Simple Weekday Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

• 40 gbread flour
• 40 gwholemeal flour
• 81 gwater
• 8 gripe sourdough starter
• 766 gbread flour
• 161 gwholemeal flour
• 19 gsalt
• 685 gwater
• 169 gripe levain

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the levain

   At 7:00 a.m. before work, mix the levain ingredients in a small container. Keep it somewhere warm for 10 hours to ripen.

2. 2

   Rest the dough

   At 5:00 p.m., combine all the levain with 766 g bread flour, 161 g wholemeal flour and 635 g of the water in a medium bowl. Mix until no dry flour remains, cover and leave for 20 minutes; reserve the remaining 50 g water for mixing.

3. 3

   Mix and strengthen

   At 5:20 p.m., add the 19 g salt and some or all of the reserved 50 g water, depending on how much the dough can take. Mix thoroughly for about 5 minutes, then use wet hands to bring it together and make 5–10 folds in the bowl until it is slightly smoother. Transfer to a covered container for bulk fermentation.

4. 4

   Fold the dough

   From 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., do two sets of stretch and folds during bulk fermentation. Make the first set 30 minutes after fermentation begins and the second 30 minutes later, then leave the dough to rest for the remainder of the fermentation.

5. 5

   Divide and preshape

   At 9:00 p.m., lightly flour the work surface and turn out the dough. Divide it in half with a bench knife, shape each piece into a loose round and leave uncovered for 30 minutes.

6. 6

   Shape the loaves

   At 9:30 p.m., shape each piece into a round boule or oval bâtard. Place the shaped loaves in proofing baskets.

7. 7

   Proof overnight

   Cover the baskets with reusable plastic and seal them. Refrigerate both loaves to proof overnight, until baking at 7:00 a.m. or 6:00 p.m. the next day.

8. 8

   Bake the bread

   Preheat the oven to 230°C with a baking surface or a combo cooker/Dutch oven inside. Take the dough from the fridge, score it and transfer it to the preheated surface or cooker. Bake for 20 minutes with steam, then vent the oven or remove the lid and bake for 30 minutes more. The loaves are done when their internal temperature is about 95°C. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours before slicing.

What is weekday sourdough?

Sourdough is bread leavened with a culture of flour and water rather than relying only on commercial yeast. This American-style home-baking schedule puts the long levain rise during the workday and the final proof in the fridge overnight.

The method works by dividing the process into short periods of mixing and shaping, with rests in between. You get two loaves from one batch, ready to bake on the morning or evening schedule.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1810 calories, 64g protein, 380g carbs, 9g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the bread and wholemeal flours, while the flour also supplies most of the protein. The salt accounts for much of the sodium, and the dough contains very little fat. Balance a serving with eggs, beans or another protein-rich topping and some vegetables.

Build the levain before work

Warm ripening: Mix the 40 g bread flour, 40 g wholemeal flour, 81 g water and 8 g ripe starter at 7:00 a.m. Give the levain 10 hours in a warm place, as directed, before mixing the main dough.

Ready to use: The recipe calls for 169 g ripe levain in the evening. Use all of the prepared levain when it has had its scheduled ripening time.

Give the flour a short rest

Initial mix: Combine the levain and flours with 635 g water, keeping the remaining 50 g back. Mixing only until the dry patches disappear leaves the dough ready for its 20-minute rest.

Salt and water: Add the salt after the rest, along with as much of the reserved water as the dough can handle. A few folds in the bowl are the specified way to bring it together and build strength without intensive kneading.

Use folds to build strength

First set: Start the bulk fermentation at 5:30 p.m. and fold the dough 30 minutes later. Stretch and fold the dough as a set, working around it before covering it again.

Second set: Repeat 30 minutes after the first set, then leave the dough alone for the rest of bulk fermentation, through 9:00 p.m. The method gives this dough two sets rather than frequent handling.

Shape and proof in the fridge

Preshape: Divide the dough evenly into two pieces and round them lightly. The uncovered 30-minute rest gives each piece a pause before final shaping.

Cold proof: Shape as boules or bâtards, set the loaves in baskets and cover them securely before refrigerating. This overnight stage leads into the recipe's morning-or-evening bake window the next day.

Bake for a well-coloured crust

Hot baking surface: Heat the oven to 230°C with the baking surface or covered cooker inside. Score the chilled dough and transfer it carefully to the hot baking setup.

Steam then vent: Bake for 20 minutes with steam, then vent the oven or remove the cooker lid and bake another 30 minutes. The recipe gives about 95°C as the internal temperature cue for doneness.

Cool before slicing

Cooling time: Leave the loaves on a wire rack for 2 hours before cutting. This is part of the method, even when the smell of fresh bread makes it tempting to slice sooner.

Serving idea: Pair a slice with eggs, soup or a savoury spread for a more complete meal. The bread also works well as the base for sandwiches.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the levain warm for its full 10-hour ripening period.
• Reserve exactly 50 g of the main dough water before mixing the flours and levain.
• Add the reserved water gradually if you are unsure how much the dough can handle.
• Use wet hands for the folds to reduce sticking.
• Cover the proofing baskets securely before putting them in the fridge.
• Let the loaves cool for the full 2 hours before slicing.

Variations

• More wholemeal: Replace some bread flour with wholemeal flour, keeping in mind that this changes the dough from the recipe as written.
• Oval loaves: Shape both pieces as bâtards for an oval loaf.
• Round loaves: Shape both pieces as boules for round loaves.
• Sandwich slices: Cool the loaves fully, then slice them for sandwiches.
• Savoury topping: Serve a slice with eggs or a savoury spread for a more filling meal.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using the levain too early: Give it the full 10 hours of warm ripening before mixing the dough.
• Adding all the reserved water automatically: Add it according to how much the dough can handle.
• Skipping the folds: Complete both sets, spaced 30 minutes apart, during bulk fermentation.
• Leaving the baskets uncovered: Seal them with reusable plastic before refrigeration.
• Baking without preheating: Heat the oven with the baking surface or cooker inside at 230°C.
• Slicing too soon: Cool the loaves on a rack for 2 hours before cutting.

How to store

Once completely cool, store the loaves in a bread bag or wrapped at room temperature and use within a few days. Reheat slices in a toaster; for a whole loaf, warm it in the oven until heated through.

Frequently asked questions