Sourdough Loaf: Wild Yeast, Long Fermentation, and Dutch Oven Crust

Overview

This video guides viewers through baking a sourdough loaf using wild yeast and long fermentation. It covers everything from feeding the starter and building the dough to achieving a distinctive tangy flavor and a perfect Dutch oven crust.

Ingredients

• 100 grams active sourdough starter
• 375 grams warm water
• 500 grams bread flour
• 10 grams salt
• small splash of water

Instructions

1. Combine 100 grams active sourdough starter with 375 grams warm water and stir to dissolve.
2. Add 500 grams bread flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms with no dry flour visible.
3. Cover and rest 30 minutes for the autolyse.
4. After autolyse, sprinkle 10 grams salt over the dough with a small splash of water.
5. Pinch and fold the salt in until fully incorporated; the dough will tighten.
6. Over the next 2 hours, perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds at 30-minute intervals.
7. Each set, stretch one side of the dough up and over the center, rotate, and repeat 4 times.
8. After the last fold, leave the dough covered at room temperature for 3 to 4 more hours for bulk ferment until it increases about 50 percent in volume, feels puffy and jiggly, and has visible bubbles.
9. Turn the dough onto an unfloured surface and use a bench scraper to pre-shape into a round by dragging it toward you.
10. Let it rest uncovered for 20 minutes so the gluten relaxes.
11. Shape into a tight boule by folding the edges toward the center, then flipping seam-side down and using the bench scraper to create tension.
12. Place seam-side up in a well-floured banneton.
13. Cover the banneton and place in the refrigerator for 12 to 18 hours for cold retard.
14. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a Dutch oven inside for 1 full hour.
15. Turn the cold dough out onto parchment, score decisively with a lame, lower into the Dutch oven, and cover.
16. Bake covered for 20 minutes.
17. Remove the lid, reduce to 450 degrees, and bake 20 to 25 more minutes until the crust is deep mahogany brown.
18. Cool completely on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

In this video

• Sourdough baking is a partnership with wild yeast and bacteria, requiring time and feel, not just a clock.
• Cold fermentation for 12 to 18 hours develops complex, tangy flavors that commercial yeast cannot replicate.
• The autolyse step involves combining flour and water for 30 minutes to hydrate and develop gluten before adding salt.
• Over 2 hours, 4 sets of stretch-and-folds performed at 30-minute intervals help build dough elasticity and smoothness.
• Bulk fermentation at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours should increase dough volume by about 50 percent, becoming puffy with visible bubbles.
• Pre-shaping creates surface tension and allows gluten to relax for 20 minutes before final shaping.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a Dutch oven inside for 1 hour for optimal baking.
• Bake the sourdough covered for 20 minutes at 500 degrees, then uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes at 450 degrees.
• Cooling the loaf completely on a wire rack for at least 1 hour prevents steam release from collapsing the crumb.
• The distinctive tangy flavor is a result of cold retarding, which should not be skipped.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to cold ferment sourdough?

Sourdough should be cold fermented in the refrigerator for 12 to 18 hours. This crucial step slows fermentation and develops the complex, tangy flavor.

What is the autolyse step in sourdough baking?

The autolyse is the initial 30-minute rest period after combining flour and water. It allows the flour to fully hydrate and gluten to begin developing before salt is added.

What temperature should I bake sourdough in a Dutch oven?

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit with the Dutch oven inside for 1 hour, baking covered for 20 minutes. Then, reduce the temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and bake uncovered for an additional 20 to 25 minutes.

How do I know when my sourdough bulk ferment is ready?

After 3 to 4 hours of bulk ferment, the dough should have increased about 50 percent in volume. It will feel puffy and jiggly, with visible bubbles on its surface and sides.

Why is cooling sourdough completely important?

Cooling the sourdough loaf completely on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing is essential. Cutting it too early releases steam, which can collapse the crumb structure.