Dairy-Free • Contains Gluten • No Eggs
A sourdough boule is the ultimate expression of the baker’s craft. Four ingredients — flour, water, salt, and a living starter — transformed through time, temperature, and technique into a loaf with a shattering, caramelized crust and an open, tangy crumb. This is bread at its most elemental and its most extraordinary.
Sourdough is the oldest leavening method known to humanity, predating commercial yeast by thousands of years. When you bake a sourdough boule, you are using the same wild fermentation that leavened bread in ancient Israel, in medieval Europe, and in every Jewish community that has ever ground grain and mixed it with water.
This recipe guides you through a full 24-hour process: building the levain, mixing and developing the dough through gentle stretch-and-folds, cold-retarding overnight for maximum flavor, and baking in a Dutch oven for the crackling crust that defines artisan bread.
What Makes This Special
- Wild yeast fermentation — complex, tangy flavor impossible with commercial yeast.
- 24-hour process — slow fermentation develops extraordinary depth.
- Open crumb structure — large, irregular holes from proper hydration and handling.
- Dutch oven baking — traps steam for a professional-quality crust at home.
Kosher Observance & Halachic Notes
Kosher Classification: Pareve
No dairy, no eggs. Naturally vegan and pareve.
Hafrashat Challah
This recipe uses approximately 500 g of flour, which is below the minimum shiur for hafrashat challah. No separation is required. If you combine multiple batches that together exceed 1,200 g of flour, separation would then apply.
Pas Yisroel
When a Jewish person lights the oven or contributes to the baking, this fulfills Pas Yisroel requirements, preferred or required by many communities.
Brachot (Blessings)
- Before eating: HaMotzi Lechem Min Ha’Aretz
- After eating: Birkat HaMazon
Ingredients
Levain (build 8–12 hours ahead)
- 25 g mature sourdough starter
- 50 g bread flour
- 50 g whole wheat flour
- 100 g warm water (30°C / 86°F)
Dough
| Ingredient | Grams | Volume | Baker’s % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 450 g | 3⅓ cups | 90% |
| Whole wheat flour | 50 g | ⅓ cup | 10% |
| Fine sea salt | 11 g | 2 tsp | 2.2% |
| Ripe levain | 100 g | — | 20% |
| Water | 375 g | 1½ cups + 2 Tbsp | 75% |
| Total Dough Weight | ~986 g | — | — |
Target DDT: 25°C (77°F)
To calculate your water temperature:
Water Temp = (DDT × 3) − Flour Temp − Room Temp
The water should feel comfortably warm — never exceed 43°C (110°F) or you risk killing the yeast.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Build the Levain (Evening, Day 1)
Mix starter with flour and water. Cover loosely and ferment 8–12 hours at room temperature until doubled and bubbly.
Step 2: Autolyse (Morning, Day 2)
Combine both flours and 350 g of the water (reserve 25 g). Mix until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest 45–60 minutes.
Step 3: Add Levain and Salt
Add the ripe levain and salt to the autolysed dough, along with the reserved 25 g water. Squeeze and fold to incorporate, about 3–4 minutes until fully mixed.
Step 4: Stretch and Folds (Bulk Fermentation)
Over the next 4–5 hours, perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds at 30–45 minute intervals. For each set, wet your hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up and fold over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl 90° and repeat 4 times. The dough should become progressively smoother, more elastic, and filled with bubbles.
Step 5: Pre-Shape
When the dough has increased 50–75% and feels airy and jiggly, turn it onto an unfloured surface. Using a bench scraper, shape into a loose round. Rest 20 minutes uncovered (bench rest).
Step 6: Final Shape
Flip the dough, pull the edges to the center to create tension, then flip seam-side down and use your hands to drag it toward you on the counter, building a taut surface. Place seam-side up in a floured banneton or lined bowl.
Step 7: Cold Retard (Overnight)
Cover tightly and refrigerate 12–16 hours. This develops flavor and makes scoring easier.
Step 8: Bake (Morning, Day 3)
Preheat oven to 250°C (480°F) with a Dutch oven inside for 45 minutes. Remove dough from fridge (do not warm up). Invert onto parchment, score with a lame or razor blade. Lower into the Dutch oven. Bake with lid on 20 minutes, then remove lid and bake 20–25 more minutes until deeply caramelized. Internal temp: 96°C (205°F). Cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour.
Storage & Make-Ahead
- Room temperature: 4–5 days cut-side down. Sourdough has exceptional keeping quality.
- Freezing: Slice and freeze up to 3 months. Toast directly from frozen.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Flat loaf with no oven spring | Starter not active enough or over-fermented | Ensure levain passes the float test. Don’t let bulk fermentation go past 75% rise. |
| Dense, gummy crumb | Underbaked or cut too soon | Bake to 96°C internal. Cool at least 1 hour — the crumb is still cooking as it cools. |
| Too sour | Long fermentation at warm temperature | Keep bulk ferment cooler (22–24°C) and shorter. Use a younger, milder levain. |
| No ear on the score | Dough too warm or blade not sharp enough | Score straight from fridge. Use a fresh razor blade at a 30° angle. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Dutch oven?
A Dutch oven provides the steam environment essential for a great crust. Alternatives: bake on a stone with a pan of boiling water below, or use an inverted roasting pan as a cover. The Dutch oven produces the best results.
How do I know my starter is ready?
A healthy starter doubles within 4–8 hours of feeding, smells pleasantly tangy (not like acetone), and has visible bubbles throughout. The levain should pass the float test: a spoonful floats in water.
Can I skip the cold retard?
Technically yes, but the cold retard improves flavor dramatically and makes the dough easier to score. If skipping, proof at room temperature until the poke test shows a slow spring-back, then bake.
Why is high hydration important?
The 75% hydration creates the open, irregular crumb structure characteristic of artisan sourdough. Lower hydration produces a tighter crumb. Higher hydration (80%+) is possible but requires more experience handling slack dough.
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