There’s nothing like the smell of fresh bread baking in your kitchen, and nothing embodies that cozy, comforting feeling quite like homemade sourdough. Beloved for centuries, this bread favorite found a whole new wave of fans during the recent pandemic when folks everywhere turned to their kitchens for a sense of calm and connection.
Whether you’re brand new to baking or you’re perfecting your signature loaf, here’s the Ward’s Supermarket friendly guide to sourdough.
Why We’re Wild About Sourdough
Sourdough is special because it doesn’t rely on store-bought yeast. Instead, you create a “starter,” a mixture of flour and water that naturally ferments over days or weeks. This wild yeast gives sourdough its signature tang and rustic texture, with a crisp crust and chewy crumb.
Better yet, sourdough is often easier to digest than other breads, thanks to the long fermentation process that helps break down gluten. Plus, when you make sourdough at home, you know exactly what’s in it, so there are no mystery ingredients.
What You Knead to Know About Your Sourdough Starter
Your starter is the heart of every homemade sourdough. If you’re new to making sourdough, give yourself time to get to know your starter by feeding it daily, keeping it in a warm spot in your kitchen, and even naming it (many sourdough bakers do). Using whole wheat or rye flour can help create a strong, active culture with plenty of natural yeast. A good starter should at least double in size within eight hours.
How to Rise to the Occasion for the Perfect Sourdough Loaf
Once your starter is active and bubbly (about 4 hours after a feed), it’s time to bake.
- Mix & Autolyse: Combine your starter, flour, and water, then let the dough rest for 20 to 60 minutes. This autolyse step helps the flour fully hydrate and develop gluten naturally, making your dough easier to handle and your finished loaf chewier and tastier.
- Add Salt & Stretch: Mix in salt, then gently stretch and fold your dough over a few hours. We recommend about four stretch and folds every half hour for 2 hours.
- Bulk Ferment: Cover your dough and let it rise slowly at room temperature. This stage of bulk fermentation is when the wild yeast in your starter develops flavor, creates air pockets, and gives your sourdough its signature texture. Many bakers let their dough ferment overnight for an extra boost of flavor and an open, airy crumb. You’ll know bulk fermentation is done when the dough is domed, you can see bubbles through a glass bowl, and it’s not sticky to the touch.
- Shape & Proof: Shape your loaf and let it proof in a banneton or bowl. A great way to help it hold its shape is by cold proofing your dough (letting it proof in your fridge).
- Bake: Bake in a hot, steamy oven for that golden crust and chewy center. A Dutch oven is the ideal baking tool to ensure your dough is getting enough steam throughout the baking process.
Don’t Keep Your Loaf To Your-Shelf
Making sourdough is equal parts science and patience, and it’s even better when you share it. Whether you’re gifting a fresh loaf to a neighbor, swapping starter with a friend, or teaching your kids how to bake, sourdough has a way of bringing people together.
When you shop for your guide to sourdough essentials at Ward’s Supermarket, you’re supporting local farmers, millers, and bakers right here in Gainesville. We’re proud to be your hometown store for quality ingredients and friendly tips on making homemade sourdough. Stop by to stock up, share your baking stories, and keep this delicious tradition alive for generations to come.
