dough into a sausage.
  • Visually divide the sausage dough into three parts.
  • Fold the left hand third into the middle of the remaining two thirds.
  • Fold the right hand third over the other two, so that you have three layers of dough.
  • Give the dough a half turn.
  • Repeat the Stretch & Fold 3 or 4 times. (5 minutes)
  • Leave for 30 minutes.
  • Repeat 1-6 of the Stretch and Fold (5 minutes)
  • Leave for 30 minutes.
  • Repeat 1-6 of the Stretch and Fold (5 minutes)
  • Leave for 30 minutes.
  • Repeat 1-6 of the Stretch and Fold (5 minutes)
  • After the final Stretch and Fold shape the dough into a ball and dust with flour.
  • Put the ball of dough in a floured bowl.
  • Cover and leave overnight.

Day 2 – 8am

  • Put a casserole dish with lid in the oven and turn heat to highest setting.
  • Leave for 30 minutes.
  • Take the casserole dish out of the oven, sprinkle a little flour inside and then put the dough in. Put the lid back on and return to the oven.
  • Bake for 30 minutes.
  • Remove lid and bake for further 5 minutes to brown the top.