Simple Sourdough Bread for Beginners: The Lockdown Guide

Do you want to master the art of sourdough bread, but are afraid of not being able to perfect it?  With Simple Sourdough Bread for Beginners: The Lockdown Guide, anyone will be able to master the art of sourdough with just a few simple steps!

How to make sourdough bread for beginners.

There is nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread. Learning how to make sourdough bread, as a beginner, was something I had always wanted to try, but I never seemed to have enough time. Therefore, with lockdown imposing restrictions, preventing us from living our pre-covid normal lives, I decided to try and be proactive and make use of this time to learn this new skill.

After a couple of tries’, I eventually found a recipe that was simple yet effective. With the beginner's guide and its simple instructions to follow, anyone will be able to master the art of sourdough bread. It wont be long before you turn your kitchen into a bakery!

Simple Sourdough Starter for Beginners.

For every sourdough, a starter is essential, it acts as the rising agent in the bread. It is what gives the bread its distinctive sour flavour. Therefore, before you start making your bread, you need to allow enough time to create a starter. This process can take anywhere from 7 – 10 days, depending on how warm your kitchen is. The colder the kitchen, the longer this process takes. Even if it takes a little longer there is no need to lose hope!

Simple Sourdough Starter for Beginners [Recipe]:

Ingredients:

50g Plain White Flour (all purpose)

50g Strong Wholemeal Flour

100 g Warm water

Instructions:

Day 1.

• Add the flour to a jar, add the warm water. Stir until combined.

Day 2.

• Add the same proportions of flour and water as day 1. Stir until combined.

Day 3.

• Discard approximately 2/3 rd.’s of the mix and add the same proportions of flour and water. Stir until combined.

Day 4 onwards.

• Repeat the same process as day 3 until the starter is doubling in size. From days 7- 10 the starter should start to rise and fall in a continuous sequence. When this occurs the starter will be ready for use.
  Tip: If you do not want to make your own starter, you can order one at Kefir Grains.

Upkeep.

• If you are baking a number of times a week it is better to keep your starter in your kitchen and feed it every day. If you only bake once a week or every few weeks, you can keep your starter in the fridge and take it out the day before you plan to bake.

Day of Baking.

• When it comes to making your bread, I find the starter is at its best stage for use around 4-5 hrs after feeding. Therefore, on the day of making bread you need to remember to allow time for this.
  
  

Simple Sourdough Bread for Beginners.

Simple Sourdough Bread for Beginners [Recipe]:

Duration:  

36 hours

Ingredients:

375g Warm water

100g Active Starter – (I find it's best to use 4-5 hrs after feeding)

500g Strong white flour

2 level teaspoons of salt

Instructions:

Making the dough.

• Feed the starter 5 hours before you start to make your dough. It should double in size.
  Tip: I use an elastic band to mark my jar after feeding so I can check to see if the starter has increased in size.
• Pour the warm water into a bowl.
• Add the starter to the water and stir until combined.
  
• Add the salt and flour and mix all the ingredients together until combined.
  
• Leave to rest for 30 mins with a damp tea towel over the bowl.
• After 30 mins stretch the dough from one edge of the bowl to the other side.    Repeat at four corners of the dough i.e. Pull from north to south, west to east.
  
  
• Repeat the previous step, 3 more times, so that it rests in total for 2 hours and has been stretched a total of 4 times. Each time this step is completed the dough should become more elastic.
• Leave the dough to rest for 8-10 hours in a warm area in your kitchen until it has doubled in size.

Shaping and proofing the dough.

• Place the dough on a lightly floured surface.

• Gently shape the dough into a round and leave to rest for 40 mins.
  Tip: When shaping the dough, wet your hands to prevent the dough from sticking.
  
  
• Lightly coat your proofing basket with flour.
  Tip: If you don’t have a proofing basket, line a bowl with a clean cotton tea towel and sprinkle with flour, or you can buy one at Amazon.
  
• After the dough has rested for 40 mins, shape the dough again into a round and place in your proofing basket.
  
• Place the bowl in a plastic bag or cover with a damp tea towel. Transfer to the fridge for 6 to 48 hours. 
  Tip: If you want, you could double the recipe and leave one of the batches for later on in the week.
  

Baking the sourdough bread.

• On the day of baking preheat the oven to 200c. Place a baking dish in the bottom of the oven with cold water. The water will steam up the oven and help to create a crispy/crunchy crust.
• Once the oven is heated, transfer the dough to baking parchment on a tray. Score it using a sharp knife.
  
• Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 30 mins.
• After 30 mins if the bread looks fully cooked, turn upside down and bake for a further 15 mins.
• When the bread is done it should sound hollow when you tap it on the bottom.
• Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. 
  
• Enjoy with breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or even on its own.
  
  You better get "Bready"!
  Let me know how you get on in the comments section, and what you would like me to make next time on The Lockdown Guide!
  
  
  If you want to read more about what activities you should try this lockdown, visit our Facebook page for tips and tricks!

If your looking for some other fun activities to try this lockdown: