SOURDOUGH BREAD FOR BEGINNERS
Think of this as Sourdough 101—a simple, comprehensive tutorial for beginners looking to bake delicious, crusty artisan sourdough bread at home. In this video, Brandi (featured by Marcy Inspired) walks us through everything from sourdough starter care to baking the perfect loaf. Whether you’re brand new or just need a confidence boost, this easy-to-follow recipe covers all the steps with tips and techniques you’ll love. No commercial yeast, just flour, water, and wild fermentation magic.
Video
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl for combining ingredients and proofing dough
- 1 Dutch oven with a lid for baking the bread
- 1 Food scale to accurately measure ingredients
- 1 Parchment paper for transferring the dough
- 1 Damp tea towel for covering dough during rise
- 1 Glass jars for storing and feeding sourdough starter
Ingredients
- 100 grams active sourdough starter
- 390 grams filtered water
- 10 grams salt
- 500 grams all-purpose flour
Instructions
Feed your sourdough starter:
- Take a portion of your refrigerated discard and feed it with equal parts flour and filtered water by weight.
- Let it sit covered at room temperature for 6–8 hours until it doubles in size.
Mix the dough:
- In a large bowl, weigh and combine 100g active starter, 390g filtered water, 10g salt, and 500g flour.
- Mix by hand or spatula until combined and do not knead.
Initial rest:
- Wet a tea towel (You can also warm the wet tea towel in the microwave for a few seconds).
- Cover bowl with the damp tea towel and let it rest 30 minutes.
Stretch and fold:
- Every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours (4 times total), stretch and fold the dough in the bowl.
- Cover after each fold.
Bulk ferment:
- After the last fold, let the dough rest at room temperature for 8 hours.
Shape the dough:
- Flour a surface and gently shape the dough into a smooth ball and do not knead.
Cold proof:
- Place the dough seam-side up in a floured tea towel-lined bowl.
- Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 36 hours.
Prepare to bake:
- Place your Dutch oven (with lid) inside the oven and preheat to 500ºF (260ºC).
- Transfer dough to parchment paper.
- Sprinkle flour on top, rub gently, and score with a blade.
Bake:
- Carefully place the dough (on parchment) into the preheated Dutch oven.
- Add an ice cube next to the dough (optional).
- Cover with lid and bake at 500ºF for 30 minutes.
Uncover and finish baking:
- Remove lid, reduce temperature to 450ºF (232ºC), and bake an additional 20–25 minutes until golden brown.
Cool:
- Remove loaf and let it cool on a wire rack or trivet for at least 2 hours before slicing.
Notes
This recipe and video were created and produced by Marcy Inspired.
