sourdough basics
I’ve been making sourdough for my family for about a year and a half now. I have issues with gluten, so I started looking for a bread that I could eat without issue, and sourdough has been it! I make a couple loaves per week for my family and then use the starter for everything! Scones, biscuits, pancakes, pizza dough….so many baked goods can be made with a true sourdough ferment and are so much easier on the digestive system!
About a year ago, I bought Tess’s sourdough course and it is AMAZING. I cannot recommend it enough and it is the only recipe I use for my weekly loaves. She teaches how to make French sourdough (pain de campagne) and it is delicious! I won’t share the recipe here since she worked so hard to create it, but you can purchase her course (super reasonable price). It has her recipe and her method and it worth way more than what she charges for it! She covers making the starter, flours to use, techniques, what to look for, and so much more! You can also find a recipe off of Pinterest if purchasing something isn’t in the budget for this month - just make sure that it is a true ferment and not a “sourdough” that can be made in a couple hours. You should expect about 24 hours from the start of your loaf (once your starter is active) until it is out of the oven.
Sourdough does require a few supplies, so I wanted to link the ones that I use when I make bread!
Dutch Oven - this isn’t the exact one that I have, since ours was a gift at our wedding shower years ago and I don’t even know what brand it is. But get a cook cast iron dutch oven WITH a lid. This is the only thing that you absolutely HAVE to have! You cannot make this in a regular loaf pan without compensating for the moisture in the oven. This is easy, so just make sure you have a dutch oven!
Proofing Baskets - you could use a bowl or basket covered in a towel if you prefer, but I love the convenience of having baskets that are just for bread!
Bread Lame - a lame is what you use to make all the beautiful scoring designs on your bread! A sharp knife will substitute if you don’t have one, but the lame is just something special and works so much better in my opinion!
Dough Scraper - full discloser, I only use this one maybe 30% of the time that I make bread. I normally just use my hands to scrape out the bowl. However, this is easy and it minimizes the mess a bit in my opinion, so something to consider having on hand! it is super cheap (about $3), so having one in your kitchen is never a bad idea.
Sourdough making has become a cathartic rhythm for me this past year and such a beautiful way to make something special for my family! When I was growing up, we made Challah and whole wheat loaves every single week. When I got older and moved out, I moved away from making my own bread and coming back to it this past year or so has been so special in so many ways.