I have been baking bread in our home two to three times a week. Sourdough is not as complicated as some make it seem. This is the EASIEST way to make sourdough bread. It can be prepared, hands off, in the stand mixer. I don’t use any special tools or sourdough equipment, just the kitchen tools I already have in the kitchen.
This sourdough bread is prepared in the stand mixer. Its bulk ferments at room temperature overnight and is refrigerated for up to two days. I also use a cold Dutch oven, rather than preheating the oven and dealing with a super-hot lid and trying not to burn myself.
As you can see by the picture, it still turns out beautiful. This sourdough bread tastes amazing too. There is a perfect amount of airy crumb.
If you’re looking at this recipe, you probably already know the benefits of sourdough bread. The cold ferment is an important step of preparing the sourdough. It enhances the flavor of the sourdough, makes it easier to score, and helps give the bread a better rise.
Print Recipe
Sourdough bread- Stand mixer and Cold start
Equipment
- stand mixer
- tea towel
- Medium mixing bowl
- dutch oven
- sheet pan
Ingredients
- 65 Grams Active sourdough starter
- 300 Grams Water
- 500 Grams Bread flour
- 9 Grams Sea salt
Instructions
- In a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, measure all the ingredients into the mixing bowl.
- Turn the mixer on low and knead the dough for 5 minutes.
- Cover the bowl with a tea towel for 1 hour.
- Return to the dough and turn the hook on to low speed for 2 minutes.
- Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes. Return to the dough and turn the hook on to low speed for 2 minutes. Repeat this step 3 more times.
- Once the dough has been kneaded the 5th time total, remove the hook and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to rest on the counter for 10-12 hours. Resting time is very dependent on the room temperature. It may be shorter than 10 hours in a hotter climate or hot summer night.
- After the dough has rested, place a tea towel into a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Lightly dust the towel with flour.
- Pull the dough from the mixer bowl, folding it onto itself. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the towel lined bowl, seam side down.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
- After the dough has been refrigerated and ready to bake, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and drop the dough, seam side down onto a piece of parchment paper.
- Score the top of the bread.
- Place the parchment paper lined dough into a cold dutch oven and put the cover on.
- Place the dutch oven into the oven and turn it on to 450℉.
- Place an empty sheet pan on the rack below the rack that the dutch oven is on to help prevent the bottom of the sourdough from getting too dark.
- Set the timer for 55 minutes.
- After 55 minutes, carefully remove the lid of the dutch oven.
- Continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the crust is the desired darkness and the internal temperature is at least 205℉.
- Cool on a cooling rack for 3 hours before slicing.
