Getting Started with Sourdough: Your First Loaf

So you want to bake sourdough bread. Welcome to one of the most rewarding (and occasionally frustrating) kitchen adventures you’ll ever embark on. This guide will walk you through everything you need for your first successful loaf.

What You Need

Before we start, gather these essentials:

• Bread flour (strong/high-protein, 11-13%) — 500g
• Water (filtered or rested tap water) — 350g
• Salt (fine sea salt) — 10g
• Active sourdough starter — 100g
• A large mixing bowl
• A kitchen scale (baking by weight is non-negotiable)
• A Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid
• A bench scraper (very helpful, not mandatory)

Step 1: Make Sure Your Starter is Ready

Your starter should be at its peak — bubbly, doubled in size, and passing the float test (a spoonful floats in water). If it doesn’t float, feed it and wait 4-6 hours.

Pro tip: Feed your starter the evening before you want to bake. By morning, it should be at peak activity.

Step 2: Mix Your Dough

1. Combine flour and water in a bowl. Mix until no dry flour remains.
2. Let it rest for 30 minutes (autolyse). This develops gluten without any effort.
3. Add your starter and salt. Squeeze and fold until fully incorporated.

Step 3: Bulk Fermentation

This is where the magic happens. Over the next 4-5 hours:

• Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30 minutes apart
• After the folds, let the dough rest undisturbed
• Look for: 50-75% volume increase, bubbles on surface and sides, a domed top

Temperature matters: At 24°C, expect 4-5 hours. Below 20°C, it could take 6-8 hours.

Step 4: Shape

1. Gently turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface
2. Pre-shape into a loose round. Let it rest 20 minutes.
3. Final shape: build surface tension by pulling the dough toward you
4. Place seam-side up in a floured banneton or bowl lined with a floured towel

Step 5: Cold Proof

Cover and refrigerate for 12-16 hours. This develops flavor and makes scoring easier.

Step 6: Bake

1. Preheat your oven to 245°C with the Dutch oven inside (45-60 minutes)
2. Score your dough with a sharp blade — one confident slash
3. Bake covered for 20 minutes (steam phase)
4. Remove lid, reduce to 220°C, bake 20-25 more minutes until deep golden

Step 7: The Hardest Part

Wait. Let your bread cool for at least 1 hour before cutting. The inside is still baking from residual heat. Cutting too early = gummy crumb.

Use CrumbLab

Want to see exactly what your bread will look like before you start? Open the simulator — choose the “Beginner” preset and follow the generated timeline. It’ll even send you notifications when it’s time for each step.

Happy baking!