Basic Sourdough Bread

Step 1

Place starter into a bowl. Add bread flour, water, and salt; mix until well blended and sticky. Cover with aluminum foil and let stand for 4 hours at 70 to 75 degrees F (21 to 24 degrees C).

Step 2

Uncover dough and use wet hands to fold it over onto itself three to four times. Cover again with foil and let ferment for 2 more hours.

Step 3

Generously dust a proofing basket (banneton) with rice flour.

Step 4

Scrape dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Fold and stretch over onto itself three or four times - Shape into a ball with a smooth, unbroken surface, using just enough flour on the surface to keep it from sticking (This can be quite a wet mixture - adding a little more flour to achieve the smooth dough is ok if required).

Place dough into the prepared basket with the smooth side down. Pinch the rougher edges on the surface together toward the center to smooth them while maintaining a round ball shape.

Step 5

Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours to slow the fermentation process, during this time the dough will be come more manageable and continue to ferment at a slower rate.

Step 6

Remove the banneton from the refrigerator. Let sit in a warm spot until dough springs back slowly and retains a slight indentation when poked gently with a finger, about 3 to 5 hours.

Step 7

Preheat the oven to 230 degrees C (450 degrees F). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 8

Dust surface of dough with flour. Gently invert the banneton over the center of the baking sheet and flip dough out onto the parchment paper. Gently brush off excess rice flour. Score top of dough about 1/8-inch deep with a sharp knife to create a shallow slit running across the center. Mist the entire surface lightly with water.

Step 9

Bake in the center of the preheated oven until beautifully browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer loaf to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing.